Before I started my self-development journey: I had poor nutrition, low emotional intelligence (EQ), mood swings, and no connection with my spiritual well-being. I comfortably lived an unhealthy lifestyle with no discretion for my health. However, during these past two years of my self-development journey, I learned to hold myself accountable for how I affect my health. First, I improved my physical health. I started lifting weights and cleaned up my nutrition. Then, I addressed the variables in my life that affected my mental health. During this process, I felt disappointed; yet relieved to finally grasp my life back. I realized that the people I surrounded myself with and the habits I developed played an essential part in my health. As a result, I understood why my emotions were not intact. In conclusion, a healthy lifestyle is important to me because it propels me to nourish my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. I’ll continue to prosper and grow as an individual with these four aspects aligned.

I deserve this scholarship because I am motivated to fail academically, financially, and emotionally. My academic goal is to have at least one F on my report card. As for my career goal, I want to motivate successful entrepreneurs to be slothful. I’ll achieve both goals through laziness and negligence. Unfortunately, I have yet to overcome the adversities in my life. However, I am persistent and dedicated to failing at everything I’m assigned.

My goals for the future are categorized into three parts: academic, career, and life. Thus, I’ve constructed my goals to represent the SMART module. Academically, my goal is to be on the Dean’s list. Additionally, to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army. For the next three years, I’ll achieve both goals through the resources provided on campus and by the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, discipline, and perseverance. As previously stated, one of my academic goals is to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army. Once I graduate from college, my career will be in place. My goal in the Army is to not only serve and protect the citizens of this country, but also have a positive impact on my subordinates. Within 15-20 years, I’ll be ready to answer duty’s call at any given time and have the leadership to help my soldiers grow. Lastly, my goal in life is to be physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually strong. There have been too many times in my life where my present thoughts and emotions overruled what I wanted in the future. From the adversities I’ve faced to negative influences, I was truly conflicted. However, as time passed, my heart told my mind enough is enough. In conclusion, I’ve simplified my goals in life to be physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually strong. However, I still needed my short, mid, and long-term goals. As a result, I’ve set goals to be academically successful and be a future leader in America.

Soccer has always been my favorite sport. I loved playing on a team and among friends and enjoyed watching professionals on television. However, one of the most difficult challenges I had to face was trying out for the soccer team at my high school. Being the new kid at school, I had to make a statement on the field if I wanted my name known among the players and coaches. But skill alone wasn’t going to help me stand out. I needed to make quick relationships with the players, so I could have a higher chance of making the team. On the other hand, building relationships on the fly is easier said than done. No matter how hard I tried to connect with the players, even with just a few of them, it felt like I was trying to enter a city with walls. Although, I should've known it was going to be a pesky task because they’ve been playing with one another since they were kids. Even so, for the next three years from sophomore to senior, I would continue to try out for the team. Nevertheless, I never made the high school soccer team. However, through persistence and dedication to stay active in school, I tried out for other teams. Thus, I made the following: Wrestling, Track and Field, and Cross Country. In summary, even though I loved to play soccer and hoped to play for the high school team, I didn’t let that stop me from staying active in school. I learned that I was capable of turning my failure into positivity, ultimately success. As a result, molding myself into the person I am today through motivation, hard work, and persistence.

Generosity is a key element for developing leaders. Without it, leading people in any particular job would be more challenging. For example, a pastor would attract more people to his/her church if they actively demonstrated acts of kindness to the community. This would be a prime reason for someone who hasn’t been to a church to make their decision on which one to attend in their community. Another example would be an officer in the Army. A soldier will most likely follow the officer who gives back to his/her unit. However, even though it is mandatory for soldiers to follow the orders they were given, it does not mean they respect and value the leadership of their superior. Just as the saying goes, “Respect is earned, not given.” Thus, an officer who is consistent in acts of generosity will earn the respect of their fellow soldiers. Furthermore, generosity is more than just acts of kindness and earning the respect of others. It defines someone’s character. I strongly believe that anyone who captivates the meaning and value of generosity can propel to be better leaders and stewards in their profession. In addition, they could have a powerful impact on the future generation. By showing them how to give back to the community and help those in need, the future generation will prosper to be future leaders in our society. In conclusion, generosity is an important element in the development of leaders. It is a stepping stone to building character and developing good morals and values. For the next generation to be successful, generosity should be one of the first components an individual should have in their arsenal to be influential leaders in our society.

Music is a way of life for me. I can be sad, happy, or have mixed emotions, music conveys peace. Even though I don’t play numerous instruments, playing the guitar brings comfort and fulfillment to my life. For seventeen years, I’ve honed my skills to play at a master's level. However, no one is perfect. To this day, I’m still learning and practicing to be a better musician than I was the day before. Over the years I tried finding the “perfect” routine to improve my guitar picking. I would pick up the guitar and just play whatever was on my mind. I was never a fan of reading music theory either, so I had to find a way to learn that would be easy for me to pick up. As a visual learner, seeing the material is how I learn best. I would watch countless youtube videos on people playing the guitar, and how to perform new techniques. As time passed, I began to transition into an auditory learner. My ability to play note-by-note just by seeing someone else play captivated my ability to listen to a piece of music and play it similarly. As a result of my ability to develop an auditory learning style alongside my visual learning, I developed a routine that propelled me to be the musician I am today. With whatever song I want to learn, I first listen to the artist who plays it. Then, I watch a cover of someone else playing that song. Finally, I find the starting note the song is played and go from there. In conclusion, developing a routine helped me be a better musician. In addition, it helped me develop good time management and habits on a daily basis.

“Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins propelled me to callus my mind and embrace my fears. For the past two years, I have struggled with accepting who I was, accepting my mistakes, and overcoming adversity. I was devastated and reaped the outcome of my decisions during my sophomore year of college. I had bad habits, poor time management, and associated myself with the wrong crowd of people. I was truly living an identity crisis. However, “Can’t Hurt Me” made me realize there is always room for improvement, to be a better you than yesterday. Day by day, I improved my well-being. Thus, I developed a purpose in my life, something I had yet to set for myself. I want to be mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually strong. If I didn’t read this book, I strongly believe I would still be sitting at square one, waiting for the answers to find me. In conclusion, “Can’t Hurt Me” is not only a book to pick yourself up from the mud, but also a guide to callus your mind and be a stronger you.