Marc Reflects

  By Marc Reflects  I have come to realize that ideas are strangely generous . They visit many people, often freely and unexpectedly. Yet only a few of those people ever truly benefit from them. For a long time, I believed that having a good idea meant being ahead. Now I understand something more sobering: an idea that is not worked on slowly turns into a dream, and a dream without action fades into illusion. I have had ideas that excited me deeply. I remember writing them down, sharing them in conversations, and imagining how impactful they could become. But when I did nothing beyond thinking and talking, nothing changed. The idea did not fail—it simply remained unused. And an unused idea has no value. This is why the statement, “The value of an idea lies in the using of it,” resonates with me so strongly. It does not say the value lies in originality, intelligence, or creativity. It lies in use. Please, if you have ideas on paper but do not know how to use them, read ...

By Marc Reflects | Blog Post | 26 September 2025 First Impressions: Pride in the Details When I first heard that Rwanda would host the UCI Road World Championships , I felt a mixture of pride and disbelief. For the first time in the history of this prestigious cycling event, Africa is in the spotlight. Kigali, our capital, a city I know well, the roads I’ve walked and biked on would now be the stage for world-class athletes from every corner of the globe. As someone who has followed cycling and observed Rwanda’s growing love for the sport, this moment feels deeply personal. It is not just a sporting event, it is a statement. Rwanda is showing the world that it is capable of hosting international events with precision, professionalism, and passion. It is telling young Rwandans, especially girls, that dreams once thought far away are now within reach. Walking through Kigali during the championships, the city had transformed. Flags fluttered in the wind, banners displayed the UCI logo ...

  By Marc Reflects | September 2025 I keep coming back to a saying that has lingered in my mind: "On trouve le sage là où il y a la souffrance et le sot là où on s'amuse." "You find the wise where there is suffering, and the fool where there is amusement." At first glance, it feels almost like a rule carved into human experience: suffering breeds wisdom, pleasure fosters folly. But the more I reflect, the more I realize that this is not just a simple truth—it is a mirror of human nature, revealing our contradictions, our blind spots, and the choices we make in response to life’s pressures. The Quiet Classroom of Hardship Suffering is often silent, personal, and unavoidable. A difficult childhood, the loss of a loved one, chronic illness, or economic hardship—these are experiences no one seeks, yet they are teachers in ways that comfort rarely can be. I’ve noticed in my own life and in observing others that wisdom tends to emerge in the cracks of disco...

  By Marc Reflects | September 2025 The Invisible Burden I recently finished reading The Art of Sanctions by Richard Nephew, and it left me thinking about something we rarely see in headlines: the daily lives of people who actually live under sanctions. When policymakers talk about pressure, leverage, and strategic outcomes, the human story often disappears. Sanctions are intended to influence governments, but the ones who feel the weight are ordinary families. I imagine parents rationing food, searching endlessly for medicine, or wondering if the next day will bring more uncertainty than the last. Nephew explains the mechanics of sanctions with precision, yet I found myself lingering in the spaces he only hints at—the quiet, unrecorded acts of survival. The Human Art of Endurance What struck me most was how people respond creatively under pressure. In Iran, for instance, communities have embraced a “resistance economy,” focusing on local production and alternative trade...

  By Marc Reflects, August 2025 Book Information Title: Think and Grow Rich Author: Napoleon Hill Publication Year: 1937 Introduction When I first read Think and Grow Rich 2 years ago , I approached it not just as a personal development book, but as a lens to understand ambition, wealth, and growth in the African context. Hill’s principles of desire, persistence, and clarity of purpose remain relevant today, especially for young Africans navigating opportunities and challenges in modern economies . Summary Hill argues that success begins in the " mind" . Clear goals, unwavering focus, and a burning desire can create the conditions for wealth and personal achievement. Key principles include: Developing a definite purpose Building persistence Cultivating a mastermind network Using faith and imagination to overcome obstacles One quote that struck me deeply: "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." This idea is powerfu...

  | Marc Reflects When I first heard about someone passing 250 exams and interviews before landing a job, I found myself wrestling with a question: How does anyone sustain that kind of persistence without breaking? At some point, most of us would give up. But reflecting on this story, I realize that persistence is not just about stubbornness it’s a complex, often difficult mindset that reveals much about human resilience and determination. In my own reflections, especially given the context of Africa’s challenging job markets and limited resources, this story is far from exceptional it’s deeply instructive. It forces me to ask: what does persistence really mean, and why is it so crucial in the pursuit of success? Persistence as a Learned Discipline, Not Just an Innate Trait Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich has been a foundational text for many who seek success, and rightly so. Hill’s assertion that “Many a failure comes because of lack of persistence” resonates powerf...

  Marc Reflects Imagine a powerful country rising fast; its economy booming, its military growing, its influence spreading worldwide. Meanwhile, the existing dominant power watches nervously, unsure whether this newcomer will cooperate or challenge its status. History tells us this situation rarely ends peacefully. Over two millennia ago, the Greek historian Thucydides analyzed a conflict that changed the ancient world: the Peloponnesian War. His insight was simple but profound: “It was the rise of Athens and the fear this instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable.” This observation became what modern scholars call the Thucydides Trap , a cycle where the rise of a new power creates fear in the established power, escalating tensions that often lead to war. Why Does This Ancient Lesson Matter Now? Today, the rivalry between the United States and China fits this pattern uncannily well. China’s meteoric rise over the past few decades   from a struggling economy to t...