The Night I Stopped Being Lazy

I reached a 2,000 rating at age 7.
Grandmaster loading soon.
Except it stopped loading.

All I improved in the next 5 years was only +100 rating points. That’s it.

One reason.
I was lazy.

I loved chess. But I loved video games more. A LOT more.
So much that my Dad pulled me out of chess school completely.
No tournaments, no board, no clock for one year.

I wandered around. I did kid stuff. I did man stuff, mostly useless stuff, honestly.

Until one day… That DAY!

***

We were coming back from my cousin’s birthday party. It was around 1 AM. I was sleeping in the back seat between my Mom and my younger sister. My Dad was in the front, quiet, tired.

I woke up from a LOUD noise.
Hard brakes coming from different directions.
Cars almost entering into our car.

I looked around. We were in the middle of an intersection.
We ran a red light.

Somehow no one hit us. No horns. No shouting.
Just drivers who sensed that something was wrong and reacted fast enough to save all of us.

The taxi driver stopped. His hands were shaking. He took a few deep breaths before speaking.

“I’m very sorry,” he said. “I’m very tired. I didn't sleep last night.”

“Why not?” My Dad asked.

“I have a big family,” the driver said, “4 kids. I drive from early morning until midnight. I have to cover the expenses and take care of my family.”

My Dad asked the question I wanted to hear.

“EVERY day???”

“Yes,” the driver said. “Sometimes until midnight, sometimes more. Sometimes I don’t sleep.”

That moment…… That very second……
100 lightning bolts hit my soul at the same time.

Like any normal human being, I’ve been scared many times in my life. Entering a cage with a tiger…
Jumping from an airplane…
Facing a gang in a dark street…

But I’ve never been as scared as I was at that moment, in that taxi, in my entire life.

I suddenly saw my possible future.

If I didn’t do anything… If I didn’t become someone...
I would be this man. Driving a taxi all day. Taking care of my family. Never having time to hug my wife and play with my children.

That scared the hell out of me.

The very next morning I went to my Dad.

“Hey… I know… I messed up… I apologized before… Made promises… But this time is different. Please, get me back to chess school.”

That’s how round 2 of my chess career started.

***

I see many parents frustrated with their lazy kids.
They want them to train chess… They buy for them the best books, the best chess courses, hire the best coaches…
But the kid doesn’t move.

I understand both sides. I was that kid, and I saw the disappointment in my Dad’s eyes.

Now, I am not a child psychologist, but I believe the answer lies in talking to the Minions of your kid and pushing one of two buttons.

1. Gain and Pleasure
2. Fear and Loss Avoidance

Or push both of them.

In my case the button was pressed accidentally that night. In my case the fear button worked.
In your child’s case, it might be the other button. Or both.

And if you truly try everything, push every button, talk, explain, encourage, scare, inspire… And nothing works…

Then maybe chess, or whatever you want them to learn, and to do or to become…
Maybe that isn’t their dream and that dream belongs to you?

With best wishes and love,
For your growth and fun journey,
GM Avetik (or Avo, as my friends call me) ♥️

P. S. If you haven’t read about my Minions, click the link below:
Why You Feel Lazy and How to Get Motivated [Talk to Your Minions] 

And if you want to share anything related to the article, please do so on our forum.

P. P. S. I’m just a FedEx guy, delivering lessons from my life and my teachers to you.
If this message spoke to you and you know someone who might love or need this… share the package. That’s how knowledge travels, one package at a time.

Thank you for reading, for growing, and for helping someone else along the way🙏
 

Originally published Jan 22, 2026

Related articles