“You can do anything if you have enthusiasm”, said by Henry Ford applies to Homer Hickam’s story very well. Success comes with hard work and dedication. It can not be achieved by giving up on your goals. Sputnik I and homer himself contributed to his success by motivating him to work harder till he reached his goal. His story shows how someone can make things happen if they have people to encourage and support them.
The person that contributed to Homer’s success was himself. You can make things happen for yourself only and only if you want it that badly. He was unsuccessful at football through which he was hoping to receive a scholarship. He did not want to end up working at the coal mine like everyone else did. Motivated by scholarships, he worked very hard on building a rocket.
He wanted to prove himself to his family especially to his daddy that what he was doing was right. He was also greatly supported by the people of his town. When his first rocket blew up, Homer did not give up. He believed in himself that he can do it. And from then on, he kept trying and trying till he finally made one that went all the way and won him a first place in the International Science Fair. Homer contributed to his own success greatly than anyone else did because he never gave up.
Besides himself, Sputnik I also played a great role to Homer’s success. When Sputnik I went around the world, Homer got greatly inspired when he saw it. He wanted to make rockets since that night till today. He wanted to make something as pretty as Sputnik I that people would look upon it and be proud of him.
Every time homer’s rocket was unsuccessful, he looked upon the sky and got motivated to work harder. When Homer was working at his dad’s mine, he saw Sputnik I one day while he was eating. The sight of it again inspired him to go back to rocketry, and work on his science fair project. He also proved that none of his rockets started the fire by using math techniques and equations which he never cared about when he was in his math class.
Sputnik I was like something that he always looked upon and it also motivated him to work harder and harder. The life of Homer Hickam shows how one should never give up. Homer Hickam, the boy from a small town, proved it to the world that if he can do it with so many obstacles in his way, anyone can. People should stay focused no matter how many hurdles come their way to prevent their success. If a person is determined, no one would ever be able to stop them. Failures and successes are part of our lives.
So, I really think that people should believe in themselves and try and try.