I will never forget the time when my father, Conrado Soriano Miguel was very proud of me. I was in fourth grade and I had just completed the English contest at a district level. I knew I did well and as I expected, I won the first place.
Winning the first place in many academic competitions I participated in while I was in school was not uncommon. In fact, it will be unusual if I had not snagged the gold medal in an academic competition I was asked to participate in.
I had the drive, even at an early age.
I had the will and the motivation to excel.
I had the determination to prove to myself that I can do it.
But I also knew that somehow I needed a boost to myself – and for some reasons my father’s approval was my only reassurance that I was really what I thought of myself.
My father might be what you would call a typical Asian parent: strict, academically-driven and excellence seeker. He was also a disciplinarian and highly-regarded for that. When he said, “There is no TV until Friday night for only two hours”, all of us, his children would comply; all five of us. There won’t be any complaints, no questions of his authority; we would just oblige – because we knew that if we didn’t we would have a whole week of hell.
So, we knew that growing up we have a father who sets the bar; who knew how to set the bar not just on the mid-ground but high above what we can possibly or impossibly reach.
This is why I would never ever forget the day he beamed with pride because I did very well, extremely well that he lifted me high up in the air with his two arms in front of many people!
That to me was the winning point of my academic competition.
Yes, I got up on the stage and received my first-place gold medal but that was just the consolation part of it.
The real prize to me was when my father confirmed that I made it and that made him the proudest Dad on earth!
It didn’t matter to me whether it was my umpteenth time to win the gold medal, but what mattered to me was the fact that my father finally smiled, took me by his arms, picked me arms and lifted me way up high in the air!
I knew from that point on that my father is finally confident in me – and I became confident in myself that I can do anything – everything that I wish to do. It was a very special moment to me as the person who is so hard-to-please has finally given me his seal of confidence.
And it does matter. Even up to now. To have that self-confidence and the support from the people you love that you can do whatever you think you can.
It all starts with self-confidence.
This is part of the book, 'The Best Inspirational Stories I Ever Read: Guide to a Purposeful Life". You can continue to read more inspiring stories by getting a copy of the book. CLICK HERE for details. Thank you!