This I Believe

Using the excuse “Why should I do that, it’s not really gonna matter anyway” is not really an excuse. Chances are that you are not giving 100%. If you do try and put forth all your effort, chances are you will get an outcome that you approve of. I believe that hard work does pay off.

Responsibility is a must in the real world. Even the little things that you might not think matters, do. Things like doing your homework. I did my homework all through my middle school years, which eventually resulted into making the honor roll every year. And for all you people who think that knowing you did good isn’t enough, well this is where it pays off. By being responsible and making good grades, I gained the respect and trust that I needed from my parents. My parents don’t “jump down my throat” when it comes to my school work. They know that I am responsible enough to do it on my own. I can’t tell you how much I love not having my mom yell at me every night about something as silly as homework. It’s great. So if the future becomes a little foggy; just remind yourself of all the good things that can happen by just doing the little things.


Speaking of the little things, I think I speak for everyone when I say this. When we were little, we all hated the “Where’s your please and thank you's” or the “Now what do you say” line. But did you ever stop and think what’s in it for you? Yes, it’s good manners but if you’re around the right person, you might end up with some cash-money in that pocket of yours. Let me explain. Parents don’t just hire anyone to baby sit their children. You have to make a good impression on them. This is where being polite pays off. I have made up to $60 in just one night before from babysitting. I only got that because I made a good impression on the parents. I’m not saying to put on a act when adults come along, but just know that something as simple as being polite can pay off in the long run.
That’s not the only time my hard work has played off. Every year my team goes to Orlando, Florida for a competition. This is the hardest competition of them all. It’s not just Kentucky teams; there are teams from all around the world. It is also the last competition of the year so of course you would want to win. About two weeks away from Florida, we start putting signs all around the gym to encourage everybody. And if we don’t already practice everyday of the week, we add practices. So in 2005 we- go to Florida, and guess what, we won! Then a new season rolls around and we go to Florida again. We won again, back-to back. Proudly hanging in my closet is two black leather NDA jackets that I have worked very hard to earn. So in this case, hard work has defiantly paid off.

Have you ever heard the saying, ‘Getting there is half the fun”? This is basically saying that the road you have to take to get where you want in life is going to make the final outcome even better. Knowing that you worked hard and gave something your all, is a reward just by itself.