Nothing ventured, nothing gained.’

The above proverb has a profound meaning. It teaches us that in order to achieve something important in life we have to undergo some challenges or risks. No one will object when we say life is full of uncertainties and struggle. And only those who have a brave heart to cope with the uncertainties of life can capture the great prizes that life has to offer.

Great persons struggle throughout their life and they don’t relinquish their hope until they achieve their ultimate goals. Great personalities like Vasco da Gama, Leonardo da Vinci, Karl Marx, Einstein, Pele and our own Parijat and many others would not have reached such lofty height of success without facing numerous obstacles and having the will power to overcome them. The main thing is to develop this very quality to face such obstacles in ourselves.

It is not the lack of potentialities that many fail to achieve what they wish but it is due to lack of the virtue of perseverance. Obstacles are indeed, not to be feared of but should be thought of as challenges which have to be defeated with resolute determination.

So simply aiming at a goal doesn’t make a difference. Success is the crown, which only belongs to those who have surmounted all difficulties to achieve it.

Life can be compared with the life of a beautiful rose plant, which comprises of things both sweet (beauty and fragrance) and bitter (thorns). In our case sweet is success and bitter is labour. Someone has wisely said that, “The sweetness of fruit comes after the bitterness of labour.”

Idle people can get nothing except failure. Those who fear obstacles and give up their struggle right before the time of achievement of success can gain nothing. Without realising the need of this quality, all other potentialities or qualities become worthless. Lets achieve this noble quality!

— Ritesh Chaudhary, Class X, Siddhartha Vanasthali Institute