Never Give In

This is the quote my grandma reminded me of after a bad day when I felt like the whole world was over. “Never give in, never, never, never!” Winston Churchill said that as part of a speech he gave during war, she told me.

 

These three words clicked in my head and repeated on and on in the afternoon. Never give in… I wondered what that meant. In what context? I thought, this doesn’t apply to me. But these three words kept resonating in my head and finally I understood. Never give in! It means endeavor to do whatever you do, in whatever aspect of life, just endeavour in the process of it, put the hard work into it. Stick to the best way you can picture the outcome to be. Look forward to the person you want all this hard work to turn you into. Persevere, and what does that mean? Well… pretty obvious: hard work.

 

However, it is not only the hard work when things are straightforward. It is being willing to work hard and work harder when things get complicated, be determined to finish the work despite the obstacles. Be so determined that when things don’t work out, you endure, and find a way. Persist, hold on to your values and goals. Even during adversity, hold tight to them, believe in them so strongly that they become your grip to carry you on your path.

 

Ambition. Have ambition to not only attain your goals but to improve them and improve yourself, believe in the better version of a final destination and yourself.

 

But let’s not forget about the other thing Churchill said: “Never give in except for convictions of honour and good sense.” This means be humble. Do not let pride and power go to your head. Despite the success achieved, always remember where you come from and where you started. Leave some space for the good sense and the good deeds.

 

Just as the saying goes, “They may forget what you said but remember how you made them feel,” what I want you to take away is not to remember every single word I just said. But I hopefully have lit a little sparkle in you, given you another reason to keep going. Because at that point in my life when I first heard this quote, I thought the obstacles I confronted were greater than my abilities. The truth is they are not, it is just a matter of not giving in.