Wat Inspires Me in Life by Trenton N.
Inspiration has always been a big deal in my life. I could not function without it and no matter what happens, I will never forget the pieces of encouragement, small or large, that have led to the creation of my personalities and characteristics. Many people in my life have inspired me in a vast array of ways, while others have done the direct opposite. Despite this, I can look past it and see myself as I am: a determined senior in high school working the hardest I can to build a life around myself just like every other person in America. This optimistic mindset was not and could not have been made without inspiration. My most inspiring milestones, however, were not of what people said to me, but were instead made in the moment, from events in my life proving to me my strength, intelligence, and skill. The greatest of these was perhaps the moment when my teammates and I exceeded our opponents in the FBLA Sports and Entertainment Management test. I have almost been impervious to discouragement since that one day in the 11th grade. Almost no one’s slanderous comments can penetrate my confidence and discourage me like before.
The Sports and Entertainment Management Test was an FBLA test based on the prospect of managing businesses and events. When my other two teammates and I set out to make the best score out of all the other teams in that event, I was afraid. Thoughts of failure ran through my mind: failing my friends, failing my school, but mostly failing myself. With those thoughts and fears plaguing me, I had much pressure urging me on to success. Question after question, we struggled to pick apart and find the perfect solutions. Using mostly common sense, some knowledge, and a bit of luck, we persisted through the sections, using up every minute we had on the timer to make sure we were as correct as we could be. Afterwards, I would reflect on how much most of those questions were instinctive. I knew them by heart instead of merely by mind. I never thought that I could accomplish anything that big, I just knew that I had to try. I had to prove something to myself, despite such an accomplishment seeming out of reach for me. And yet, my doubts and fears were diminished when we pressed through and brought home plaques documenting our success that day.
That moment in my life proved to me that, although doubt creeps into my mind at times, I can accomplish things if I put my heart in it and press harder than anyone else. To others it may have seemed small. To others it may not have inspired them or gave them a revelation about the impact massive effort has on success. However, to me it did all of that and more. After that, I felt as though I was worth something. I felt as though I had tapped into my field of talent. I realized through that revelation that I had a skill. I had a talent. I knew how to manage and lead businesses in an orderly fashion. At the time, it had no certain significance. I knew not what I could do with it; I merely felt that I could do something. Even after that glory had dampened, it was still powerful enough to provoke me a year later to change my major in college to that of Business Administration, compliments of the talent I discovered while competing in that event. My uncle was the first to inspire me into this field. He acted on my leadership potential and made me feel like I could make something of myself by entering into this field and eventually leading a business out of it. The prospect was both frightening and enticing. Being able to lead a business into making money or starting my own business seemed entirely too big to hope for. But what if it wasn’t? My uncle pressed me to pursue it if I could be happy at it. He said there was no question of whether I could do it. It was only the matter of if it would make me happy. That made the utmost sense to me and after that visit; I could not get it out of my head. Nothing could dampen my mood. I felt that if these things did come to pass I would be able to live an amazing life. So, it was a simple matter to change my major, since I wasn’t technically enrolled in college at the time, only dual-enrollment. So, after that blood-pumping experience, I started striving to accomplish my new goal, because, without a goal in sight, I could hardly achieve anything, right? I cannot think of a greater goal to aspire to then a successful career.
This is why I believe that the time that I discovered my true talent was the time that I was the most deeply inspired and impacted. It gave me such an ambition for business that I have a new desire to work in one. I see them as not simply ways of making money, but also as amazing phenomenon that have ways of making everything and everyone around them better for existing. This is what the inspiration of success I felt on that school trip has done for me. I will continue to press myself to the vital end, overcoming my obstacles and gathering my strength for the big push I will make after college to build my life in business. I owe it all to the Sports and Entertainment Management FBLA test. Without its inspiration, I would not have this burning ember inside me pressing me on to success. It has changed me massively for the greater good. I will never forget the joy I felt when I walked on that stage to receive my award. I have been forever altered and will always look to that memory when I am discouraged.
