An important part of my life was working as a surf instructor this past summer. Although this sounds like a dream job, getting paid to be at the beach, there were some challenges that came along with it. I knew I would enjoy being an instructor despite the hard work, but what I didn’t anticipate was how this summer would shape my mentality/perspective.
On my very first day, I was responsible for a group of four very young kids. The water was very rough making it a challenge to keep the kids together. After assisting the smallest child catch a wave, he fell into the water farther away from me and was struggling to stay afloat. I swam over as fast as I could and helped him get back to shore safely. It was a scary but rewarding feeling to practically save his life.
After this incident, I realized the true extent of responsibility I had to keep the children safe. At the end of the initial week, when my boss handed me that first paycheck it left an incredible mark on me. The drive home was unforgettable as I had so much serotonin pumping through my body giving me a deep sense of happiness.
This moment made me recognize how passionate I am about pursuing a successful and fulfilling career. It started a fire of motivation in me to succeed, which has been burning to this day. This job is one of my most meaningful commitments because it transformed my mindset on life as now I see an overarching goal that pushes me to be the best that I can be.