The Secret Power Hidden in Your Struggles
This way of thinking can rewrite your future.
Our society often celebrates the big stories of entrepreneurs who rise to the top through determination, work ethic, and vision. But fails to realize that most of these stories stacked the odds in their favor even before they started.
Entrepreneurship is a pay-to-win game. The more resources you can pour in—money, time, connections, education—the more likely you are to get something out. Many of the entrepreneurs we idolize had just that.
Take Bill Gates, who had access to a computer in the 1960s, something almost unheard of at the time allowing him to clock in thousands of hours of programming before most people had touched a keyboard before. Jeff Bezos went to Princeton and had early exposure to tech and finance, backed by family support to launch Amazon. Elon Musk came from a well-off family in South Africa and used that foundation to fund his early ventures. These stories are usually told as tales of genius and hustle—and while there’s truth to that, they also began with unique advantages that most people simply don’t have.
That’s why some of the people I admire most are those who don’t have any of that. People born in third-world countries or into families with limited resources. When the odds are stacked against them, and still find a way to achieve something great. Their progress comes from faith, ambition, and a deep will to change their path and to create a future they’ve never actually seen.
When all your life experiences have shown you limits, It’s hard to believe you can win. And yet, some of them do —not by removing their obstacles, but by perceive them differently.
It’s not the situation that defines us, but the meaning we give it. Whether we let it break us or lift us. On its own, a situation is neither good nor bad—those are qualities we assign through perception.
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” — Shakespeare
It’s often our preconceptions that create the problem. We insist that things should be a certain way, and when they’re not, we feel undermined. That’s how obstacles become obstacles. But in truth, every situation is a chance to apply sound judgment—to grow, to learn, and to move forward.
In my case, I don’t come from poverty or privilege, but one challenge that has weighed on me for years is that I don't come from an English-speaking country. I’m fortunate to have learned the language, but I’ll likely never be as fluent as a native speaker.
I first became aware of this when I worked at a management consulting firm. It was my first real job in the corporate world, and I was fresh out of university. The environment was highly competitive, and perhaps I was easily impressed at the time.
One of the first things I noticed was how eloquently some people spoke. They grabbed attention with bold claims, asked engaging questions, and used polished, sophisticated language. They knew when to pause for effect and how to drive their point home.
After witnessing many such presentations, I began to notice a pattern: not all, but many of these speakers came from English-speaking countries. It occurred to me then: maybe if I were presenting in my own language, I might not be far from their level. Of course, many non-native speakers also deliver great presentations in English, but there’s a natural ease that native speakers have. They instinctively know the right words to use. They don’t have to think about pronunciation or search for expressions. They’re not mentally juggling between two languages. For them, it all flows more naturally.
Now that I’ve pointed this out, you might start noticing it too. How many of the influences you see on camera are English native-speakers—their delivery feels more natural and effortless. But instead of resenting that, I’ve learned to shift my perspective. I could keep seeing this as a limitation, or I could choose to see what it gives me. What if this so-called handicap was actually a hidden strength?
The truth is, what makes you different is often what makes you stand out. As Naval Ravikant said, “Escape competition through authenticity.” Owning your perceived weakness and leaning into it is a powerful form of honesty. People will notice your flaws, but they will also notice when you're being real. This can be a strength if you let it.
Here are some unexpected advantages I’ve discovered from not being a native speaker:
You speak more than one language, that’s already a superpower.
You can read, extract, and process information in both your native language and English—doubling your access to knowledge.
Bilinguals often excel at finding unconventional solutions. They're used to translating ideas across different mental systems, which expands the way they approach problems.
Thinking in another language gives you a different mental framework. It shapes how you solve problems and how you express ideas.
Communicating in a second language forces you to adapt constantly and to have better memory, focus, and mental flexibility.
You carry the emotional depth and cultural context of another part of the world —and that’s something no one else can replicate.
You have access to ideas, values, and worldviews that only exist in your native language.
You see the world through more than one cultural lens, which makes you more understanding, open-minded, and thoughtful in your communication.
If you didn’t grow up in a traditional English classroom, you may have avoided rigid writing habits that come with formal instruction.
You’re probably less attached to academic or jargon-heavy English, which means your writing can be clearer, more natural, and easier to understand.
Not being a native speaker in an English-dominated world can feel like a setback at first. But what once seemed like a disadvantage turns out to be a unique circumstance that make us who we are, and we can use it as a stepping stone to grow and become stronger.
The same goes for many of the obstacles we face. It’s not the problem itself that defines us, but the lens we choose to see it through. With the right perspective, what once felt like a disadvantage can suddenly become an edge.