8. “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”

This quote by Henry Ford relates to me in a variety of ways.  Since I began striding for improvement in sports, education, and relationships this quote clarifies my confident attitude in life. Sports are all about improvement and the competition that comes along with it. In all my workouts for whatever sport I was in either Soccer Wrestling, or Cross Country failure was only the beginning. My first year of Cross Country just ended and I had many hardships throughout the season, but with the help of my teammates, I worked on my form and my failure had improved into a Varsity patch. Soccer my native sport has influenced my abilities for my other sports as well. I couldn’t score in any of my games, but I worked hard and ended up winning our last game with my stats being two assists and one goal. I was amazed on how much I improved and I ended the season with a Varsity patch. Wrestling, one of the most difficult things I have ever joined had set my failures to a maximum. I went in each match trying to come out the winner, but I ended getting slammed and once bleeding through my nose. Two matches left in the season and I took the initiative to win these last two meets. I trained with my heart and this time more intelligently I watched my opponent’s matches before I faced them. I saw weakness in the spots where I had improved. I ended the season winning the last two meets and I had received a gold medal, a Varsity letter, and Patch. Besides sports, failure was shown in my tests and the inability to receive straight A’s. Last year my goal was to get a 4.0 and with English being my weakest link I didn’t have a good possibility. I studied and studied; even with my concentration on Wrestling I was able to get my 4.0. My first relationship had ended due to the failure of being myself. It was my first time being out in the field and I had lots to work on. Advice from the brothers helped, but a coach can only do so much. I was anxious of how well I was doing, I forgot to have fun and appreciate what was in front of me. Now for any challenge that presents itself, my “failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”