Put head. I’ll say it again, Put head!

I woke up this morning and that was the first thing I heard. There was no physical sound, but it was like a whisper in my soul. Was it God talking to me to or maybe my spirit talking to my brain?

I don’t know. But it was clear and I understood immediately what it meant.

Put head a Nigerian slang that I would translate to my non-African friends as head first.

That’s not quite it though… But if you can’t picture yourself squeezing and pushing into an already crowded train or perhaps trying to push through a crowd to get to the other side, that’s what it means to Put head

It’s about the push and the wriggle and the standing on one leg and the using your elbow and the force and being pushy or aggressive.

It’s about fighting for it. That’s what Put Head- it’s that crouch, the boxer or wrestler, goes into when he is about to charge.

There is a radio station that had a slogan that said, Put some heart into it.

That’s the idea.

It is something that you have to catch with your heart and soul not just understand with your head.

So my sister, my brother, Put Head. Some things you can’t get and some places you can’t go if you don’t put head.

I remember in the 1970s and 80s in my country (Nigeria) long before the concept of queues came to the country – when a bus came to the bus stop, sometimes even before the bus stopped at the bus stop. Everyone would rush for the bus at the same time. 85 people trying to fit through one little door… At. The. Same. Time. The ones that got into the bus were the ones that “put head”.

In fact, I would venture to say – that might be where the slogan came from. But what do I know…?

In my case, when I heard Put Head, I immediately thought of an area of my life. In case you want to know my health and fitness. But that’s not what this is about. I realized how comfortable I had become. So conditioned to seek comfort and be comfortable that I forgot to fight when I needed to… I would become alarmed when it got hard.

Stop! Maybe something is wrong. No, sweetie. Nothing is wrong. This path is hard. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE HARD.

Part of the process includes some suffering.

What?!?

Some hardship.

Some fights.

Some waiting.

Some perseverance.

Some chaos.

Some gritted teeth.

Some discomfort.

Some pain. *Gasp*.

Some mess.

So my love, don’t shrink back. Put Head.

Or if you want to say it the African way, you get to put head ooo!

Put Head is doing something with passion and vigour, and a bit of abandon. Put Head is saying yes now and figuring out the steps later.

Put Head means go all in and all out. It means no half measures -give it all you’ve got and all such  motivational clichés.

It means do it again, but this time with feeling.

Put head means going on camera, even with your chin hair and funny teeth.

Put Head is starting a membership before you even have a website. (been there, done that)

Put Head is going before you feel ready and making it work anyway.

Put Head is asking the girl out even though she is out of your league.

 

Put Head is taking massive imperfect action… when you audaciously have the audacity to be audacious.

…To stand up or speak up or show up.

Put Head, means not asking for permission.

It means cutting the line and not waiting for “your turn”.

Put Head is sticking out your tongue at imposter syndrome and saying, “I’ll do it anyway”.

When last did you “Put Head”, when you really went for something and got it? Yay You! Tell me about it.

And also, what is that situation where you need to “Put Head” NOW? Tell me about it too.