Femi Kuti is finally victorious. After initially just missing out on a world record, the Nigerian musician can now claim the title of the person who has played a single note on a saxophone for the longest time: 51 minutes, 35 seconds.
Kuti thought he’d broken the record last week after blowing the note for 46 minutes 38 seconds but someone pointed out that American Vann Burchfield has gone for over 47 minutes.
On Sunday the 14th of May, Femi Kuti had another go and this time, he made sure. The saxophonist uses a circular breathing method to sustain the note and broke the record. Unfortunately, Guinness World Records has discontinued the category where circular breathing is used and will therefore not certify Femi’s achievement.
Dealing With Disappointment
I guess victory for Femi Kuti is bittersweet then but to his fans, he’ll always be a hero.
The initial disappointment of not breaking the world record drove Kuti to try again only days later and this time he succeeded. The second disappointment is something he can’t do anything about – not having his name and his incredible achievement added to next year’s Guinness World Record book.
But how do you move on from disappointment?
Femi Kuti knows he broke the world record, his friends and family know and now the world knows as media outlets buzz with the news, but is that enough? Will Kuti be able to move on from the disappointment of not being formally recognised by the Guinness World Records for his achievement?
Moving On
If we don’t learn to move on after a disappointment, we can get stuck and the longer we wallow in self-pity, the harder it is to break free. Learning from a disappointment will, on the other hand, enable us to grow.
Author and speaker Joyce Meyer says of disappointment:
What do you do when disappointment comes? When it weighs on you like a rock, you can either let it press you down until you become discouraged, even devastated, or you can use it as a stepping-stone to better things. Learn to adapt and adjust. You can do it! Face disappointment at its onset and be quick to make any adjustments required to remedy the situation. God has better things for you, and He will help you. He says in Hebrews 13:5, “…I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support…(I will) not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let (you) down….”
Instead of concentrating on your problems and getting discouraged, focus on God and meditate on His promises for you. You may have fallen down, but you don’t have to stay down. God is ready, willing and able to pick you up.
Whatever your disappointment, you can learn from it. Take the time to reflect on what’s actually happened, what’s really important, whether you can do anything to change the circumstances and then take action and move on.