Image Source
"The most essential factor is persistence- the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come." -James Whitcomb Riley. William Wissemann is diagnosed with dyslexia and dropped out of school at fourth grade. However, he did not give up on himself due to his learning disability. Instead he went to a "language processing disorder" school which he eventually overcame his disadvantages. He is fighting against his disorder to achieve his goals. It is remarkable that he had the determination to achieve a goal that may be impossible at first. Linking to the quote above, Wissemann has the characteristic of persistence. He has the determination to never allow himself to lose hope in his learning by his disability. Another example is Muhammed Ali, the well-known boxer that suffers from the Parkinson's disease. The Parkinson's disease targets the nervous system which progresses as the patient gets older. This disorder has caused Ali to retire from the boxing world. However, this did not lower his confidence and determination. He fights the disorder and lives his life to the fullest.
What is worth fighting for? There are many things worth fighting for, but to Wissemann and Ali ,goals are worth fighting for. However, most people give up on their goals due to the lack of persistence that leads them to think that their goal is impossible. Our goals are worth fighting for and worth trying for. William Wissemann fights for his goals even though he had an disadvantage to learning. He kept trying and eventually he could do some skills that normal people could never achieve. Wissemann had achieved many goals due to his persistence, including the 3x3x3, 4x4x4 and the 5x5x5 Rubik's Cube. Muhammed Ali's goal is to live his life to the fullest and won't let the disease overcome his determination. His original goal was to be the unbeatable boxing champion of the world, however this changed when he was diagnosed with the Parkinson's disease.
William Wissemann had some setbacks and obstacles before he reached his goal of solving the Rubik's Cube. He almost gave in to defeat at his first attempt of the Rubik's Cube, another attempt ended with Wissemann smashing the Cube to pieces and reconstructing it again. Wissemann believes that when we are facing a problem, it helps to take a step back and break the problem into smaller pieces. Most notables have the characteristic of persistence. Aung San Suu Kyi did not simply give up when she was put under house arrest by the Myanmar military government. Instead she started a campaign that went world-wide. Reporters visited her and soon she was widely known. She won the Nobel Peace Prize for her determination in a free country. She has worked towards her goal and the obstacles like being under house arrest has not dampened her will. "Nothing is too small and it is the drops of ocean that makes up the ocean." -Aung San Suu Kyi. This motivates her to be determined and persistent. She believes that if we all make a difference, then our goals could be reached and achieved. In a way, Aung San Suu Kyi is similar to William Wissemann because they attempt to reach their goal no matter what happens to them.
Muhammed Ali was diagnosed with the Parkinson's Disease when he retired from boxing. (1984) However, some people are diagnosed with disabilities at an early age. William Wissemann was facing difficulties in learning due to his dyslexia, but Jhamak Kumari Ghimire's disability of being unable to speak or use her hands (cerebral palsy) had made even more obstacles to her goal. In Nepal, many disable children like Ghimire are being denied to education. Ghimire learned from her sister and drew her first letter in the dirt. At first, her parents disapprove her drawing in the dirt, convinced that it will bring bad luck. As Ghimire progressed in her learning, her parents are now proud of her and was glad they did not listen to their neighbor who suggested that her parents should thrown her in the river. Her latest book, Is Life a Thorn or a Flower, has won her a literary prize. She has reached her goal over many obstacles and attempted a feat that normal people would never be able to do if they had been diagnosed with the disability. Muhammed Ali suffered the disability later in his life, he does not have to overcome the same obstacles that Jhamak Kumari Ghimire did. The thing that they both have in common is to reach their goal and to live life to the fullest.
The common characteristic trait that William Wissemann, Muhammed Ali, Aung San Suu Kyi and Jhamad Kumari Ghimire all have is persistence and determination. They work towards their goal and obstacles slows them down but won't make them give up. Their disadvantage didn't stop them from trying to reach their goal. Wissemann, Ali and Ghimire had disabilities which affected their way of life, but they are still able to work towards their goal despite the odds. For these people, their life has been hard but the result benefits the entire world. Their actions shows that everyone can make a difference and achieve their goal, no matter how hard it might seem. I believe that goals are worth fighting for, not matter what disadvantage you have, there is always a way to achieve your goal.
