Self-Improvement by Daniel

Self-Improvement by Daniel - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

In High School, I believe that it is safe to say, that the primary goal is to understand the basics of math, science, english, and history. These are all very important subjects to learn; however, I don’t ever remember learning some of what I consider to be the most important lessons in my life. My performance in high school was not my best, but why? After deep contemplation the answer came. It was simply because of three reasons: I was not motivated, I didn’t know how to communicate with people effectively, and I did not realize the potential that I had. I feel as though these three things did not just apply to me. They applied to every single one of my classmates. If I could add a subject to the American high school curriculum, which would I choose and why? The subject I would add would be self-improvement and this is why.

After High School I felt complete. I did not enjoy learning and I didn’t care to progress any further. I then decided start reading. How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, and Do Hard things by Alex & Brett Harris are perhaps the most influential and powerful books that I have read throughout my life. Each book taught me what I believe everyone deserves to know. These readings could provide the core curriculum for the class.

When reading self-improvement books, I discovered that every individual has the potential to change lives. Every successful and influential person comes from a different back ground. Some people, like Oprah Winfrey faced serious abuse as a child. While others, like Bill Gates came from a pleasant childhood. It does not matter where one starts; each and every one of us has the opportunity to make something of ourselves. This idea became my motivation as to why I needed further education.

Communication and developing interpersonal skills are essential to becoming successful in the business world. If this idea was taught in high school, students would learn how to converse with, parents, employers and friends more effectively. I have never seen or heard of someone who excelled in the work force that didn’t know how to communicate effectively with their peers.

Providing a self-improvement course would drastically change not only the high school and college dropout rate, but it would change each student’s perspective of life just as it has changed mine. Students need to learn the influence that they are capable of providing, and they need to know that they are capable of doing hard things, and that they can make a difference.