Phil Karanja-Everyone believed I was going to be a failure

Piece by: Maureen Waruinge

17 July 2023

• Phil was ridiculed for his marks in school

• He has four siblings who were A students as he trailed behind them

Phil Karanja's average performance in school spurred him to vow to succeed and prove people wrong about him being a failure.

Speaking to Lynn Ngugi on her youtube channel Monday, July 17, Phil told he struggled with education but hated the thought he would be nothing in life.

But his grades were a contention with his parents. His dad particularly, made Phil suffer self-doubt.

"I had an amazing father and mother, The only thing we fought about was my love for sports and art, and at that time he was right there was no future for arts and sports then,"

His dad wanted him to do something like accounting, or medicine,

"That's the only thing we never connected with my dad apart from that he was a great man, and now as a dad I see it, coz you want the best for your child," he shared.

Phil shared

"But to him these things, art, acting, music, he was like, what is all this? The most you are going to amount to is maybe a teacher.

That's what he kept telling me, so I think when you start from a young age, you've always told you are not good enough because you are not getting the a's that your sisters are getting, it gets to you" he said.

Like most people, Phil says his dad felt his son getting a C was not good enough.

"I was an average student so I always fought with my dad.

When I cleared High School I got a C. For us in our family that was a failure, so by the way everyone at home was wondering what will we do with him, and I think at that point is when something snapped because I was doomed to be a failure.

Everyone believed I was going to be a failure. " He shared

He took it upon himself to prove everyone wrong.

"And right from when I cleared high school I have been putting in the hours, I started with scripting and directing church plays "

He says the failure was the best thing that happened to him

"Because my parents weren't sure what to do with me, so they asked me what I want to do, I said I want to do film, "

He went to KIMC.

"The day I got in I felt home. I found big posters for the film and I love film," he told about his prayer to succeed.