"Anything Worth Doing, Is Worth Doing Well". by joleah

joleah's entry into Varsity Tutor's September 2022 scholarship contest

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"Anything Worth Doing, Is Worth Doing Well". by joleah - September 2022 Scholarship Essay

If I could give one piece of advice to my past self it would be this: "anything worth doing, is worth doing well".

Work to the best of your ability in all you do. You will never regret working as hard as you can at something, but will always regret not putting in enough effort. If there is one thing I have learned over the years it is this, "anything worth doing, is worth doing well". This is something my grandma, Linda, told me when I was a kid. At the time, it was in the context of dirty dishes that I had half attempted to wash... and they were not clean. She came to me and thanked me for acting on washing the dishes, and then said the words that shifted my perspective on what hard work meant. I will say it again, "anything worth doing, is worth doing well". So why is this the advice I would give my past self?

I have learned that doing a good job on anything in life takes integrity. Doing something well is not all about validation from another person, but about having integrity, growing as a person, and being able to take pride in your work. This can apply to anything and everything in life. For example, I go to the gym five days a week, at 5 a.m. because my future self will thank me. I go to the gym because it makes me feel more than just physically good. It also fulfills me mentally, emotionally and spiritually. After a gym run, I feel productive, energized, and find that I even focus better. This act started with immense amounts of discipline and work to eventually become a habit that positively affects my whole life. The things I have found that are worth doing and doing well, have reshaped me as a person. Discipline, hard work and a change in perspective have molded my character and made me who I am today. My Grandma's wise words have helped mature my work ethic and for that, I am grateful.

Though I am far from perfect when it comes to doing everything at 100%, I now enjoy and take pride in doing something to the best of my ability. It feels good, even if no one notices. Another thing I have learned is that “to the best of my ability”
can take time, because "Practice makes Progress". I might not do something well the very first time, but with practice and patience, I can perfect my craft. If I work and do it well each time, how much farther can I go from where I once was? I want others to see that the things I am working to do well are worth it. Whether the benefit is for myself by going to the gym, or for others by volunteering at our local food pantry or helping with my fellow ambassador team at my local community college, the bottom line is that it serves to encourage and help grow for the better the community I love.

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