I believe that having faith in yourself is the key to success. We go through life setting goals to make us better version of ourselves. In school, our teachers make us create a goals for the quarter, semester, and year. They say to make it realistic and not go over the top. 9/10 people don't think that they have the ability to do anything they dream of. But, what if you believe you are able to do something out of the ordinary? Can anyone stop you?
           

Successful people need to work hard to get where they are. No one said it was going to be easy, but they have the determination to be able to thrive at what they do. Bill Gates had a dream  to begin his own company. He saw an opportunity and took it. All his hard work, perseverance, and his belief that he would accomplish his goal made him who he is today.

I began my high school career joining a sport I never thought I would do. I hated running, but I wanted to try something new. Cross country is one of the toughest sports I can think of. Not just physically, but mentally too. You don’t depend on anyone to be outstanding. As one of the average runners, I can say that you must be able to motivate yourself in order to keep going. Starting out as one of the inexperienced runners was a challenge. I didn’t think I was able to keep up with anyone. Having no faith is like a car without gas, you won’t get anywhere without it.

My grandpa used to be a runner and he always gives me advice about racing. One of his sayings is, “All you need to do is pass the girl in front of you and that will give you a boost to finish.” As a freshmen, I didn’t really care and this had no meaning to it. My grandpa was a big part of my motivation to get where I am now. I am now a junior and I realized that there is more value to this than I thought. In life, there are going to be many obstacles and challenges you need to overcome. Once you faced it, there is no going back. You learn that you are capable of more than you think.

The gun went off and everyone is trying to get out of the bunched pack. All I’m thinking to myself is “You can do it. Don’t give up.” Everyone on the sidelines is cheering, but that doesn't really help. Two miles done, one more to go. The little voice inside my head is the actual thing that keeps me going. The straightaway is right ahead of me and I see a girl in reachable distance that I can try to pass. I didn't know what place I was at this point, all I wanted to was beat the girl in front of me. In order to pass her, I needed to sprint. Sprinting is not one of my strengths, but it was my only option.  My feet are moving quicker, my arms pumping, and I'm breathing much harder. We’re racing each other trying to beat one another. I crossed the finish line less than a second before her. I’ve never ran that hard in my life because I didn't think I was able to outsprint someone. After the race, I felt incredibly proud of myself and accomplished. I felt like I could accomplish anything.

What you believe is what you will be able to achieve. I believe that nothing can stop me if I have the heart and mind to make things come true.