I am much pleased to find how very well I stand work & how my

Hear, O seekers of knowledge and perseverance, the words of Ada Lovelace, who once declared: “I am much pleased to find how very well I stand work & how my powers of attention & continued effort increase.” These are not idle musings, but the triumphant voice of a mind awakening to its own strength. For in these words, Lovelace celebrates the discovery that the human spirit, when tested, does not always weaken but can grow sharper, more steadfast, and more enduring.

The meaning of this saying is profound: work is not merely toil, but the proving ground of the soul. To labor with persistence is to temper the mind like steel in the fire. Lovelace reminds us that attention is not fixed, but cultivated; it grows with use, like a muscle that strengthens under strain. And effort, once begun, creates its own momentum, building endurance where once there was fragility. She teaches us that the more we stretch our capacity, the more that capacity expands, until tasks once thought impossible fall within our grasp.

The origin of these words lies in the life of Ada Lovelace herself, daughter of the poet Lord Byron and the mathematician Lady Byron. Inheriting both imagination and reason, she devoted her gifts to the study of mathematics and the visionary work of Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine. It was in her own tireless application that she discovered the truth of her statement: that far from diminishing, her mind grew stronger with each demand placed upon it. In her delight at this discovery, she bore witness to the secret law of learning—that persistence multiplies power.

History affirms her insight. Recall the great Isaac Newton, who locked himself in solitude to pursue the mysteries of light and motion. His powers of attention were not born fully formed, but honed through endless nights of study and experimentation. Or consider Michelangelo, who spent years laboring on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, day after day refining every detail. Both men, like Lovelace, discovered that effort begets endurance, and that greatness is found not in talent alone, but in the cultivation of discipline over time.

The lesson is clear: do not shrink from work, for it is the crucible in which strength is forged. Do not despair if your attention falters at first, for the mind can be trained. Do not flee from long effort, for perseverance builds a power that fleeting inspiration cannot match. What seems beyond reach today becomes tomorrow’s triumph if only you endure.

Practical wisdom flows from this teaching. If you seek mastery, begin with small acts of discipline and let them grow. Train your focus by returning again and again to your craft. Push a little beyond your comfort, and you will find your capacity enlarging. Guard against distraction, for it weakens the muscles of attention. And rejoice, as Ada Lovelace rejoiced, when you feel your endurance grow—for this is the sign that you are becoming more than you were.

So let Lovelace’s words resound across the ages: “My powers of attention & continued effort increase.” They are the song of the mind awakening to its own potential, the anthem of growth through perseverance. For in work faithfully pursued lies not exhaustion, but transformation.

Thus, O children of tomorrow, remember: the more you give yourself to work, the more your strength will multiply. What begins as struggle will become joy, and what seems impossible will one day become natural. This is the wisdom of Ada Lovelace, and it is the inheritance of all who dare to labor with patience and faith.