“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “you haven’t lost at all, for all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall."
There once was a boy who was in a race. As he neared the finish line, he fell. Hearing his father's voice, he got back up and continued, only to fall again. After his third time falling, he thought about giving up. But in the distance he heard,
“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “you haven’t lost at all, for all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.”Though obstacles may arise on the path to success, life always presents opportunities for achievement even in the face of difficulties.
This is the case for Augustus Yuki Yakana, a BYU-Pathway Worldwide student from Pohnpei, Micronesia, who improved his life despite significant ongoing spiritual and financial troubles.
Life and its inevitable trials
Augustus first joined BYU-Pathway six years ago. After deciding to move to Hawaii, he realized his paycheck didn’t stretch far enough to cover his family’s needs, so he decided to get a second job and withdrew from school.
But that was not the end. In 2022, Augustus enrolled again in BYU-Pathway’s
Until he was forced to stop his schooling for the second time, saying, “My family suffered a great financial loss, so I had to withdraw again.”
Perhaps life’s trials are delaying Augustus’ academic progress, but the time he invested in his education has certainly not been wasted.
BYU-Pathway's certificate-first approach enabled him to prove his knowledge to potential employers even before earning his degree.
“Although I haven’t yet been able to land my dream job, because of the knowledge I gained from BYU-Pathway, I know how to get there and what it takes. I have a clear path ahead of me.”
Life and its ever-present opportunities
Direction is not the only benefit Augustus received from his educational journey.
“BYU-Pathway helped me develop a growth mindset. It boosted my confidence in my ability to learn and grow as a student. It gave me the discipline I need to embrace tough situations as opportunities to grow,” he said.
Through BYU-Pathway’s spiritually based courses, Augustus deepened his testimony of the power of prayer, his faith in Jesus Christ, and his confidence in Heavenly Father’s plan for him. After many years, he and his family returned to church where he had the privilege of baptizing his son.
He said, “Watching my son receive the gift of the Holy Ghost has been one of the biggest blessings my family has ever received, and it all started with BYU-Pathway.”
Life and the need for self-kindness
Instead of dwelling on what he hasn’t yet accomplished, Augustus has learned to look at the bigger picture, focusing on the precious lessons life’s detours are teaching him.
“I realized that I’m a bit too hard on myself when I don’t accomplish certain things. Learning online has taught me to go easy on myself and celebrate the little wins, which oftentimes result in big gains.”
Augustus’s journey has been, and continues to be, rocky. But without desperation and with a steadfast focus on the positives, he’s eager to roll up his sleeves and return to school.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all. And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall. And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face, another voice within me says, “Get up and win that race!”