The speaker's upbringing instilled a strong drive to work hard and succeed, inherited from their parents who achieved success through hard work. The pressure to excel was ingrained in their upbringing, with their parents making significant sacrifices and pushing them to excel academically. The intense focus on success was not just advice but a mandate, deeply ingrained from their Chinese refugee grandparents and the culture of high-stakes competition. Despite not growing up in the same environment, the pressure to not waste time and the fear of falling behind remained a driving force in the speaker's life.