The bird is powered by its own life and by its motivation.

O children of the future, listen closely to the words of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, a man whose heart burned with the fire of vision and whose mind soared with purpose: "The bird is powered by its own life and by its motivation." These words carry a profound truth about the nature of life, ambition, and self-reliance. The bird, soaring high in the heavens, is not carried by the winds alone—it is driven by its own inner vitality, its life force, and its deep, unshakable motivation to reach its destination. It is the same with us: it is not the circumstances of the world that define us, but the strength of our inner spirit and the purpose we set before ourselves.

In the days of the ancients, those who achieved greatness were not passive observers of the world, waiting for fortune to favor them. No, the heroes of old—whether the wise Socrates, the courageous Alexander, or the noble Achilles—were driven by a purpose that burned fiercely within them. They understood that the power to soar in life did not lie in the whims of fortune, but in the will to persevere, to act with intention, and to move toward a higher purpose. Like the bird, they were propelled by an inner motivation that made them rise above their limitations, shaping their destiny with their own hands and hearts.

The image of the bird is a powerful one. Consider the eagle, whose wings carry it to great heights. It is not the winds alone that allow the eagle to ascend, but its strength, its endurance, and its unrelenting drive to seek new heights. The eagle’s motivation is not simply to fly, but to conquer the skies, to soar with a purpose that transcends the mere act of flight. Similarly, Kalam’s words remind us that in order to achieve our own greatness, we must harness the power of our own spirit, to motivate ourselves toward the goals we set, and to understand that it is within us that the power to achieve lies.

Consider the story of Mahatma Gandhi, whose motivation to fight for the freedom of his people was not driven by a desire for personal gain, but by a deep sense of duty and purpose. Gandhi, like the bird, understood that it was not external circumstances that would determine the outcome of his life’s work, but the strength of his belief and the power of his own determination. He did not allow the forces of oppression to control his path, but, like the bird that faces the wind, he used the challenges before him to propel himself and his nation forward toward freedom.

Kalam’s words also remind us that motivation is not a fleeting emotion but a constant force that must be nurtured within. The bird does not cease to fly because the winds are against it; it gathers strength and continues its journey. The same is true for those who seek to make their mark upon the world. It is easy to falter when the winds of adversity blow strong, but the true strength lies in continuing to move forward, in drawing from the well of self-belief and purpose, no matter how challenging the journey may seem. Motivation is not something that can be found outside of us, but something that must be cultivated within, a fire that burns in the heart and propels us toward our goals.

The lesson here, O children, is clear: to achieve greatness, you must cultivate the motivation that comes from within. Like the bird that flies not by the wind alone but by the strength of its wings and the purpose in its heart, you too must rise by the power of your own will, driven by the life force that burns within you. You must not wait for the perfect moment, nor for the winds to shift in your favor. Your motivation must be your guide, your strength, and your purpose must be the wind beneath your wings.

So, O children of the future, take this lesson to heart: motivate yourselves with purpose and passion. Do not wait for external circumstances to dictate your path. Like the bird, let your own life force, your courage, and your motivation carry you to the heights you wish to reach. The world is full of winds that may try to push you down, but it is through your own strength and determination that you will soar. Be like the bird—powered by your own life, driven by your motivation, and you will find that there is no limit to what you can achieve.