Originally, the place where Uyuni exists was once an ocean. One day, the Nazca Plate, located to the east of the Pacific Ocean, collided with the South American Plate. This collision led to the creation of the longest mountain range on Earth, the Andes. As the rising sea evaporated due to the dry climate, it transformed into the salt desert we see today.
During the rainy season, Uyuni becomes the world’s largest mirror.
I had lunch on this massive and beautiful mirror. As I sat there, a conversation started with the simple question, “Where are you from?”
Christian is from Bolivia. He originally worked as a translator in a mine, but later started teaching English at a university. One day, he got a call from the university.
“Christian, we’ve opened a French course. Can you take it over?”
“But I don’t know French.”
“Nobody here knows French. We’ll give you three weeks to study and teach it.”
It turned out that the students wanted to learn French, so the university decided to offer the course.
Christian thought, “I can do this,” and began learning French. Three weeks later, he started teaching the class.
Christian’s experience taught me three important steps to growth that can help us in any area of learning.
1. Believing in Yourself
The first step is believing that you can do it. Without this belief, it’s hard to get started. When Christian was asked to teach French, he didn’t know the language. But he trusted that, with effort, he could learn it. Having this belief is essential. If you don’t believe in yourself, you won’t take action, and without action, you won’t grow. Believing you can improve gives you the strength to start, even if it feels challenging.
2. Overcoming Challenges
Once you start, it’s natural to face difficulties. Progress may feel slow, and doubts like “Can I really do this?” will arise. Christian experienced this, too. Learning French in just three weeks wasn’t easy, but he didn’t let that stop him. The key to growth is to keep going, even when it’s hard. Overcoming challenges and pushing through tough moments helps you get better and builds your strength.
3. Repetition
The third step is repetition—doing something consistently until it becomes second nature. Christian didn’t just study French and stop. He practiced every day. It’s easy to feel discouraged if you don’t see quick results, but the secret to mastering anything is consistent effort. The more you repeat something, the more confident and skilled you become.
Christian followed these three steps, and in just three weeks, he became a French teacher. His journey is a beautiful reminder that with belief in ourselves, the strength to face challenges, and consistent practice, we can achieve growth in any area. When I face my own challenges, I’ll remember Christian and these three steps that helped him succeed.
