You changed my mind. Before reading this article, I would have agreed with your prior mindset that it's hard work and grit. However, you put things into a different perspective that makes me think it was my terrible home life and the kids who were mean to me. It was the coaches yelling at me, the teachers demanding things from me.

Negativity drives me.

Maybe that is why I don't take criticism well...because I know I must follow it with action and that takes work.

Sometimes, as an adult, I do feel lazy or so much more unmotivated than I was in my younger years. Truth be told, I think like you, it's because there isn't anyone yelling at me anymore.

Thank you for this introspective article, friend. It brought a lot up for me.