Jacob Smith
Professor Chao
English 200
30 November 2013
Perseverance
Perseverance is a characteristic every living organism has that can make life more practicable. While some people express it more than others, perseverance is a great characteristical trait for a person to have because it not only shows fight but leads to success. When we have that burning desire to achieve something, it is a great feeling of accomplishment when the goal we strive for is fulfilled. Unfortunately, during our pathway, on the road to success, there will be bumps and setback standing in our way. Only through perseverance can we conquer those obstacles that stand in our way. Perseverance is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary to be: “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.” No matter ones culture or what factors life has thrown your way, perseverance is always the instinctual force that tells the subconscious to never quit. Perseverance through strength and determination can be seen in our countries early foundation. It was perseverance that led to westward expansion for inexpensive land, and leads in an age of manifest density and shaped our country. My favorite quote of perseverance is from Disney's Finding Nemo. Through perseverance the protagonist tries to get his son home and only succeeds because he continually reaffirms himself to “just keep swimming, just keep swimming”. With no way to avoid a challenge, you must continue and learn from the experience to become successful.
Perseverance is fighting to be on top and achieve that goal to be number one. Perseverance is coming back from a torn ACL and MCL from playing football and becoming 2012 defenseman of the year award in lacrosse. This was won by me after a huge setback in the fall of my senior year in high school playing football. This injury happened when I was getting tackled from a linebacker from Newport Harbor High School during a Friday Night Lights football game. It occurred during the second quarter when I was running the football on a run play up the middle when a linebacker decided to dive at my knee to tackle me, which lead to me tearing my ACL and MCL. This pain that was running through my body was intense I didn’t even know what to do. Perseverance to overcome this injury and get better as soon as possible and to get back on the field was my only option. Lacrosse season was right around the corner and despite this major setback I wasn’t going to let this get the best of me. I rehabbed day in and day out and sooner or later, with the drive to get back on the field playing, I become healthy again. I began training again and working out my legs and getting my strength back each week. As lacrosse season began I had the drive to be the best ever and achieve something I have never achieved despite my setback. Through perseverance I conquered that obstacle in my way and became Defenseman of the year.
Perseverance can be similar to the word motivation. Motivation is the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. This can state a variety of different things and motivation can have similarities to perseverance. They are similar in the way of having the motivation to complete something or having the motivation to lose weight and become healthy and through that perseverance is leaned upon. Having the correct diet and choosing to become healthy is the first step in become healthy. Also the perseverance to become CEO of your company and that comes through motivation on staying focus on whats a task in front of you each day and each goal that needs to be achieved. Having these two sets of mind can be the most effective thing any person can have. Through motivation and perseverance, any task to be the best or become the best, it can come true.
When a goal is achieved and fulfillment is fulfilled, the feeling of perseverance was leaned upon. That continued effort despite obstacles in the road that lead you to where you are is because of perseverance. As Nemo said, “Just keep swimming,” we all need to just keep trying at being the best person we can be for our families and for ourselves. Despite the little cracks in the road, just keep pushing and maintain perseverance along the way.