"Wise Words" Scholarship

"I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan When I was a junior in high school, I got cut from the varsity basketball team. My main goal during that time was to make the team, and I failed. I was in disbelief that I was not going to be on the basketball court with my friends. I cried for weeks and felt lost. I had no idea how to manage the emotions I was feeling. However, I found this quote the same year; it had given me a different perspective on failure. So, after weeks of crying, I picked myself up and started training again. I missed so many shots, sprained my ankle several times, and had many moments of uncertainty, but this quote helped me persevere. I wrote this quote on a piece of paper and put it as my cover on my math binder to remind myself every day to never quit. One year later, I tried out again; I made the team. I was so happy and ended up finishing the season strong. I had achieved my goal. Eleven years later, I am no longer playing basketball, but this quote remains with me. I spent five years in community college and three years at a four-year university. I failed classes during my time in college, but this quote has inspired me to keep pushing forward. I re-took classes, re-wrote papers, and ultimately achieved a better grade and passed. I learned that as long as I have a clear goal in mind, I can achieve it. Failure is okay, as long as I take that failure and learn from it. I now understand that it is part of the journey and that nobody has become successful without failing. Now, I have another goal. My goal is to get my Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and help individuals, couples, and families manage their stress and emotions. My goal is to provide support and create a safe space for venting and dialogue in communities of color. There have been many things that have changed in my life since high school, but this quote remained constant. It has helped me through some of the most challenging and uncertain times in my life. This quote forever holds and place in my heart.