My “I Must Make It in Life” Moment; The Day My Mother Broke Down

Life has a strange way of waking you up.

For me, it wasn’t a motivational video or a quote from a rich person. It was the day I saw my mother break down in tears not because someone died, but because she couldn’t afford to pay my younger brother’s school fees.

That moment shattered me.

We were sitting in the room, no light, no food ready, and my siblings were all gathered around as if waiting for a miracle. I had just come back from an errand and met my mother sitting on the floor, staring at a small bag of rice as if it could turn into a full pot of jollof. Her eyes were swollen. She had cried deep, silent tears.

I asked what was wrong, and she just said, “I’m tired.”
That was the first time I saw my mother give up, at least for a second.

That very moment, something inside me changed.
I realized I could no longer afford to live life casually.
No more “one day I go make am.” It had to become, "I MUST make it."

From that day, my mindset shifted. I stopped waiting for opportunities and started creating them. I used to scroll on social media and just consume content; now I began searching for skills to learn, communities to join, and contests to enter like this one on HiveNaija.

I started waking up earlier, reading more, and paying attention to how people around me make money. I reduced gossip and increased hustle. I began teaching myself things like content writing, digital skills, and building online presence, things I never thought I’d be doing before.

Before that day, I used to dream small, just enough to survive and “manage.” But after that experience with my mother, I knew I had to aim higher. I wasn’t just chasing success for myself anymore. I was chasing it for my family, especially my mother. The woman who has given everything, yet asks for nothing.

Till today, anytime I feel lazy or feel like giving up, I just remember that evening. That dark, quiet room. My mother on the floor. That hopeless look in her eyes. It haunts me, but in a good way. It reminds me that I have no excuse.

Yes, the journey hasn’t been easy. There have been failures, setbacks, and doubts. But the fire inside me, the one that was lit that day, has refused to die out. It pushes me every day to do better, to try again, to grow even if it’s just one step forward.

That moment changed my entire view about life.
It taught me that life doesn’t reward people who wait, it rewards those who fight.

So, to anyone reading this, your turning point might not come wrapped in glory. Sometimes, it comes through pain. But if you can turn that pain into fuel, you’ll be unstoppable.

Me? I don’t just want to make it anymore.
I will. I must. And I’m already on my way.

Images are Ai generated