Effort: a very puzzling word. A word based off of hard work and determination.  A word that resolves if you fail or succeed.

I mean think about it for a second. Effort can make you fail and quit, or win and succeed. Wow. That’s really powerful. But how can one single word, give in to a whole lot of time and energy?

Looking back to my 6th grade year really answered that pondering question. I was about to have a huge quiz in science over physical and chemical changes. I had aced all the labs we had that week over the subject, and I had decided not to study. I mean, why waste my time studying when I was 100% sure I was going to get an A!

After taking the test and feeling way overly-confident, the results came in. I was at the bottom of the class with a 47%. I didn’t get it. I had aced all the labs, how did I fail?

Reflecting on that moment now, I realize something. My preparing for the test is kind of like practicing for an event of some kind. I hadn’t practiced because I was sure I was going to succeed. Then when the actual event came in, I failed miserably. I have concluded that it was because of how overly-confident I was.

Confidence and effort go hand-in-hand. I felt so confident that I was going to ace the test that I barely studied. I’m sure if I had studied and put some more effort into my work, I would have realized I got the two main points of the test mixed up.

Effort also really affects our practice. The more effort we put into our practice, the more likely we are to succeed. If you slack off during practice, not thinking about how much practicing really affects your quality of competition, you are more likely to fail. Always put time and effort into your practice, to really master your performance.

I think it was also because of the mistakes we all make when we think we are going to succeed. Here’s an example: There’s a super flexible dancer who has their splits. She decides not to stretch one day, knowing that she can just go into her splits easily. She ends up pulling a muscle because she didn’t stretch. You see how, everything you do, every sport and activity, goes back to your effort.

So the next time you have a huge game or a championship in your sport, just remember that “Success isn’t final, and failing isn’t fatal. It’s the effort/courage that counts.” -Winston Churchill