I believe anything can be achieved through hard work and dedication. I have found this to be factual not only through what happens around me but through myself. I stumbled upon this belief through the trial and tribulations I faced throughout my life.As a child I was not raised in a rough area, nor was I poor, trouble just somehow found me in and out of school. Whether it was dilemmas at school or conflicts at home I was not headed down the correct path that I am today. I had no idea of what I wanted for myself in the future all I knew is that I wanted to be successful was not sure how? Or where to start just knew I wanted
to be successful. That’s when I was introduced to the late Walter Payton, a well-known iconic
football star too many, at that point in my life he was unknown to me. Until I was introduced to a
book called “Never Die Easy” a biography of Walter Payton. In this book it showed Walter not
only as football player but a man, a man who would rather spend time with love ones and less
fortunate instead of going to clubs and blowing money or while others sleep he would run the
hill to get better. For him the grind never stopped, there’s always a way to improve yourself. He
was the definition of hard work and dedication both on and off the field and the results you can
receive from that, such as having a prestigious football award named after you that
commemorates the core values that you used towards being not only a great player but a great
person. I admire him, he was never in trouble on or off the field always made the correct choices
just an all-around outstanding human being.
This launched me into my sports journey. I excelled at multiple sports but football stood out
above the rest, not only was it the sport Walter Payton played and excelled in, but required the
most heart and dedication. I couldn’t stay away from it; football kept me away from trouble
because I was so dedicated to the sport and what came along with it. Day in and day out rain,
snow or sunshine always working, pushing myself in the weight room. The crashing of the
weights as the 20 kilogram bar went up and down with multiple 45 pound plates on each side of
the squat and bench rack; or the freshly cut grass on the field in the morning just as the sun is
coming up to start a new. The moment you step on that grass it is like stepping through a
threshold, you’re a different person in a different world it feels as if your problems go away it
was my sanctuary.
So, through my hard work and dedication I was able to translate that into not only a successful
football career but overall athletic career and later down the road that would lead me to where I
am today a student athlete at Old Dominion University. Honestly what meant the most, and still
runs through my mind today was the senior banquet I was recognized not only for my talent on
an off the field but for my relentless work ethic and refusal to quit under any circumstances on
and off the field. Although it is only two words, hard work and dedication were absolutely
essential in getting to where I am today and I could not see myself in the situation I am in
without it.
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