Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had

“Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.” – Richard L. Evans

In this humble yet powerful statement, Richard L. Evans, a man known for his deep compassion and gentle wisdom, gives voice to one of life’s most enduring truths—that all greatness begins in smallness, and that discouragement is the enemy of destiny. His words remind us that even the mightiest oak was once a seed buried beneath the soil, unseen, uncelebrated, and uncertain. When Evans says, “everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was,” he speaks to the equality of beginnings. No soul starts life already triumphant; every artist, leader, and thinker has walked through the same valley of effort, failure, and patience. It is not where you begin that defines you, but the courage to continue through the days when the road is long and the results invisible.

The origin of this wisdom comes from Evans’s years as a broadcaster, teacher, and spiritual voice. He spoke often of perseverance and the quiet strength that builds true success—not the fleeting triumph of fortune, but the enduring success of character. Living through the hardships of the early twentieth century, he witnessed men and women rise from poverty, loss, and despair to lives of purpose and service. His message was a salve for the weary and a guide for the hopeful. He understood that discouragement is not proof of weakness, but the testing ground of resolve—that life, by its very design, demands patience before reward.

To begin where one is is to accept both one’s limitations and one’s potential. The young mind often despairs at the distance between dream and reality, between who one wishes to be and who one is now. But Evans reminds us that every path to greatness begins not from perfection, but from persistence. The philosopher must first doubt before he discovers; the sculptor must first strike the unshaped stone before beauty emerges. The journey of growth requires humility—to stand upon the ground of one’s present and still look toward the horizon with faith.

Consider the life of Abraham Lincoln, who rose from poverty and failure to become one of history’s most revered leaders. His beginnings were marked not by privilege but by hardship—born in a log cabin, self-taught by candlelight, defeated in elections, burdened by grief. Yet he refused to yield to despair. Each setback became his teacher, each loss a refinement of his spirit. By the time he reached the presidency, he had learned the strength of patience and the wisdom of endurance. He began where he was—and through perseverance, he changed the course of nations. His life stands as living proof of Evans’s words: that no beginning is too small for greatness, and no discouragement too deep for redemption.

There is a rhythm in life that the impatient soul cannot hear. The farmer plants his seeds and must wait through wind, rain, and season before the harvest comes. The artist labors unseen before his work touches hearts. The student studies in solitude before wisdom dawns. To live fully is to trust this rhythm—to believe that today’s effort, though unseen, is the foundation of tomorrow’s triumph. Evans calls us to embrace this truth with quiet faith: that progress, however slow, is progress still, and that persistence is the bridge between dream and reality.

But the shadow of discouragement often visits us, whispering that our work is in vain, that others are ahead, that our place is too small to matter. In these moments, Evans’s words become a shield. He reminds us that every person we admire once stood in the same uncertainty, facing the same fears. The difference is not that they were spared discouragement—it is that they refused to yield to it. They began, they stumbled, and they began again. Their strength lay not in talent alone, but in the sacred stubbornness to continue.

So, my child of the striving heart, take this teaching into your days: do not let life discourage you. Begin where you are, with what you have, and do what you can. The mountain may seem high, but it is climbed by steady steps, not by leaps. Trust that your beginnings, though humble, are holy, for all greatness once began as struggle. When you falter, remember Evans’s wisdom—that the journey of every soul starts from the same place: the present moment. Cherish it, honor it, and move forward with faith, for even the smallest act of persistence places you upon the eternal road toward fulfillment.