Volunteer:

The only thing the impoverished have in plenty is the deficiency that is freely available in their lives. The impoverished are often perceived to be deprived without anything of value attached to their worth. I always thought this perception to be a reality. However, a life changing volunteerism experienced I participated in the last summer changed this mindset. I am now in a better position to explain that the needy and the disadvantaged have their dignity as the most valued possession.

I found Charles to be very intelligent. Nevertheless, his school was very disadvantaged, lacking the materials, such as books, and other resources that are required to advance his education. His teachers were not motivated and also faced challenges with minimal resources for any effective learning to occur. He stuck to the notions passed down from his father and friends that college was not a good fit for him and that he should remain at home to take care of his family and the responsibilities therein. I immediately realized that this traditional point of view would be detrimental to Charles. I began sharing with him poetry and literature focusing on creating an individual perspective on life. At a certain point, I directed him to establish a personal journal to document his own life. “The time you realize the most valuable thing to your own life,” I explained, “you will gain power to positively alter the direction of your life.”

Our actions directly impact who we are. While working with Charles, our interaction and cooperation as I helped him to get the concept of self-respect and defining personal values led to a positive outcomes. He became accountable and an example of the personal philosophy he had created for his life, making it hard for anyone else to destroy what he had built in his psychology. Presently, Charles is conscious of his actions because of the impact they have on his life, with the full knowledge that his background, including family wealth or his environment, should not shape who he becomes later in life. He has learnt to create his own dignity through his own life experiences.

Unique:

I am the individual that is always conscious of when to begin or stop. Years of honing my expertise in the field of Photoshop have enabled me to understand the finer details including the knowledge of when imperfections destroy a beautifully crafted pattern. Trust me, I have spoilt several patterns owing to a poor understanding of when to stop.

In the school setting, I have the ability to know when to begin work with unfettered focus and ways to effectively and satisfactorily achieve objectives. I do not postpone tasks because I value my time and my time management capabilities are exceptional. However, I do not work all the time. I take breaks in between to extend effectiveness and efficiency for all tasks, or I pause to assess my performance and gauge if there are corrections needed to gain better outcomes. In the school grounds, interactions within different social circles such as club activities, seminars, or events are a learning environment for me because I know where to ask questions, and the need to accept tasks even when others reject the same. I push myself until I excel in whatever I engage in, ensuring that others are pleased with my work. When I complete a task, I always self-evaluate and internally probe of the lessons I have learnt and ways of being of assistance to more people when opportunities come up.  

In the course of my internship program, I was careful to first understand the repercussions of any task before I engaged, considered where to seek help, and crafting the best strategy to evade impediments to positive outcomes. I tend to slow down or stop wherever I am too self-assured, a point where I make sure to humbly turn to my workmates or supervisors, seeking clarifications or feedback.

To pursue my goals, I always incorporate passion, commitment, and persistence. I stop wherever issues such as fear, over-confidence, and insecurities emerge, which could destroy a good project. I am well capable of expressing myself, since a smile can brighten up someone’s day and excessive words may destroy a good conversation.  

Talent:

Everyone excels at something. Before fully converting it into a talent, training and hardships are a part of the journey. Even then, more is required. To really excel or be skillful in something, grit is required. Otherwise, what one has is just prospects.

American football training in a military school opened up my eyes to see how expansively physical obligation and enthusiasm are required for one to attain success. A majority of the drills and physical workouts were so difficult on my body to a point where I began to question whether I had what was needed to remain committed to football and develop to be an athlete that I envisioned myself to be. On a daily basis, I was required to take a 3-hurdle drill, do the box blast, squat jumps, ankle jumps, single-leg hurdle hops, trigger points, lateral bounds, foam rolling, and 90-90 stretch. Injuries including bruises, swollen face, sprained ankles, and muscle pains and swore eyes were common to me. These pains and bruises told a silent story of the work and inner struggles and insecurities that marked my journey. All in all, I never gave in. at the start, my reason for not quitting was because I was ashamed considering the commitment of others around me. Eventually, I started to notice that my decision of staying had become my personal routine. As a routine, I learnt to live with the frustrations, fatigue, and endless pain and internalized them as a culture. Gradually, the routine and custom became my talent. I grew stronger in terms of my own mental and physical capabilities and endurance. I found out that I had the capacity to run longer, bend more, was becoming faster in movement, and I could apply a number of techniques in a field with skillful creativity on the football filed. Currently, football is my talent. Training for football is a part of my routine. I still perform various trainings and workouts on a daily basis and I have owned my skills. People in my sphere believe football to be my talent but I perceive it in another angle. Despite leading my team to numerous victories, I perceive my grit to be my greatest talent. Although unseen, it is always present. It is an ever-present skill in all that I do.