This I Believe.
My mom’s favorite quote is “be the best you can be.” While my siblings and I were growing up, my mom would remind us of her little quote almost every day. I remember that while I was in elementary school and middle school, my mom would drive us to school, reminding each of us to “be the best you can be” as we hopped out of the van. Later, when I was in high school, my mom would call it out to me as I left home in the morning to drive myself to school. My mom’s motto and her habit of reciting it every day became almost an inside joke among my family. Although I used to wave off her advice as simply a silly mantra, I have grown to understand the great importance of always being the best that I can be.
I believe that being the best that I can be means trying my best, no matter what I am doing. Whether I am working on school assignments, playing tennis, or designing my scrapbook, I feel obligated to put my full energy and efforts into the activity. I believe that investing time in a project that you do not enjoy or that you pursue only halfheartedly is pointless. I believe that I have the right to hold pride in my work. It is this pride that motivates me to give my best efforts and to continually strive to achieve the best results possible.
I believe that in order to be the best than I can be, I need to realize that I am in control of my future. I believe that I can accomplish anything that I wish to achieve, as long as I acknowledge and accept the responsibility working towards accomplishing that goal. I understand that I cannot passively wish for my dreams to come true, hoping that others will do all of the work for me. If I want to earn an “A” in a difficult course, I understand that I will have to study diligently. I believe that asking for help is normal; it is not a sign of weakness. However, I know that I need to be accountable and proactive. If I am struggling in class, I need to take the initiative to get extra help. I cannot continue to struggle silently, blaming others for not coming to me with assistance. I believe that by taking control of my future and by holding myself accountable for my decisions and actions, I will feel greater satisfaction when I do eventually achieve my goals. I will know that I worked hard and made sacrifices. I will know that I truly deserve the rewards that I have earned.
In my continuous journey of striving to be the best that I can be, I believe that I must resist others who will attempt to sway me from my beliefs. I know that others – either intentionally or unknowingly – will interfere with my path, trying to dissuade me from my goals and fundamental principles. In high school, I had a friend who was so self-conscious that she obsessed over image and popularity. Always striving to climb the social ladder, she would ditch her friends if a cooler or more popular friend came along. This friend would subtly encourage me to join her in her reckless attempts to ascend the school’s social ladder. While I was interested in holding leadership positions in school organizations such as Student Council and National Honor Society, she tried to steer me away from participating in these “unpopular” activities. I believe that I need to maintain a strong sense of self-confidence in order to withstand such pressure from my peers. Without a sense of self-assuredness and a clear understanding of who I am and what I value, I will not have the strength to overcome criticism and negative influences.
I believe that being the best that I can be means trying my best, no matter what I am doing. Whether I am working on school assignments, playing tennis, or designing my scrapbook, I feel obligated to put my full energy and efforts into the activity. I believe that investing time in a project that you do not enjoy or that you pursue only halfheartedly is pointless. I believe that I have the right to hold pride in my work. It is this pride that motivates me to give my best efforts and to continually strive to achieve the best results possible.
I believe that in order to be the best than I can be, I need to realize that I am in control of my future. I believe that I can accomplish anything that I wish to achieve, as long as I acknowledge and accept the responsibility working towards accomplishing that goal. I understand that I cannot passively wish for my dreams to come true, hoping that others will do all of the work for me. If I want to earn an “A” in a difficult course, I understand that I will have to study diligently. I believe that asking for help is normal; it is not a sign of weakness. However, I know that I need to be accountable and proactive. If I am struggling in class, I need to take the initiative to get extra help. I cannot continue to struggle silently, blaming others for not coming to me with assistance. I believe that by taking control of my future and by holding myself accountable for my decisions and actions, I will feel greater satisfaction when I do eventually achieve my goals. I will know that I worked hard and made sacrifices. I will know that I truly deserve the rewards that I have earned.
In my continuous journey of striving to be the best that I can be, I believe that I must resist others who will attempt to sway me from my beliefs. I know that others – either intentionally or unknowingly – will interfere with my path, trying to dissuade me from my goals and fundamental principles. In high school, I had a friend who was so self-conscious that she obsessed over image and popularity. Always striving to climb the social ladder, she would ditch her friends if a cooler or more popular friend came along. This friend would subtly encourage me to join her in her reckless attempts to ascend the school’s social ladder. While I was interested in holding leadership positions in school organizations such as Student Council and National Honor Society, she tried to steer me away from participating in these “unpopular” activities. I believe that I need to maintain a strong sense of self-confidence in order to withstand such pressure from my peers. Without a sense of self-assuredness and a clear understanding of who I am and what I value, I will not have the strength to overcome criticism and negative influences.