Becoming An Athlete-Personal Narrative

“Always keep going no matter what. When it feels too difficult to push forward, remind yourself, this too shall pass, and redouble your efforts.” That is what my mom always told me after every setback. She told me that high school would be very different than middle school. She promised me that if I just focused on my grades, I could accomplish anything. I hoped she was right. I was determined to make a life ffor myself better than anyone on that basketball team.
Being one of two boys cut from the team was dreadfully humiliating, but my mother told me to push forward and not let a minor setback define me. I pondered this thought over and over as I apprehensively entered the new building that would be my home for the next four years of my …show more content…
“I’m not exactly the best athlete or most popular kid in the school.”
”It doesn’t matter. As long as you are happy and try your hardest you will be successful. You could even be the best this school has ever had.” He said.
I thought about what he said. Maybe he was right. I needed a new perspective. I thought about the empowering words that my mother had used so man times before. She wanted me to continue to work to achieve my goals. But what if my goals were all wrong to begin with? Maybe I was not meant to be an athlete because I was meant to strive toward something even greater than any sport?
Instead of continuing to focus on the wrong things, maybe I should change my goals to focus on being happy in other ways. I decided then, in that moment, that I would set new goals for myself. Goals that would help me improve myself in a way that made me happy, instead of trying to impress others. A way that would make me feel good about myself, to give me confidence in my unique abilities. Anyone could play a sport, but could anyone do the things that I can?
Suddenly, the new principal walked up on the stage and the assembly started. “Leave your footprint on the high school and makes the right choices,” she