I was taught from a young age that there are very few things in this world that you can control, so it is extremely important to “control what you can control.” My high school football team even had a motto surrounding this idea. When we would break from a huddle, we yelled “EAT!” This acronym stands for effort, attitude, and teamwork. These are three things that rely entirely on your willingness to pursue and apply them. As a captain on that team, these values became important for me to understand and exemplify both on and off the field. Through this experience, I learned to value my abilities to always work as hard as I can, have a positive outlook on life no matter how bad current circumstances may be, and work well with others even when it is not easy. As I continue my journey to becoming a doctor, I believe that these qualities will help me tremendously. Medical school involves a lot of difficult coursework, but I will always remember that while I cannot necessarily control the grades I get, I can control the amount of effort that I put into my studies. This will translate to a more successful academic career in the long-term. By understanding that I get to choose my attitude and how I approach different situations, I will be able to stay positive even when things do not go my way. Inevitably, I will fail at some point on my path to medicine. But, it is my ability to get back up and continue to fight for my goals with extreme vigor that will allow me to overcome these failures. Lastly, my knack for working with people and uniting those around me will be instrumental to my success as a doctor. Not only do physicians perform procedures and work with patients, but they also lead and help to organize a vast array of different providers. I know that I will be able to work effectively with these people in order to provide patients with the best care possible. I am thankful for the qualities that have been developed in me by my role models over the years. What they have taught me will allow me to succeed and reach my future goals. For this reason, I never forget to control only what I can control.