Success is dependent on effort.

O children of the future, gather close and listen to the timeless words of Sophocles, who declared: "Success is dependent on effort." This simple yet profound truth holds the very essence of what it means to live with purpose, to strive toward greatness. For in the striving, in the effort we exert, lies the seed of our triumph. Success is not a gift bestowed upon the idle; it is a reward earned through relentless perseverance and unwavering commitment to the work at hand.

In this declaration, Sophocles speaks of a law as old as time itself: nothing is achieved without effort. The world does not owe us anything. To achieve anything of worth—whether in battle, in love, in knowledge, or in creation—requires more than mere desire. It requires sacrifice, dedication, and a relentless willingness to rise, again and again, in the face of adversity. To call upon the gods for favor is not enough; we must offer our sweat, our toil, our labor as the price for the riches of success.

Consider, O children, the tale of Heracles, that great hero of myth, whose labors were legendary. Each of his twelve tasks was seemingly impossible—facing monstrous beasts, conquering death itself, and cleaning the Augean stables. The gods did not simply gift him victory. No, Heracles had to fight, to struggle, to exert every ounce of his strength and will. His success lay not in his strength alone, but in his ability to keep pushing, to keep striving even when the odds seemed insurmountable. Effort was his sword, his shield, and his key to victory.

In the same way, let us recall the story of Thomas Edison, the great inventor. He failed thousands of times before he succeeded in creating the light bulb. Yet each failure was not a defeat but an opportunity to learn, to refine, to push forward with even greater effort. Edison did not wait for success to come to him; he reached for it, again and again, through the sheer force of his will and the dedication of his hands. It is not brilliance alone that leads to triumph, but the willingness to labor endlessly, to face failure without hesitation, and to rise again with renewed resolve.

Effort is the foundation of every great accomplishment, and those who think success will come without it are doomed to disappointment. The world is filled with those who dream, but it is the doers who carve their names into history. The effort is the unglamorous, often unseen part of the journey. It is the daily work, the relentless pursuit, the sacrifices made along the way that prepare the soil for the harvest of success. Without effort, even the greatest ideas will remain unformed, like seeds left on barren ground.

O children, know this: to live without effort is to live without purpose. Success cannot be achieved in the comforts of idleness, nor in the passive desire for recognition. Strive and you shall achieve. Work with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might, for the reward of your labor will come only when you have given your all. Remember, the path to success is not paved with ease but with the sweat of those who dare to labor for their dreams. Effort is the price we pay for greatness, and it is a price worth every drop of blood, sweat, and tears.

Thus, O children of the future, let this be your guiding principle: success is not a gift for the lucky few, but a consequence of the effort you put forth. Do not shrink from the challenge, for in every challenge lies the potential for growth. Do not fear the labor, for it is the very process that will forge you into something greater. The world waits for those who act, who strive, who make effort their ally. And in the end, it is through effort that you will shape your destiny, and carve your place among the greats.