Life is not smooth. There are problems and difficulties. If you want to walk through the jungle, you have to make a path. In life also, you have to make a path for yourself. For this, you have to face difficulties without fear. For this, there can be no “ifs” and “buts”. You have to preserve.

For instance: I want to study, but I cannot because I do not have the money. Topping in the class is no problem, but I have so much work to do at home that I have no time to study. I want to serve my country, but my family will not allow me to do so. I could have become a businessman, but I don’t have the money. I want to do a social service, but my wife won’t let me.

The father gave pieces of coal to his son to write and the son writing with those pieces of coal progressed ahead. The boy learnt French, Latin, Hebrew, Abyssinian and other languages. He was Alexander Murray.

Galileo’s father wanted him to become a doctor. But Galileo secretly studied mathematics. And at the age of 18, he had discovered the law of the Pendulum.

Siddharth was a prince. One day he saw the body of a dead man. This affected him so deeply that he gave up all his wealth, comfort and pleasures. He gave up his wife, son and kingdom. He became Gautama Buddha.

If poverty could not prevent Alexander Mauray from studying, Galileo’s father could not prevent him from becoming a mathematician.

‘Ifs’ and ‘buts’ are only excuses. These are excuse for laziness. Naturally, a lazy person finds any job as difficult as climbing the Himalayas. But the day you decide to pursue your goal, all ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ will vanish.

Usually, two kinds of people are unsuccessful. One group consists of people who think, but do not mould the thoughts into actions. The other group acts, but does not think. Therefore, it is necessary to first think deep and well about your goal. Then, with hope and self-confidence, you must work towards it. Nobody can stop you. Nothing can be obstacle for you.

Napoleon once wanted to capture a fort on a hill. He ordered his commander to have all his men on the hill by dawn.

“This is impossible, your Highness”, the commander said.

“Impossible does not belong in Napoleon’s dictionary,” he retorted.

He ordered his army to move. By day break, the entire unit was in its position on the hill.

Nothing is impossible if you only make up your mind. The trick is to recognize your own abilities and strengths.

For achieving this goal there is no need of much money, much knowledge, and extraordinary power as it needs hard determination.

Recognize yourself. It is the key of all successes. Every person is a storehouse of unlimited power. You must recognize it. You must use it.

“I am not a man; I am a gun powder; I have come to blow up the garbage of the world” – so said Nietzche, a German philosopher. His body was weak, but he was like a volcano. He looked so comical that people laughed at him. He had headaches all his life. His eyes gave him constant pain. Yet he said, “Let me see how my weak body stops me from achieving greatness!” By the time he was 25 years old, he became a professor in the university.

Some times you may feel scared about the future. But the funny thing is that the future lies in your hands. Never despair. Don’t give up hope. Hold the present with one hand and the future with the other. Then work hard to achieve your goal, to become what you want to become. Don’t worry about whether you will win or lose. Decide that you will win. Start working hard.

Just as morning comes after night, success will finally come to you. You are yourself responsible for your advantage-disadvantage, joy-sorrow, wealth-poverty, sin-virtue, and success-failure. Each one is responsible for him and her. Just remember that each one has tremendous power. You only have to recognize it and make use of it.

Your thoughts and ideas should be strong. Weak thoughts do not really have much power. You can easily subdue them. You can be your best friend. But you can also be your worst enemy. You don’t have to beg if you are not afraid. After all, every one faces difficulties. All the paths are full of difficulties and obstacles. But remember, the trees have to bow down before a cyclone, the banks of the river give way to the gushing water of the flood, and the sun drives away the mass of darkest clouds. There is need of being bold only. Act boldly. Drive away those ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.