The Necessity of Hard Work

Throughout my life, I’ve experienced setbacks, whether they were in sports, academics, or any other extracurriculars, due to my lack of raw talent in an activity. Ever since I can remember, I have had a competitive spirit and have always wanted to be the best, regardless of how long it took to perfect my craft. I have this permanent mindset reminding me day after day that, “hard work pays off.” Whenever I get worn out or tired of something I am practicing or working towards, I tell myself that in the end, all my efforts and sacrifices will be worth it. 

In my first year of high school, I began the year with an attitude revolving around improving my level of hard work to achieve success through marks.

I have never been the type of student who could naturally look at a math unit and know everything before it is even taught or look at a new concept in science and understand it within minutes.

Blatantly, I am not someone who is naturally gifted in almost everything academic. I am someone who needs to spend hours upon hours doing every question of the math or science homework and still go in for extra help to ask about a certain concept. In class, although some students may debate asking a teacher a question when they are unclear, I am the student who simply raises my hand and asks a question without hesitation.

My hard work correlates to who I am as a person and the ideas of determination, perseverance, and motivation surround my daily life. As my commitment to hard work continues to strengthen, so does my competitive mentality. This has allowed me to maintain a sense of healthy competition with my peers, motivating me to obtain the best mark in class. Not only is this additional motivation applied to my studies, but it instills a purpose towards my goals and reasons behind my countless hours of studying. 

I always have the mindset that hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard, and that the most talented individual in the room will end up losing to the one who is willing to do anything to win.

In the span of my adolescent life, I have never seen myself as the most talented person in any activity. I have always understood that there is always someone with more capabilities than me. However, the difference between me and everyone else, is that I will do anything to become the best version of myself. I will outwork my competition and do whatever it takes to improve whichever skill is at hand and persevere through adversity. 

Since I was 10 years old, I’ve lived by my own motto, “Treat everything like a tryout.” We have all experienced some sort of a tryout or audition, whether it be in sports, music, or any other activity.

At a tryout, we rise to the occasion and perfect our craft, ensuring that we showcase the best possible version of ourselves. My belief is that if I treat everything like a tryout, it will allow me to always be my best self and never be short of my potential. 

All-in-all, hard work has had an incredible impact on my perception of living and is a staple in my life that I will forever rely on. A strong work ethic is the difference between being average and being incredible, which is why it is a necessity to persevere through hardship and remain resilient.