Real change starts with self-recognition — Here is part of my story

Published in

Readers Hope

5 min readJun 23, 2024

I, Ikimi Stephen M., 23, am a young and ambitious son, student, and human. Born in a near-remote village in Kenya, my journey until 2015 was typical to any other village kid in third-world countries: born to a young mother (barely 20 years), live with your maternal grandparents for a few years, the mother gets married at age 5 to a man who might or might not be your biological father, start nursery school (kindergarten), then primary and join high school at 15 years if you’re lucky enough to have able parents or willing sponsors. Only a few of my age mates manage to attend ‘good’ high schools, finish, and join college/university. Fewer manage to be a someone in the society.

A photo of a young man standing wearing a white lab coat. — A Photo of me back in 2022.

There is a long-holding adage in my locality that one is born in a specific village, attends school there, works there, marries from that village, dies, and is buried in the same locality.

My life took a deviation at 12 years old when my father transferred me to a private school. There, I was able to reach my academic potential and get good enough results to join a national high school. He also managed to admit me into the only mixed National school in Kenya, Nyandarua High School, without any financial constraint.

But life happened, and after that, it was a struggle to provide for my pocket money and school fees. I will deliberately leave out the details. I don’t wish for this to be a sympathy card.

Fast-forward to Form Three (Year 3). I was lucky enough to get some sponsors who paid my school fees for the next two years until I completed Form 4. In primary school, I was index 001, but I managed to position three after the national exam. To this day, three might be my lucky number. Maybe not.

Someone killed my dream to be a medical doctor…

As a toddler, I always dreamed of having a healthcare facility that offered free clinical services to thousands of people. To this day, I still can’t tell where this dream stemmed from. Maybe that is the reason I am in medical school today.

From starting my journey to being a medical doctor at 19, I cannot tell how I got to work towards being a freelancer and entrepreneur at 23. While I admired the medical field’s ability to heal, I found myself increasingly troubled by the profit-driven practices in some private clinics. Witnessing firsthand how financial considerations sometimes overshadowed patient well-being sparked a deep conflict within me. I questioned whether, in such an environment, I could reconcile my desire to heal with the realities of the healthcare system. So I decided against proceeding with the career. Not completely, cause I am a fifth-year today. I won’t just advance my studies and practice the past two years.

The past four years have marked a significant transformation in my life.

Personal Values

As a person, I have maintained my values:

Independence,
family,
kindness,
truth,
justice and
authenticity.

I have challenged my views. Including religion and science. Societal beliefs, practices, and expectations, and more often, I defy them. I don’t want to be the typical society member who is a follower of trends or traditions with no real understanding and convincing that they are right.

This desire to be unique and self-reliant has been there for as long as I can remember.

Belief System

My core beliefs define my philosophy. I believe in hard work, truth and justice.

Whatever I earn in life should match the value of the service offered.

Learning is eternal. My interest in books continues. My favorite books so far include Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, MJ DeMarco’s The Millionaire Fastlane, and Patrice Washington’s Redefine Wealth for Yourself.

That failure is part of the success odyssey.

That everyone is unique.

Everything I commit myself to do and persist in will eventually succeed.

That success is a personal definition.

That every person can change their story only if the initiative comes from themselves rather than from external factors.

That real change starts outside my comfort zone.

That valuing myself is the start of becoming someone.

Two coffee cups on a table — For the Love of coffee 😋😋.Photo by Ingrid Hall on Unsplash

Personal Vision & Purpose Statement

My life experiences, observations, and knowledge gained from reading, watching, and listening have shaped my core beliefs and affirmed my innate desires.

I have always wanted to do something in life that aligns with my beliefs and values.

As an introvert who prefers living independently, I have found what works for me. It has not been easy, but it has been fun discovering myself.

My interest in sharing knowledge, self-expression, design, personal philosophy, and responsible entrepreneurship characterize my vision and purpose statement.

My journey of building a fulfilling and independent life through continuous learning, growth, and responsible entrepreneurship serves as a roadmap for you. I share my experiences, knowledge, and strategies through writing, design, and solopreneurship to empower you to achieve your own goals. Whether you desire financial freedom, location independence, or simply a more meaningful life, my story and the tools I offer can equip you to take charge and create the life you deserve. Ultimately, my purpose is to contribute positively to your life’s journey, just as the support I received helped me on mine.

My Progress so far

I have documented how I went from wanting to be a doctor to being a freelance writer and low-content book publisher here and here.

So far, I’ve had the opportunity to work with over 100 clients, largely from the US, and have generated enough income to support myself in school and even help my family. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made as an academic and professional writer and PowerPoint designer.