We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to

Hear, O child of trials, the steadfast words of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the “Missile Man of India” and beloved teacher of millions: “We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us.” These words were not spoken in ease or luxury, but forged in the fire of adversity, where failure and hardship pressed heavily. They are a call not only to endurance, but to mastery over life’s storms, for every problem is not a wall to stop us, but a mountain to be climbed.

To not give up is to preserve the flame of hope even when darkness surrounds. It is to refuse surrender when defeat whispers its poison. Problems come to every man and woman; they are the trials that temper the spirit. Yet Kalam, who rose from humble beginnings to become President of a nation, reminds us that surrender is the only true defeat. To continue walking, step after step, is to keep victory within reach, even when it hides beyond sight.

To not allow the problem to defeat us is to claim dominion over struggle. Problems may bruise the body, delay the journey, or wound the heart—but they need not conquer the spirit. The greatest of souls are not those who never faced problems, but those who were pressed down by them and yet rose higher. The problem tests your resolve, but it cannot defeat you unless you open the gates of your will and let it in.

Consider the tale of Kalam himself. In his early years as a scientist, his first major project—a rocket launch—failed miserably, shattering hopes and drawing criticism. Many might have given up under such weight. Yet Kalam refused to let the failure define him. He learned, he persevered, and in time he became the chief architect of India’s missile and space programs, bringing pride to his nation. His life was living proof that problems are not ends, but beginnings for those who endure.

So too with Abraham Lincoln, who suffered repeated defeats in politics, endured personal tragedies, and bore the heavy chains of failure. Yet he pressed onward, never allowing his problems to define his destiny. At last, he rose to lead his nation through its most desperate hour, preserving freedom and unity. His story resounds with Kalam’s teaching: problems may wound, but they cannot conquer the one who refuses surrender.

The meaning is clear: life is a battleground, and problems are its trials. They come not to destroy, but to test the spirit, to shape the soul, and to prove who is truly unbreakable. To give up is to let the problem win. To stand, to endure, to press onward, is to prove that victory belongs to the steadfast. The problem may be great, but within you is something greater—the will that refuses to yield.

O listener, take this counsel as a shield for your journey. When you face trials, whisper to yourself: “This problem will not defeat me.” Do not measure your worth by the ease of your path, but by the strength of your endurance. Break each problem into steps, work with patience, and keep moving forward. Each day you refuse surrender, you grow stronger than the problem that opposes you.

Thus the words of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam endure as a beacon of strength: “We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us.” Let them be your war cry in times of hardship. For problems may roar, but the spirit that refuses to yield will always emerge victorious.