Are you just looking for a flame to light your kindling? This is that fire. It’s the fire in the friends’ eyes of highly motivated people. It’s the fire that keeps us moving forward — whether it’s to write that article or run that last lap. Persistent motivation is a powerful idea built on the rocks of tenacity and grit.
Peter is your typical 18-year-old, so I start by telling you about his family. When Peter was young, things threatened to come apart for a bit. Peter’s father did what he could to provide for the family, but he spent long days away working, and his mother was diagnosed with cancer when he was still very young. Peter started hanging out with his older friends who would offer him booze and drugs to escape his troubles. As he got older, things got worse. His health started to deteriorate due to living a reckless and ultimately hopeless existence.
But fate had other plans, and in the most brutal manner possible, cut him down before he had a chance to hit his stride. On a cold winter night, the teenager arrived home to find that his father had been murdered by burglars. The only child, Peter suddenly found himself with his 15-year-old sister to raise and no one to turn to. What was he to do?
Unable to continue his education without money, and forced to quit school and work physically just to make money for himself and his family, his arm, scarred but steady, was used to haul water, wire, rocks, and machinery. Then, the owner took him aside. ‘You are a good worker, son; I am willing to give you a trial week as a mechanic. I want to see how well you do.’ If he could do it, if he was judged worthy, then this work would lift Peter out of poverty and allow him, for the first time ever, to support his sister.
Despite having no formal training, Peter taught himself how to repair engines by reading every word of an engine manual he could find. ‘I’ve taught myself the secrets of the business through hard work and a desire to survive’ he said, recalling how he survived initially on selling his own blood before settling into a steady income of £3 a day doing mechanics’ runs.
On the day of the competition, Peter showed up ready to face professionals who had been working together for years, but his courage was also the result of his livelihood. Though Robert didn’t win the contest, he’d impressed his boss and exhibited raw talent and grit. Instead of turning Robert away, his boss offered him a chance to learn the craft.
What emerged was evidence of Peter’s fortitude and unshakeable dedication to his craft. He would improve day by day, getting better daily to the point that even the oldest mechanics at the site had to leave him behind in the race to ascend through the ranks. Whether you were poor and unskilled, or poor and unskilled and delinquent, willpower and work ethic would help you endure hardship. Peter went on to become a role model to other poor, delinquent youths.
Peter’s story is a powerful reminder that a person’s level of ambition, not only their environment, determines the extent of their achievements, and our response to tragedy makes us who we are. Sometimes with so much static in the environment, it’s easy to lose sight of what we are working towards.
This is why, the next time you feel unsure of yourself, or give in to the trials and tribulations of life, remember Peter’s path. Treat obstacles as opportunities to grow, and let your will be your guide to a fulfilling future based on grit and perseverance. After all, achieving success is not always easy, but it is always worth trying.