Albert Einstein famously said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Now take a big sip of whatever you’re drinking right now and let me burst your motivational bubble. Einstein never actually said that. But hey, it’s got a good vibe, so let’s roll with it.
Whether that funny-haired genius came up with it or not, the idea holds true. Think about it. We’re raised to believe there’s one path to success. Go to school, get good grades, stack up degrees. Do this or try that. Then, and only then, you’ve made it. This concept isn’t just wrong, it’s barbaric.
Trying to Judge everyone by the same narrow standard, especially one that doesn’t fit their unique strengths only breeds self-doubt. And yet we do it all the time. Just like it’s absurd to judge a fish by how well it climbs a tree, it’s unfair to judge people by rules that were never meant for them. A fish isn’t a failure for not climbing a tree. Come on, it’s just a fish.
Just look at Gabadinho Mhango. In 2013, he failed his Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) exams, scoring F’s in most subjects. People laughed, jokes flew. That must have stung like a bee with anger issues. But that boy from Chiweta refused to let that moment define him.
Gaba knew exactly who he was and didn’t waste a second trying to be anyone else. He chose not to climb the tree, but to run instead. With his legs, he wrote his own story. He went on to play for top clubs like Orlando Pirates, bagged the golden boot in the 2019–20 South African Premiership, and even signed a deal with Nike. Not bad for a kid who flunked his exams, huh? Oh, we even named scones after him. Now, that’s how you know you’ve made it.
Gaba didn’t follow a curriculum; he followed his own current.
The point is, not everyone’s path is a straight, well-lit highway. Some people take the scenic route, while others cut through the jungle with a machete. Not all talent can be measured by a test score or some recruiter’s checklist. And that’s perfectly fine.
Now, don’t get it twisted. This isn’t your excuse to drop out of school and binge Netflix. Don’t be silly. All I’m saying is, if the traditional path doesn’t fit, fine. Find the one that does, own it like a boss, and build a life out of it.
Everyone has their own brand of genius. The trick is finding it, nurturing it, and not letting the world’s expectations make you feel like crap.
So, stop beating yourself up because you’re not living up to someone else’s expectation. Stop feeling like a failure just because you don’t have a corner office or a LinkedIn profile stacked with shiny, meaningless badges. And for crying out loud, stop dragging your fins through tree branches that were never meant for you in the first place.
Find your water and swim like hell.
