A few days ago, I placed an old manual typewriter on my office desk. I had bought it years ago in Lahore simply because I admired its craftsmanship. When I typed a single page on it, a flood of memories returned.
That simple machine did more than print letters. It shaped my discipline, sharpened my focus, and quietly changed the direction of my life.
This reflection carries a message for young people: success is built on effort. Complaints do not move us forward. Struggle does. And sincere effort is always rewarded by Allah Almighty.
This reflection carries a clear message for young people. Achievement is built on effort, not excuses. Complaints create stagnation; perseverance creates progress. Consistent struggle refines character, and sincere hard work never goes unnoticed. Faith and effort, when combined, open doors that once seemed distant.
My journey with the typewriter began in the 1980s. After completing my matriculation in 1978, I decided to learn typing. My village, Meheen Mar in Kasur district, had no typing center. The nearest option was in Raiwind, nearly fifteen miles away.
Roads were unpaved. Public transport requires changing buses. I chose the bicycle.
For four months, I cycled 15 miles each way every day to practice typing for 1 hour. The distance was long, but the commitment was longer.
I still remember my first typing drill: ASDF.
Our instructor fixed the speed and tested us at the end of each session. Gradually, we were evaluated on two metrics: speed and accuracy. How many words could we type in a fixed time, and how many errors did we make?
Those exercises were not merely mechanical training. They taught discipline, concentration, and measurable improvement.
At the District Education Office, a difficult task arose: long lists of teachers’ seniority had to be typed in Urdu.
The staff hesitated. The workload was heavy.
I volunteered.
The District Education Officer warned me that it was difficult and time-consuming. I asked for the deadline. Two months, he said. I responded that I could do it in one month, then fifteen days, then one week.
They were skeptical.
At that time, we typed on stencils and used cyclostyle machines to make copies. Photocopying was rare and expensive.
I worked continuously for three days and three nights.
When I submitted the completed work, the entire office was stunned. Even today, some colleagues recall that moment.
Deliver what you promise. That reputation stays.
On another occasion, an urgent telex arrived from Lahore with a deadline for the next morning. After Isha prayers and dinner, I returned to the office and began typing.
By 4:00 a.m., I was still working. Mosquitoes filled the room. If I turned on the fan, papers would fly. If I did not, the heat was intense.
The District Education Officer lived nearby. Hearing the continuous tik tik of the typewriter before dawn, he came quietly to investigate. Later, he joked that he thought perhaps a jinn was typing at night.
He found me still at work.
He appreciated the effort and later often mentioned it in meetings.
Consistency earns recognition without self-promotion.
At a meeting in Lahore linked to the Primary Education Project, an assignment was given to a colleague who requested two days.
I said I could complete it in two hours.
They doubted me, especially since it was in Urdu. I was taken to the Project Director. I checked and adjusted the machine and completed the stencils quickly.
Afterward, they asked if I knew shorthand. If so, they said I could occupy a stenographer position. I requested a test.
I passed.
On 27 June 2003, my orders were issued. Soon after, stenographers were upgraded to a higher pay scale. I had planned to apply for a lower clerical post, but by Allah’s will, the typewriter opened a better path.
Sometimes the skill you quietly build becomes your breakthrough.
I have kept that typewriter to this day as a reminder.
It reminds me that no effort is wasted. That distance traveled on a bicycle matters. Those three nights without sleep matter. That skill, when developed with sincerity, opens doors beyond expectation.
My message is simple:
Work with sincerity.
Build your skills patiently.
Strengthen your character consistently.
Inshallah, your effort will be rewarded.
Muhammad Anwar is a governance and development leader with over three decades of experience in public policy and institutional leadership. As CEO of Freedom Gate Prosperity, he promotes democratic values, inclusive growth, climate resilience, and youth empowerment across Pakistan.
© 2026 Created with Muhammad Anwar
