Wrestling has drastically changed the way I view adversity in so many ways. Before I began wrestling, challenges felt very overwhelming and I never had motivation. Every negative thing in my life impacted me a lot and often led me to believe I was never good enough. Wrestling has put me through very intense physical and mental battles with myself and with my opponents. I’ve come to view adversity as not something that will set me back or to fear, but something that shapes and strengthens us. I was shown that all of the hardships I will go through won’t be the end and it won’t be the worst of outcomes and that I can power through it. In wrestling, I am constantly pushed to my limits, whether it’s exhaustion during tough practices, struggling to make weight, or the guilt after losing a very important match for your team. At first, I resisted. I was frustrated, discouraged, and always questioned why I was putting myself through this sport. After a while I began to realize that all of this was good for me and was teaching me discipline. I saw it as an opportunity to improve myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’ve learned many lessons in wrestling, one of the biggest being that adversity reveals character. When I lose matches, it’s painful, but it forces me to reflect. Did I give it my all? Did I train hard enough? What can I do better next time? Wrestling has helped me turn these setbacks into ways I can improve myself rather than thinking “I’m not good enough”. I instead told myself that “I may not be there yet but I can be”. This slight change in my mindset had the most powerful impact on my life. I now approach challenges with a sense of purpose. I no longer fear adversity or challenges but I embrace them. I’ve learned to understand that with every struggle and challenge there’s a chance to learn from it. This perspective has greatly impacted my hopes for the future. I wish to pursue goals that will challenge me and will teach me something new, whether it’s in my academics, my career, or personal life. I’m not looking for an easy way out anymore but now I look for the way that will teach me the most and have a successful impact on my life. All in all, wrestling has taught me that adversity is not something to run away from but that it’s something to embrace. It has shown me the value of persistence, self-reflection, and hard work. I will continue to carry these lessons with me even after I stop wrestling. I will face challenges and struggles with the confidence that I can overcome them.