The Little Engine That Almost Couldn’t!

Most of us have read or at the very least have heard of the famous children’s story, “The Little Engine That Could,” written by Watty Piper, published in 1930, and is now considered an American folktale. Its message, filled with wisdom, is hard to repudiate by anyone who picks up the book and reads it.

The storyline is simple:

A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning, it was waiting for the next call when a long train of freight cars asked a large engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill. “I can’t; that is too much of a pull for me,” said the great engine built for hard work. Then, the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. In desperation, the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side. “I think I can,” puffed the little locomotive and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on, the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, “I think I can, I think I can, I think can.”

As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, “I—think—I—can, I—think—I—can.” It reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, “I thought I could, I thought I could.”

The other day, when I came upon the children’s book “The Little Engine That Could,” I had two thoughts as I read through it.

• The difference between success and failure often depends upon being encouraged to do something, as the train had done by asking the little engine to help him. [If someone else believes we can do something, sometimes that’s all it takes for us to push forward to accomplish it.]
• Yet, like the little engine, we have to be in the right mindset and believe in our success before it can be a reality.

I remember the first time I was asked to speak in front of a crowd. I was terrified! The only way I got through it was knowing that I could return to my seat as soon as I finished. If left to my own devices, I would never have gotten up from my seat in the first place! So, what had happened for me to find myself in front of the room spilling my story? Simple. Someone had cheered me on with the usual “Atta, girl.” “You can do it.” etc. Sometimes, that’s all it takes for anyone to do something they might not have thought they could do.

If we were willing to truthfully evaluate some of the significant events in our past life, it would become clear how much our life was shaped by others who had faith and the belief that we could do whatever was asked of us—various jobs and positions offered, physical and health challenges, and the courage to get up each morning and live the best we can each day. Merely having the support of another is all it takes for us to move forward in life. It plants the belief within us that we can be like “the little engine that could”—and huff and puff our way beyond our challenges and become victorious in whatever we’re trying to accomplish.

Have doubts? Why not make your new motto be: If the little engine could do it, so can I!

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of CHOICES Magazine