Hardship Pushes Us to the Top (Korea)
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You know the old adage, hardship really pushes us to the top… Well in the case of this inspirational young man from Korea, it really is true. It is true for many. When you are left to your own and have no recourse, you either push, work, push, work and make it or the harsh reality is no one is going to help you. Watching this young man made the tears flow from me because he was not bitter, angry or harsh. He was himself. He was simple, direct and honest as far as I can see. When he sang, the voice of a Operatic maestro emerged. Voice untainted, clear with a rich tone…
I’ve met thousands of people and meeting people is a continuous thing for me… and had thousands of conversations with them about themselves. There are always exceptions and what I say is not to be judgmental or criticize, but just observation in many cases (not all) that hardship makes a person better. With so many I have met, those who have easy life, parents coddled them, everything was handed to them on a platter and they really never had to be responsible or work for much, they turn out to be adults that expect the same. They are generally very moody, passionate for short spells and not stable in whatever they do. Lots of excuses for failure and want a lot of sympathy. It’s hard to expect or get results from them. Much convincing, talks, examples and time spent on them will produce but very little. It’s simple, they are use to the fact, whether they perform or not, they still get the necessities of life. They usually turn, not all, into adults that expect many things to be easy, and when it’s not they fall into depressions, get angry and turn bitter. They sometimes don’t understand why people are ‘harsh’ to them. I feel sorry for them and feel much pity… but tough love is necessary for some. Being born into an easy life with all the luxuries or necessities at your fingertips is not necessarily a sign of good karma opening. The results will show if the karma is good or bad. Think about it.
The ones that were forced to perform since young, had to earn their way, struggle and make it on their own merits are different. When they become adults, they take on new challenges with aplomb as they are use to it. They don’t find anything different. The world is harsh. Reality is not pretty always… and if we expect the world to treat us like princesses and princes like in our childhoods, we have another thing coming. Spoiled kids that turn into spoiled adults are not bad, they just were never presented reality from the onset of childhood. They have hope. They have to be pushed with love. Their success may be slower, but everyone can succeed.
The easier you make it for young people, the harder it will be for them as adults… Your lifestyle as a parent/adult also plays a large part in the formation of a child. You cannot say one thing and act another way…
Everyone can succeed… everyone can succeed. Mr Sung-Bong Choi will. Everyone should not feel down or expect the world to owe you something. In fact sometimes we owe the world or the people around us something. Don’t wait, don’t make excuses… in this world… results are the loudest explanations and the most convincing…
Tsem Rinpoche
Mr Sung-Bong Choi… never showed any harshness or bitterness for his so far bitter life… this is the real inspiration for me.
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Thank you for the touching sharing of a young man challenges faced to grow through his hardship. I was very impressed with his strong abilities to work hard to achieve his dream to give his best in the singing competition.
When you have no other choice but to move on, you will, and you will come out stronger and more successful. Never give excuses, just work hard works towards our goal in life.
Hardship is unavoidable but the lessons he learned reveal limitations, patterns, beliefs, and skills you didn’t see.
I enjoyed this interesting and touching story about Mr Sung-Bong Choi who has the will to succeed in life no matter going through how much hardships. Thank you Rinpoche and blog team for this inspiring sharing!????
It is amazing for this young man to have had such a hard time growing up yet, he could perform with in such a beautiful way yet stay humble. As Rinpoche shares good karma does not always show in having the perfect conditions and everything easy at hand.
I rejoice for this young man who succeeded and amazed everyone with his performance. We need to remember that we do not need perfect conditions to succeed but hard work will bring results.
wow..incredible this young man who was all alone by himself,learned to sing by listening to vocalist at night club where he sold gums and energy drinks as a living .He has gone through a lot of hardship since young living in a difficult circumstances.Sung-Bong Choi just a simple,humble a,nd sincere working as a manual worker had lived on stairs or public toilet for ten years.He loves singing.
Having a positive outlook on his life and determination he took part in Korea got talent contest beacuse of his singing passion.His magical voice attracted the judges as well as the audiences.This is an inspiration to many of us.Through hardship and hard work one will definitely succeed in whatever we want to achieve in life.Never give up, works towards our goal in life.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
“Results will show if one’s karma is good or bad”. In the case of 22 year old Mr Sung-Bong Choi, the results of an adult who had learned to sing like a trained and professional vocalist, shows that being born into a childhood of extreme hardship , was, for him, good karma.
His was a life of rejection from all quarters, from the time he was born. At the age of three, he was abandoned at an orphanage. When was five, he ran away from the orphanage, after being beaten up by the people there. From there on, he lived by himself and had to fend for himself.He walked the streets selling gums and energy drinks for 10 years. “He was living life like a dayfly”. He slept in public toilets and on the stairs. He never had an elementary school education. High school was his first school.
He said of himself that he was not a good singer, but he liked singing. After years of rejection and being groundless, when he saw a vocalist singing on the stage , in a nightclub, with such sincerity, he was fascinated. That must have been when something arose in him – a passion to want to sing like the vocalist he had just seen performing. As a judge commented after the singing competition, ” Regardless of his hard life, he passionately turns to what he really wants. Even talented ones rarely have that passion”. He applied himself with determination to his singing,to become a great singer. He trained himself -he listened and practised.
He touched everyone to the point where one of the judges said that, “I am glad I met him. I just want him to be happy from now on” . Another judge promised to see that he would keep on having vocal lessons.
The amazing thing about this young man is that he did not allow himself to become bitter and hardened against society and the world. The world was still a bright place and he found the space he needed in it.
Thank you Mr Sung-Bong Choi for being such an inspiration to all. When you stated things about your childhood, you just stated them in a matter-of-fact way, and did not embellish your story to make it sound like a “poor me” story.There was no hint of bitterness or anger.
However, the way you have risen above those circumstances to push yourself to the top shows your rare grit and tenacity!
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story.
This boy who had very much hardships that most youngster do not have to go through. He had to fight to survive and did the unimaginable. His attitude is very positive and no hint of depression or blame. He accepts life as it is and make he most out of it. He truly live in the present.
I need to adept his qualities into my life. His acceptance of the things around him and make the most out of it is great. No hint of blame in his attitude because he fully take responsibility of his life.
Humbly,
Chris
The song that he sang and accompanied with the fact of his hardships that he has gone through in his life; being an orphan, having insecure life, being bullied, sleeping on the stairs and in public toilet, I mean… wow…. I almost having tears running down my cheek.
He seemed so sincere in his sharing and the song that he chose really penetrate into your heart. How I wish he has all the goodness and happiness from now on.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this story of this wonderful young man. He is sensational and inspirational, he is just who he is, he is the person that accept whatever situation and move on. He is an example for us to learn, his qualities of acceptance and move on, not to be bitter about hardship as it will moulds us into something great.
Dear Rinpoche, I’ve watched this video several times and even after watching a few times I’m still touched with his voice and his story. I’m really lucky that I don’t have parents who will abandon me and bullies to beat me up. Now Choi Sung Bong is a professional vocalist. I hope he will have a good health and long life.
It is just amazing how some people can achieve things more easily with the hard lifestyle. I do agree with Rinpoche if things are being handed to you easily since young, it would be very difficult for you to face the reality in life later on.
I do not know if I am fortunate or not to be born in a family that dotes on me, as I am the only girl in the family. I am always given whatever that I want. This has caused me to find somethings difficult when I get older. Hence, it pushes me in the direction of running away from these problems as I do not have that courage to face it. It is just more difficult now as as it would be harder for me to accept failure now, as compared to when I was younger.
I can’t imagine how a 5 year old kid can live by himself. I am very sure that he struggled very hard in his whole live. When he was 3years old he got abandon by his family, when he was 5years old he must run away from the orphanage because the children there was beating him up and after being chased away he have to live by himself for 10 years. I just hope that he will have a much better living environment.
Hardship forces us to face/do whatever we usually avoiding. To have hardship in life is a blessing, because during hardship, we will have strong feeling to everything around us, and this feeling could make us think more even contemplate. And when hardship comes, we are not able to just sit there and think and do nothing, we will actually have to do something and contemplate at the same time.
I believe people who really wants to succeed in life, they will create hardship for themselves. The ‘cruel’ fact is, we learn from hardship, we learn to walk by falling on the ground. However, it is worth to fall if we are doing it for something good and beneficial. 🙂
It was really sad when I heard about his story growing up. It always make me cry when I watch movies or hear these stories. That there are children abandoned out there and nobody care. Everyone just close their eyes and walk away. What have we become? Is everything just about me, me, me?
Sometimes I wish so much that I can help these orphans for they have nothing.
It also reminded me about all the hardship and pain that Rinpoche endured while growing up. May they have the faith and courage like Rinpoche always…
Everyone got talent is due to our past karma, but how we can show it out. Every time we hear many success story from others they all will always say to us how much they suffer then only they success so it that everyone talent will show up when we get out from our comfort zone?
But i think if we really try to push ourself to do more or the things we done is out of our comfort zone sure we CAN do it. If the result at first just a little bit, never mind after a longer time sure we can improve.
This is very true. Hardship always gives us valuable lessons for life. While it can be very tough during the process, but one tends to learn more and become a better and more mature person later on.
Bitter medicine is always very hard to swallow. But if it is good for us, we will need to take it and have faith in it.
Mr. Sung-Bong Choi has a very very beautiful voice. No one teach him how to sing but he sing\because he loves to sing and he enjoy it. He didn’t go for special singing class or whatsoever. He started singing by following how the vocal singer sang when he was selling gums outside the nightclub.
He has a very unpleasant childhood which he run away from home when someone abused him. When he was 5. He basically live on the streets for the 10 years. For all the unfortunate childhood and life that he had has pushed him to become a very mature and strong person. I believe that he will become a very successful singer in Korea.
Other than having a great voice, Sung-Bong Choi did not let his sufferings taint him with any bitterness. He was humble and authentic. It’s very awe inspiring to see people like this. He focuses on what he want to achieve and goes for it. Simple and direct.
This is a very good example of a person who is no dragged down by his bad experience. Instead, the difficulties he faced in his life made him a better person. Most of all, he does not run away from the problems! When we get too comfortable, we become lazy and we choose to run away from problems, thinking we can get away from it.
My dear Lama
I watched this video many times over and over again. Finally, beyond the awe of this incredible voice, I realize that it is about doing what you want regardless of all the hardship and challenges that counts.
I watched this repeatedly to actually internalize the moral of the story so next time I faced new challenges instead of being paralyzed with fear, I will just move on and work to overcome the challenges.
Thank you so much Rinpoche for sharing this inspirational story.
Warm regards
Valentina
Wow, the young man is incredibly amazing! Even though he has a difficult and tough life, yet he survived the hardship. He does not have proper guidance all his life, yet he turned out alright. He does not have the “poor me” or “why me” attitude, no bitterness and no anger of why his life is like this. How inspiring!
He has a good voice. He just sang to his best and he looks so calm and unpretentious. He has captured the hearts of the judges and audience. I hope he will win.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for sharing this inspiring video with us.
Like.
Rinpoche,
Thanks for the inspiring video. I think he’ll probably go on to win the competition. Even in the hardships he endured during the early years, he made a choice not to give in to the negativities. To go against what his fate had thrown at him. To still have hope for the future. It’s funny how many of us with easy lives think we have all the choices in the world, but with the influence of the environment, friends and upbringing , we were just coasting along. We never really had a choice at all. No one would consciously choose more suffering. But yet, the things we do brings just that. To get back control of our fate, we have to make hard choices and correct choices. That’s when we’ll inspire others back.
Dear Rinpoche,
Many thks for sharing. It is really inspirational !!!
Encourage everyone to watch.
May Buddha bless you with good health.
When I was watching this video, tears flowed down naturally out of sadness and pity. However in Mr Sung Bong Choi performance, he sang with no facial expression saying “the world owes me something” nor “why did my parents abandoned me” look. He did not look sad but sang at his best with passion in his voice. He even said he does not think he can sing well but just like to sing.
He accepted his fate, his hard life and fought any adversities that can along on his own well. He did his best at his present condition. He did not give up on his life nor blame it on society. He continued to pursue.
When children are given all they can from their parents without any hardship involved, it has a tendency for these children to grow into adults that are not able to achieve much in their lives. Most of them do not know what they want to do, directionless and passionless and drift in and out of their daily lives in a daze.
This video is a wake-up call for the young and old alike.
For the young is to learn how this young man survived hardship and go on to make something out of his voice, the only talent he loves.
For the older folks and parents with children, making their children lives easy in the early years will hurt them later when they become young adults in life to live to suffer the consequences.
This video is super inspirational! It really brought tears to my eyes to see a young man with such a harsh background since a very young age came out with no anger, no bitterness towards his parents or the society, his expression was so calm and he talked so well. He accepts the reality and just deals with it, much better than many of us!
Even the judges were a bit emotional but not him…..he makes me feel that he is another bodhisattva in action!
This is a “MUST WATCH” video for all children of today….
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing yet another amazing and inspirational story with us here.
This man is Incredible.. What he has seen.. Determination.. Humility.. Honesty.. Pure.. He has my greatest Respect.. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing..
Thanks TR, this is just what i needed…
His voice tone magically atracts.
Thank you for sharing Rinpoche la!!