My Brother by Charlene

My Brother by Charlene - May 2024 Scholarship Essay

For me, leadership is the ability to inspire someone to achieve their goals while leading by example. Someone who has demonstrated great leadership in my life would be my brother. He is the prime example of "work hard, play hard." He knew how to maintain a healthy balance between pursuing his academics (and now, his job) while also carving out time to take care of himself. This balanced approach is something I aspire to for myself. Usually, I find it difficult to push myself to work hard when it’s needed because I often focus on how tiring the task would be, which makes me want to avoid and procrastinate as much as possible. That’s why I often ask him for help because he knows how to handle things efficiently when needed.

Whenever he helps me academically, he doesn't just provide the answers right away. He makes sure to make time in his schedule so he can dedicate himself to teaching me how to do certain things, such as writing an essay or solving math problems. He guides my thought process into structured sentences by asking follow-up questions, jotting things down, and demonstrating how they all connect together. After our allotted study time is up, he then rewards us with some fun together. When that time is over, we return to working together.
Because of his disciplined yet gentle approach to work and fun, I've adopted this practice into my own life. He has inspired me to lead my life in this manner so that I can face work or any problems head-on. More than just teaching me the correct answers, he has taught me how to navigate life. Through his guidance, I've not only grown academically but also developed a healthy mindset that continues to mold me into a future leader like him.