Keys to Success by Samantha

Keys to Success by Samantha - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

“Failure is not an option.” “Be stubborn about your goals and flexible about your methods.” “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” These quotes, along with many more, plaster my wall above my bed in their multi-colored key-shaped sticky notes and bright ink.

Everyday, since January 1, 2016, I have tacked a new inspirational quote on my wall. My new year's resolution for 2016 is to have a more positive outlook on life. To fulfill this goal, I have decided to add one inspirational quote on my wall every evening until I graduate high school.

My senior year has been the most difficult of all my high school career. Trying to balance AP classes, work, extracurricular activities, college and scholarship applications, and familial responsibilities has gotten increasingly harder as the first semester continued. Losing myself in a mountain of obligations, my attitude shifted to be more pessimistic which only impeded my ability to effectively fulfill all of my responsibilities.

However, as my wall now reminds me, “A negative mind will never give you a positive life.” The purpose of my wall with inspirational quotes, cleverly call the “Keys to Success”, is to encourage positive thoughts when starting and finishing the day. Balancing all of my commitments was already extremely difficult, approaching my situation negatively only made the tasks harder to complete. Waking up to the “Keys to Success” every morning, and adding another key every evening, has transformed my approach to daily struggles. With a more positive environment and mindset, not only have I been able to successfully balance my responsibilities, but I have been more enthusiastic about doing so. It has made me a better student by making it easier to fulfill all of my responsibilities. When I am overwhelmed, I can look to my “Keys to Success” to remind me why I have sacrificed so much. When I feel like giving up, my “Keys” motivate me to keep going. Though it is a small gesture that takes only two minutes a day to complete, it has made a large shift in my life.

Winston Churchill once said “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” I see the opportunity and difference something as small as daily quotes can have on one’s life. I have used my “Keys” to unlock a door of positivity, opportunity, and greatness I could not even fathom before 2016.