In my final year of secondary school, a modest newspaper advertisement brought to me by my physics teacher, Ms Yüksel Tezcan quietly altered the course of my life. One evening, as I drifted between wakefulness and dreams, I heard the name Kemal Şahin spoken on TRT radio. In that instant, a long-held hope was realised. I was filled with joy, and a decisive turning point was set in motion.
The land I was born in, the Toros Mountains, taught me perseverance, resilience, and the courage to set sail towards distant horizons. After completing my engineering studies in Germany, I was refused a work permit. I did not retreat; instead, I started trading with a small shop. My 5,000 Deutsche Marks at the time were not my true capital. My real wealth lay education, trustworthiness, and integrity.
We are first shaped by our families, our teachers, and our friends. Professional life refines us. Books, inspiring individuals, competitors, and even our mistakes give us strength. This is how one progresses step by step towards the summit. Some see only the mountain before them; others fix their gaze on the star beyond it. As goals are reached, momentum gathers.
Your destination is not merely where you arrive
it is the path you choose to take.