Growing up, I was ashamed of my father’s job. While my friends’ parents were doctors and businessmen, my dad worked in a garage, fixing motorcycles with grease-covered hands and worn-out clothes. It felt like a constant reminder that we were different—and not in a good way. I avoided talking about him at school, embarrassed that he didn’t fit into the mold of “success” I saw around me. He missed dinners and school events, always saying, “I’m doing what I love, kid.” But as a child,
I couldn’t understand how fixing bikes could bring anyone joy. I envied the polished lives my friends seemed to have—suits, shiny cars, expensive schools—while I worked summers in his shop just to help pay for college. When I turned sixteen, he offered to buy me a motorcycle. I rejected it. I wanted a car like everyone else. He looked hurt but said, “It’s not just about the bike. It’s about learning to work for something.” But I couldn’t see it then. I only saw a life I didn’t want. Years later,
after building my own corporate career and distancing myself from my father, he called and asked for help on a small project. I almost said no—but something in his voice stopped me. Back at his garage, surrounded by tools and engines, I saw everything differently. I watched him work, heard the pride in his voice, and finally understood. He didn’t need recognition or wealth. He had joy. He had purpose. And for the first time,
I saw that he was successful—not by society’s standards, but by his own. It took me years to realize what he had always tried to teach me: success isn’t about status. It’s about doing what you love, and doing it with pride. I may never fix motorcycles, but I now understand the value of a life lived with passion.