What does it mean to impact someone’s life? Every action taken towards someone else has an effect, whether or not it is readily understood in the moment. Every kind smile, every considerate wave, every door held open in a spirit of selfless service impacts its recipients; impacts just as much as every sideways look, narrow-minded comment, or rash decision. So every move matters— In this chess game, the pawn and the queen are of equal value. If the only alternative to building is destroying, to growing is dying, or to encouraging is discouraging, then why not do the thing that will help others? Often, it comes down to embarrassment. Not many people want to look like the guy or girl who’s always positive, because they aren’t always fun to talk to. Not too many people are willing to step in when they see someone going astray, and let them know that they care. Not too many people would dare to challenge the pervading mob mentality that grips the minds of so many unperceptive individuals; vessels flowing whichever way the wind and sea takes them. I’ve certainly been that person before. There have been times where I’ve fallen prey to the lie that It’s okay to just do what everyone else does. The lie that says, “Just conform. Stop thinking so much.” The problem is that, on this earth, the majority can’t be rich, so they must be poor. The majority can’t stand up for what’s right of their own accord, so they must stay silent. I won’t pretend like I haven’t been this person. However, I’ve been blessed to realize the dangers too commonly associated with adopting the status quo. I’ve been given a resilient mind that allows me to stand on my own beliefs, and act in accordance with my developed moral framework to do what’s right, regardless of what’s happening around me. Inevitably, I’ve made very serious, positive impressions on many people, including a particular friend of mine (who’s name I won’t include). After a while, he started to notice how the people around him, and how their generally accepted actions were negatively impacting him; like a slowly assimilating toxin, it made it hard for him breath in that environment. He had already come to me once in hopes that, by working with me, he would adopt aspects of my personality that he appreciated— assertiveness, hard-working mentality, growth mindset, etc. This initial take didn’t last long, as he still needed to work through his personal struggles with intrinsic motivation. So, I gave him space. Not too many months later, he decided that a change of environment, and a change of habits were what he needed. We had hardly spoken in the months prior, but he chose to come talk to me the night before he left; he had only spoken with one other person about his decision. I was thrilled for him, and prayed that God would direct his steps. We talked for a while about book recommendations I had for him, ways I believed he could transform his habits into beneficial ones, and ways to go about designing an environment hardwired for personal success. We laughed about old memories we had made, and talked through his thought process. And then, he was gone. Since then, we’ve Facetimed a couple of times to hear about each other’s lives, but never before have I felt like I had as profound an impact on someone as that night. He was very well-liked person, and could have gone to anyone he regularly interacted with. Yet, he came to me.

I used to be known as a "vacuum” in my family, because I ate a lot of food, and ate it so fast that I might as well have been swallowing it whole. My Dad even asked me once whether or not I actually tasted the food I ate. At the time, I didn’t like spending significant time eating food, because there were so many other, potentially more beneficial, things I could be doing. Since coming to college, I realized that my desire to rush through my food was symptomatic of another issue I needed to work on. I wasn’t just rushing through my food, I was rushing through my life. I was rushing through the moments that matter with family and friends. I wasn’t making the most of my experiences, and doing all I could to take it in. I wasn’t taking the time to properly digest, assimilate, and absorb what was going on around me. It was as if I was racing towards an unknown destination. Not taking the time to digest your circumstances can result in a lot of regret. I feel as though I had a fantastic childhood, in large part due to my family and friends, but one thing I’ve always wished I had more of was time with my older brother. He is fifteen years older than me, so I have no real memories of him living with me when I was young. My brother left the house earlier than most kids to start on his path towards success, which also impacted the situation. But now that I’m thinking about times I was around him, I wonder and doubt whether I truly took them in. I don’t think so. I think, similar to my old habit of “vacuuming” my food, I let those times speed past me. I think that If I had the presence of mind to really be present then, I wouldn’t be feeling deprived now. As long as I’ve known him, my Dad has always chewed his food slowly. He’s not the guy who’s always talking, or the guy too distracted to think about what he is eating, he just eats slowly. I can’t really think of one time he seemed rushed during a family dinner. For a long time, I didn’t understand why he did this. To me, It seemed so much better to finish the food quickly and move onto something else. The process of digestion involves the deconstruction of something coming in, in order to grow, energize, and repair the individual. We directly control the first, vital step of this process: chewing. With this knowledge, I now also eat slower. I now really think about what it is that I’m eating, and truly taste the flavors. This new habit has left me more satisfied overall, but also tends to make me the last person to finish eating. I’m now purposeful in trying to be truly present when I’m with people, especially people that I care about. I try and digest my experiences, rather than let them pass me by. I want results, I want success, I want more, and I want it now, so I’m going to go get it— a mindset that I so often default to. It’s a mindset that more closely resembles a sprint than a marathon; a marathon being more synonymous with digestion. While it’s reaped a fair amount of rewards, I’m learning to control it. I don’t want to wholly maintain that mindset, as It has caused me to miss out on some truly valuable experiences time and time again.

The thing that has inspired me the most is my internal drive to succeed at whatever it is I’m doing; I like to think of it as my “ever-budding excellence tree”. Rooted in the recesses of my soul is an insatiable, relentless craving for success. A little further up, the base of the tree is coated in layers and layers of perseverance. A little further in, the trunk itself is composed of thick, unshakable discipline. Diverting outward are large branches of talent and skill, with further splits into more and more specifications. This tree has stood the test of trial and time, and will continue to flourish. The reason it must be ever-budding is because there is no state of stillness; we are either growing or shrinking; progressing or regressing; living or dying. I choose to take every step, whether that be a large bound or a swift stride, forward. A power far beyond me blessed me with a unique perspective on limits, causing me to believe in their fragility. Too often, I see the people around me, either consciously or unconsciously, limiting themselves— They put up a wall here, a wall there, another wall there, and before they know it they’ve barricaded themselves behind their fear. Some fear is good fear. For example, a biblical fear is aligned with reverence. But confounding common fear with ability—substituting “I’m not able” for “I’m afraid of”—will always be a limiting factor. This is a lesson I’ve had to learn and re-learn over and over again, as my body tries to stop my mind from pursuing activities that might temporarily break it down. But we must be broken down. If we are not exposed to new environments, if we are not challenged in new ways, if we are not made to feel uncomfortable, and if we are not forced to adapt, then we will never grow. This is why our muscles develop microtears when they are worked; they are responding to an external force, and making room for growth. Our body understands on a physiological level that it must endure pain to grow, but It would never say that out loud for fear of it actually having to endure pain. My “ever-budding excellence tree” grows stronger as I further realize these things for myself, and It inspires me to be the greatest version of myself.

I made the decision to read through the book of Proverbs throughout the month of November, last year, and it proved to be a far more educational experience than many I’d encountered before. After a few minutes of prayer, I’d spend the time needed to read a chapter a day, and then reflect on key aspects of them. In doing so, I came across (not for the first time) the true concept of patience, which lead me to make mental connections as to how it can be applied to day-to-day life. Proverbs 14:29— “whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly,”— particularly gave me cause to think. I’ve also spent the last couple years trying to look outside myself, and understand the world from other people’s point of view. This has made me slower to anger, as It has opened my eyes to the world as other people perceive it. Patience is not only important, but vital, because it comes as a result of understanding and selflessness, and forces us to deny ourselves immediate gratification (whatever form that may manifest itself in).

There are two states we can, at any moment, be in. We can either be in a state of progression, moving forward towards a destination, or be in a state of regression, moving further from the ideal objective. Which means we are all faced with a question: will I consciously do what it takes to ensure my advancement— whether that be in my business, my mental stability, my education, etc.— or will I allow life to slip through my fingers. Well, Abraham Lincoln famously said that “I am a slow walker, but I never walk backwards.” Today, Lincoln’s words resonate with me, as I perpetually take steps forward in whatever it is I am doing. I recently signed to play college soccer for one of the best Division II programs in the country, because I knew it would challenge me to grow in ways I’ve yet to experience. I recently built my LinkedIn profile, and quickly established over 300 connections with business professionals who are thriving in my desired field. Not only that, but I’ve shot out messages to many of them in hopes of setting up a phone call, which has resulted in 10 so far. Everyone of them had a similar reaction after discovering that I am still in my freshman year of college— shock; shocked that I was taking that level of initiative at my stage in life. These are just a couple examples of how I operate based on a mindset of excellence, oriented around perpetual growth. In my mind, I will succeed because success is the only option, I will grow, because growth is the only option; I’ve eliminated all other possibilities as viable.

Friendship means trust and understanding. The deepest friendships I’ve been able to form with people have come as a result of me believing they can see the world from my point of view; that I am not alone in my considerations. Friendship means you are part of the circle around my core; the group of people who aren’t immediate family members, but are people I trust and want the best for. These are people who have voluntarily taken on my world’s highs and lows, struggle and happiness, and have informally allowed me to do the same for them. These are people who I care about, and who may become akin to brothers and sisters to me. In my 18, almost 19, years of life, I can name 3 best friends I’ve had; individuals who truly exemplified Proverbs 18:24, “…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother,” in my life. They saw my imperfections, they saw my flaws, and they loved me anyway. They saw my accomplishments, they saw my achievements, and they commended me for them. They saw my hurt, they saw my pain, and they consoled me for it. The core of friendship is trust, but when understanding follows, there lies the potential for something greater than just friendship.

A common theme of many of my hobbies is expression. I often reveal the inner workings of my mind through artistic work; the scope of which extends from sketching with pencil and graphite, to writing poetry, to singing music. Because these three hobbies exist under a shared umbrella, I’ll identify my favorite hobby as art. While I am a college athlete, I don’t consider my sport (or working out) to be a hobby, as It is something I plan my days around; something I dedicate thousands of hours of my time to. Under the umbrella of art, sketching has been the scrupulous observation of a subject, with the sole intent of re-creating that subject in as faithful a fashion as my artistic ability and patience will permit. Sketching transports me into another dimension, one in which my perception of a thing is all that matters. While I am a naturally gifted artist, no one has ever been able to tell me that my art “isn’t good”, because I define “good” for myself as the artist. Poetry. I chose to conclude my studio art class last year by creating a poetry book. In the few years prior, one of my poem’s had been published in a poetry book, and I had been awarded a poetry book in recognition of my excellence in the “Literature Department.”— not to mention, I had already written about 50 poems. These occurrences culminated in the creation of my own poetry book, in which I included a select 40 of my poems. Similar to sketching, poetry transfers me into another world; I can choose to be formal and structured in my writing, or free and unconventional, all while maintaining eloquence. I can break down my complex thoughts, and scramble them into an even more complex code, one which only true poets are able to understand, but which everyone can appreciate. In the last 6 years, I have written well over 80 poems. Singing. Music has played a large role in my life the last 6 years, during which I’ve sung in honor choirs, state-level honor choirs, bel canto groups, and more. I love singing, because producing beautiful music is a way in which I can relate to the work’s creator, and display my trained ability. I strongly hold that there are few things more wonderful to behold than well-executed and well-timed harmonies. Art— the individual expression of one’s inner creativity and vision. Art is part of what makes this world beautiful. Thankfully, art is far from one-dimensional; it exists in many forms. And I am happy to say that I often engage in multiple forms of it.

The pencil is the mode by which I meticulously reveal the inner-most workings of my mind. Whether it's manipulating that tool in order to create a sketch, or carefully using it to put my rhythmic and poetic thoughts on paper, art has been my way primary form of expression for as long as I can remember. My goal in art is realism; I am to portray the world as it is, or at least how I see it. I plan to continue using my art as a mode of expression.

To my Father (“The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe parody) by William Bell Once upon a midday cheery While I waited weak and weary Near the dinner table as I had done so many times before While my stomach ached from napping, suddenly there came a tapping The sound of dad’s consistent rapping, rapping at the nearest door “IT’S HIM” they cried, “dad is knocking at the door.” This happened and then much more Ah, distinctly I remembered that that particular member of the fam had come to eat and dine, and dead would be the prior bore Eagerly I wished for dinner, as the eight and now one more Sat down to a feast of which nobody could ignore Now ‘twas time to explore Round the table food lay certain Light of day they’d see nevermore As we all did gorge on the tender meats, and guzzle down those wondrous treats Now ‘twas time to retire Each’s appetite no longer caused to desire And thus concluded a cheerful night centered around one man That of course was the plan To you a father of such courage I pray that you continue to flourish And live a life with many blessings still in store May you hold strong in times of sorrow and know that on the morrow Peace will settle in, evermore

William Bell 12/24/2021 I want to grow minds through the pursuit and acquisition of excellence. I plan to achieve this by doing my part in the expansion of professional soccer in the United States. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Will Durant’s words are more than an eloquent maxim, but rather are symbolic of a certain lifestyle. And while I don’t believe that who we are can be fully encompassed in our actions, I do believe that the manner in which someone acts can tell you a lot about who they are. That being the case, I work hard everyday to ensure that whatever job it is I am doing, I am doing it to the best of my ability; excellence is the minimum requirement. This mindset, along with my relentless desire to succeed, have meant that I must "climb the ranks" wherever I am working. If I’m on the team, I will become a starter. If I’m a worker, I will become a manager. If I’m an ambassador, I will become head ambassador. Those are a few ways in which I’ve “climbed the ranks” in the past. Eventually, I will work my way to an executive director position for Major League Soccer (MLS). Both on the way to and in that position, I want to instill the same mindset of excellence in those around me as I maintain on a day-to-day basis. Since it was introduced to me at the age of twelve, I’ve been infatuated with every aspect of soccer. In fact, I have dedicating thousands of hours to the development of my ability in the sport, in pursuit of a professional contract. Doing this has only deepened my love of soccer. It’s been my dream and my aspiration for many years, which is why I want to increase its presence in the United States. But, I’m not a one-dimensional person; I have several different abilities, which especially suit me for the business world— ie. I am an assertive leader, effective communicator, and an organized time manager. Thankfully, a sensible convergence of these two fields (soccer and business) exists in the form of soccer clubs, organizations, leagues, etc. Whether or not playing professionally on the field is in my future, succeeding professionally off of it is. Because once I set my mind to something, it is as good as done.