From Struggle to Success: A Journey of Determination and Resilience
I had been an employee at a private company where I felt stuck. The reason was obvious. I come from a middle-class family. My parents used all their savings for my education. As I completed my graduation, my family faced financial strain. Consequently, I became the sole breadwinner for my family. I had no options when it came to choosing a job. I needed something that would pay on time and cover my essentials.
These were my only priorities. I did not bother to think about my career or any future benefits I could receive. In a sense, I was desperate for a job and I got one. The first few months were bearable — I was able to cover all the expenses, pay bills on time, and, more importantly, keep my family together, at least for a while.
But soon things began to crumble. The job was thankless, in a demotivating environment with a strict hierarchy. High-ranking officials were treated as almighty, leaving no room for creativity and innovation. It was a monotonous job with no motivation or inspiration, suffocating me throughout the day.
Every morning when the alarm went off, I felt like I would prefer being dead, just to escape this futility. This job was pushing me to my limits. I thought of quitting, but I didn’t dare to do so — the poor economic condition of my family scared me to death.
I was sinking in quicksand. The more I tried to get out of it, the deeper I sank. If this routine continued, I would have spiraled into depression.
It was too much for me to bear. I needed to do something as soon as possible. So I started stress management, and for that purpose, I thought of joining a gym.
At first, I was a bit hesitant but soon fell into the routine. I would go to the gym after work and do intense workouts. I would sweat a lot, which helped drain away some of my stress. I started to feel as if I had achieved something after finishing my workout session. The increased strength in my body and the added energy helped me cope with my stress to some extent.
From that moment, I realized the connection between physical health and mental health. I was on a mission to be healthy.
In addition to my exercise routine, I revamped my workflow. I began utilizing technology more often. I came across some programs and applications that would handle all the mundane, monotonous tasks, giving me some spare time. I took various online classes to enhance my efficiency in using these programs. These tools made my work a little more interesting and less mundane than it used to be.
I became friends with some helpful and interesting people in my office. I would engage in interesting chit-chat with my colleagues during lunch breaks or in some leisure time. Even though these talks were brief, they drove away boredom and brought a smile to my face. I started socializing with my colleagues more often. We celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and festivals together in the office. This gave a purpose to coming to the office. This friendly environment helped me set aside the tiring job, at least for a moment.
Even though I began managing myself, I never thought of spending my life working in such an unhealthy environment. I was determined to quit that job. So, I challenged myself to be more frugal with my spending. I started saving on a monthly basis, stopped drinking, avoided vacations, parties, and unnecessary expenses. I was on a mission to save every penny of my salary.
I maintained these austerity measures for a few years. The little drops of my savings accumulated to become a bigger pool, and the process continued. Once I had saved enough, I resigned from my job.
It was what I had dreamt of, but it also made me insecure — I was jobless. This fear paralyzed me for a while, but I was supported by my savings. I gave myself an ultimatum: it’s now or never. And so, I plunged myself into studies. The hardships I faced in my previous job provided me with motivation. I couldn’t imagine returning to that place.
Finally, all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle came together, and I was successful in getting the job I had dreamt of.
In conclusion, no matter how hostile your circumstances are, with determination and self-discipline, we can achieve what we long for. Of course, dedication and hard work are crucial. There is no shortcut to success.
