Some moments in life stay with us forever. They don’t always come with big changes or success. Sometimes, they start as small problems or simple advice from someone who cares. For me, one such moment happened when I was young and had no idea what I wanted to do in life.

In 2002, I decided to join Computer Science. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in my life, everything felt confusing. That’s when my mentor said something that stuck with me.

“Look around, and you’ll find answers.”

At first, it didn’t feel helpful, but that advice stayed with me.

I didn’t understand what he meant to say. I looked around, but most of the things I noticed were problems, broken things, slow computers, and people having a hard time with simple tasks. I kept thinking, “Where are the answers he told me to find myself?"

Then, slowly, things started to change. There was one problem: I couldn't stop thinking about the mess inside old movie and music rental shops. Early 2000s music stores were packed with discs.

If you wanted a movie or song, you had to flip through dozens of CDs. Everything was disorganised and messy.I remember watching a shopkeeper search for a song a customer wanted. He went through many CDs, unsure where it was. Both of them looked stressed after a while. Most people thought this was just a normal problem. But for some reason, I saw it differently. 

Something changed in my mind. To others, it looked like a big mess.

To me, it looked like a challenge I wanted to solve. I had just started learning code.

It was exciting to think I could use it for something real. So, I got to work.

I made a simple program on my computer. You could type the name of a song, and it would quickly tell you which CD had that song and which label it was on. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. People didn’t have to search through everything anymore; the mess became easier to handle.

The small system I made was never sold in stores. It didn’t turn into a business, and I didn’t become famous for it. But it gave me something even better. I found out how much I enjoy solving problems and creating solutions that make life a little easier.

That moment taught me something I still remember today:

Sometimes, the best ideas come from the messy things around us. You just need to be curious and pay attention to see them.

Another big lesson I learned was this: Success and rewards aren’t everything.

The real value is in doing something new, learning from mistakes, and enjoying the process.

I didn’t build that system to make a business out of it. I started it because I saw a problem and wanted to solve it. When I built the system, I felt proud not because people praised me, but because I truly enjoyed making it.

Passion isn’t always about fame or attention. Sometimes, it’s just feeling happy while doing something you truly enjoy, all by yourself. Have you worked hard, but no one noticed? Or felt like things didn’t go your way?

Take a moment and think about it. Why did I start doing this? What did I learn from it?

Did your hard work make you happy inside, even without people appreciating you?

If so, then it was worth it. These small moments help you find your real self.

Now, think about this: Is there one small moment in your life that changed everything? Not because it made you rich or famous, but because it helped you understand yourself better?

Sometimes, the answers we’re looking for aren’t waiting out there. They’re hidden inside the problems we choose to solve.