I always had two or three jobs at the same time. I started doing

When Breaux Greer declared, “I always had two or three jobs at the same time. I started doing yard work when I was 7 or 8. When I was 13, I got my first state job doing road construction. Between working, sports and school, I hardly ever had free time,” he was not boasting of hardship but testifying to the ancient truth that strength is forged in struggle and greatness in toil. His words remind us that character is not built in leisure but in the furnace of labor, responsibility, and perseverance.

The ancients honored such labor. They told of Hercules, who was given twelve impossible tasks—not as punishment only, but as a means to reveal his true power. Each trial demanded sweat, endurance, and sacrifice, yet through them he became a legend. So too does Greer’s tale of endless work, sports, and school reflect this heroic pattern. Though his youth was consumed by effort, the very absence of idle time prepared him for the greatness he later achieved.

The mention of yard work at 7 or 8 and road construction at 13 is striking. In an age when many children seek ease, Greer was already carrying burdens that demanded discipline. Just as the Roman soldiers began their training in childhood, learning to march with heavy packs long before they entered battle, Greer’s early years were his training ground. His muscles and mind were sharpened not only by play, but by the daily grind of labor.

History itself echoes this pattern. Abraham Lincoln, before he was a president, split rails, farmed, and read by firelight after long days of toil. He too “hardly ever had free time,” yet it was precisely this crucible of labor that gave him the resilience to endure the weight of a divided nation. The lives of such men teach us that greatness is rarely born in comfort—it is the child of responsibility and sacrifice.

Greer’s words also reveal a hidden wisdom: that to live without much free time is not necessarily a curse. Time spent in pursuit of growth—whether in work, education, or sport—is time that builds the soul. Idleness may promise ease, but it robs the spirit of sharpness. To be constantly engaged is to be constantly growing, and though such a path may be difficult, it yields fruit far sweeter than the emptiness of leisure.

The lesson, then, is clear: do not fear the weight of responsibility, especially in youth. Begin early to shoulder what life demands, for in doing so you forge a resilience that will carry you when storms arrive. Let your life be full, not with distractions, but with endeavors that strengthen both body and spirit. And if you find yourself weary, remember that even Hercules grew weary, yet his labors became the measure of his glory.

Practically, this means embracing discipline in your daily life. Work not only for wages but for growth. Play sports not only for victory but for character. Study not only for grades but for wisdom. Fill your hours with pursuits that sharpen you, and you will discover that what feels like sacrifice today becomes strength tomorrow.

Thus, Breaux Greer’s words echo like an ancient teaching: work, train, learn, and do not waste the fleeting time of youth. For though free hours may seem sweet, it is labor, discipline, and striving that carve the path to greatness. And in the end, the soul that has endured much will stand firm when others fall.