Greetings!
One thing that has always helped me in the journey of my life is peer group pressure, it's always been my motivator, though not not everyone can withstand this kind of a pressure maybe because of jealousy or envy, but as for me, I don't see things right from that kind of angle, but from the perspective of getting myself better from the pressure of my peers.. Though, not all done by my peers are okay by me or worthy of stirring me up, but in most cases, I have really benefited from their kind of good side of a pressure. Though I'm this kind of person that will always sieve what's good from that which is bad and afterwards choose the one that's good.
Talking about peer group pressure, it's a two ways thing, in which one can make and on another front, can mar one destiny or journey in life. Peer group pressure are those things that put you on your front toes almost everytime. These are things or activities being done or carried out by ones friends. So, seeing ones friends doing these will only generate a healthy rivalry from a friend who's willing to embrace positive change and not otherwise.
Looking back and going down memory lane, one thing that has really put me on my toes as being done by my peers is driving. This single act was the peer pressure that happened to me.sometimes ago, then out of four friends, I was the only one that couldn't drive and whenever I realized this, I was always pained to my marrow and apart from this, even my friends wouldn't help matters as they would not gave me breathing space as to my inability to drive at all. Though, this they do out of love. All of them would always have something to say just to chastise me for not being able to drive and with all these and the peer pressures from them, I decided to take a bold step and learn driving.
So, thank God these pressure was so much on me back then, not only from their secret and open condemnation, but also from just looking at them and being motivated from their driving skills which in one way or the other has brought about healthy competition or rivalry for wanting to be like them. Anytime I see Shola's driving his car with his professional style of driving, I used to always imagining myself being in his seat. Most especially how he used to maneuver his ways on the highways.
So, these their driving skills drew and stirred me up.to learning how to drive and for this reason, I told one of them whose name is Femi to come to my aid and teach me how to drive. Though, he was at first reluctant to teach me, citing series of excuses of our closeness being a big barrier to him teaching me as he has presumed that due to our closeness, I might not really listened to his instructions, but I told him that would not be a problem as I have already made up my mind to learn from him and put the matter at rest at once.
Immediately after our agreement, he fixed 3days for me in a week and within 3 weeks of training, I was able to learn and tap from his driving skills. Though, this did not actually come on a platter of gold as we both have both our differences while I was a learner under his tutelage, but thank God I was able to learn from him and from the pressure being put on me directly and indirectly from their driving skills.
Now, I have learnt it and I can now boast that I'm now a professional driver courtesy of the direct and indirect peer pressure as mounted on me by my friends whose their acts and driving really pushed me to taking the bold step and learned how to drive. Without their pressure, I would have remained whom I was without even developing any driving skills, but now I have got what I wanted from them as a result of the peer pressure as mounted by their skills. Though, they have also tapped from my business idea as friends, but to be candid, the driving skill I tapped from them.was immeasurable to me.
So, in the lieu of those things stated above, the effect of peer pressure on individuals are of great benefit if taking in a healthy manner or ways, but even at that, there's also adverse effect of peer pressure on people, which, if not managed properly will destroy and mar friendship and the individual's life. So, peer pressure has really helped me to building myself not only on this, but even on many other things. Though, I ignore some and embrace which is good.. though, there's other negative side of peer pressure, but overall, I will still embrace peer pressure anytime, anyday.
This is my entry to the week 153, Edition 03 of the weekly Featured contest in the Hive Learners community.
Thanks for reading.
All pictures are mine.