Nishal Narayan is 18 years old and already has his sights firmly set on becoming a millionaire.
This is not idle daydreaming or youthful bravado.
In fact, it is a goal backed by action, discipline and a willingness to do the hard work required to turn ambition into reality. And that is the point worth making.
Desire and effort must always go hand in hand. Wanting something means very little unless it is matched by commitment, perseverance and sacrifice.
Goals are not achieved by wishful thinking, but by rolling up one’s sleeves, anticipating challenges, accepting shortcomings and working to overcome them.
That is the lesson at the heart of this story. Be brave enough to set targets and disciplined enough to work for them. Be prepared to make sacrifices.
Accept that not every day will be rewarding or successful. Progress is rarely linear. Yet, good days do come, often at the tail end of consistency, grit and an unshakeable belief in the long game.
Fresh out of Year 13 at Baulevu High School, Mr Narayan now stands at the crossroads of youth leadership and entrepreneurship.
His journey is not one shaped by privilege, but by resilience, forged in the rural farming community of Baulevu in Tailevu, just outside Nausori Town.
Raised by a strong mother and a caring grandmother, his early lessons were learned not in boardrooms or classrooms, but on the land and at home.
“I was raised in a farming background,” he says.
“My mom did everything with strength and dignity. Watching her manage our home inspired my love for business more than any book or lecture.”
His grandmother instilled values of humility, patience and respect, principles that now guide both his leadership style and business philosophy. Long before he understood profit margins or supply chains, he understood responsibility.
Today, Mr Narayan is the director of Pristine Agricultural Investment, a growing enterprise supplying fresh produce to supermarkets and households.
His daily routine reflects the discipline of traditional farming life: early mornings checking crops, coordinating with suppliers, ensuring quality control and managing finances with a maturity beyond his years.
What sets his company apart, he says, is a commitment to freshness, quality and customer trust.
These are not marketing buzzwords, but values shaped by lived experience and hard-earned lessons.
And yes, he still dreams of becoming a millionaire, not for vanity, but as a symbol of success achieved through honest work.
This, ultimately, is a story of hope and aspiration. It is about commitment, dedication, perseverance and sacrifice, the unglamorous but essential ingredients that keep the bicycle of life moving forward.
The challenge for all of us, especially the young, is to embrace those values and dare to live our dreams even when obstacles appear overwhelming. Age is no barrier. Financial backing can be built.
What truly matters is the will to keep going, to think outside the box, to be brave enough to think big and to work toward what you believe is possible.
Soldier on.
The dream is worth it!
