Where There Is a Will There Is a Way — Reflective Essay

Man is a creature basically six feet tall, but he has been able to conquer space and the majestic height of the imposing mountains. He is relentless in the pursuit of breaking new ground, not on account of his physical prowess, but because of his firm resolve and willpower. All of us possess this, to a less or great extent. However, great souls have been known to exercise it to achieve the impossible, while lesser mortals in its absence lead an ignoble existence. This is for men with a wavering mind and feeble will, cannot succeed in life for “People do not lack strength, they lack the will,” said Victor Hugo.

A keen desire to do something makes one explore ways for doing it successfully. This is akin to the personal experience of cycling in childhood. We fell and also bruised ourselves, but it did not stop us from trying again, nor did it dampen our resolve to learn cycling. Thus initial failures should not discourage us, for pursuing big and ambitious goals, for there is no short cut to success. Our constant perseverance will sooner or later bear fruit. Initial failure should not deter us from the chosen path, for failure is a stepping-stone to success.

Meeting challenges is the essence of life; it strengthens our skills and improves our lives. “He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skills. Our antagonist is our helper,” said Edmund Burke. We would not be privy to such spectacular developments in Science and technology, had our predecessors, not overcome challenges posed to them by nature.

The history of mankind is replete with instances of ordinary people achieving great things, by dint of willpower. The pioneers of aviation—the Wright Brothers, had their limbs broken, but they finally succeeded in achieving their dream of flying. The result today is the development of supersonic planes that take us around the world in a couple of hours. We also saw a feeble old man Mahatma Gandhi, challenge the might of the British empire by his invincible willpower and self-discipline. The lives of such great men and many others conclusively prove, that nothing is impossible to achieve, provided one has the will to go about it.

One must therefore, not only wish and aspire for something, but also work with resolve for achieving it, for ‘God helps those who help themselves’. This is for “Great souls have will, feeble one’s have only wishes,” and wishes we know lead nowhere.