No One Knows the Way: Myth of maps, Power of clues, and why life must be walked — not copied
It's impossible to follow the trail of success.
Everyone will have their own journey.
No two people walk the same road, even if it seems like they’re heading in the same direction.
We each come with a unique mix of gifts, flaws, experiences, and perspectives — all wired differently, just as no two individuals share the exact same set of genes.
Genetically, every human is unique.
No two individuals share the exact same genome.
Siblings — who share about 50% of their DNA — have distinct genetic makeups due to the random assortment of genes from their parents during reproduction.
Even identical twins that come from a fertilised egg that splits in two do not have a 100% match in gene collections.
The differences begin to emerge in the mutations during cell division, the epigenetic changes and environmental influences in the womb and after birth.
Uniqueness is encoded into us from the moment we show up.
Our scripts are unscripted.
The way we express, the way we experience, the things we feel, and what we encounter along the road — they’re all custom-fit.
Your journey is custom-made for you.
And in that same breath, no two stories can be alike.
There are no two versions of what we call “success” or “failure.”
What then is the use of biographies?
I am not saying there’s no use in studying those who’ve come before.
I have not said you shouldn’t learn from their wins or their woes.
But this is what I have realised: the lessons are far more nuanced than we’ve been taught.
What the so-called successful leave behind are not instructions — they are Clues
Clues are not GPS coordinates.
Clues are not answers.
Clues have to be interpreted.
Clues have to be processed.
Clues have to be filtered through the lens of who we are and where we have been.
What makes sense for one person at one point in time, under one specific sun, may not make sense for another.
Yet clues have value — they tell us someone came this way.
That we are not the first to wonder and wander this path.
That we are not lost in uncharted madness, walking as though we have lost our minds.
But clues alone can’t walk the road for us.
So, what do we need to make sense of clues?
A compass. A strong moral compass.
A compass that aligns with eternal principles of justice, mercy and humility.
A weigh that measures every action to determine its worth and exactness.
A sense of true north that is installed deep in our hearts.
Because this journey requires direction, not just motion.
The world tempts us with maps.
Maps are paths traced by others.
Paths that have been shaped by their own experiences and uniqueness.
Path drawn by their own prejudices and innuendoes.
These maps can only show you geography. They don’t and cannot reveal destiny.
Geography shows where others have been.
Destiny shows where you must go.
Yes, men have gone ahead. But you must still use your own head.
You and I must still forge our path.
Funny enough, others coming after us will do the same.
That’s the rhythm of this whole thing — each of us walking through mystery, leaving behind hints.
That’s all we get: the whispers of those who came before, and the faint prints of our own feet on the ground.
The clues are proof.
Proof that someone walked this terrain.
Proof that the wilderness is not empty.
Proof that we’re not crazy — that maybe we may be on to something. But that’s it. The rest is up to us.
The journey is ours.
The path — ours.
The adventure — deeply, wildly, and uniquely ours.
Following the clues, with a compass in our hearts, will lead us to discover “virgin islands” — that is, lands no one has touched; places never seen; ideas never spoken.
My final charge is
We are pioneers — Every single one of us.
Let’s think, live and die like one.
So that when our time is done, and our fires burn out, we would have left new clues for those yet to come, letting them know that they also are not lost.
👉Your turn
Have you ever followed all the ‘right’ steps and still felt lost? — Let’s hear all about it in the comments.
—DrAzu
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This should be quoted in all lecture rooms for ages to come.... "Our scripts are unscripted."
Yes, I've followed the 'right steps' and still felt lost before. I didn't get the result I was expecting to get. That's why this message really brings hope.
Thank you for this great piece, Dr Azu