Industriousness

Industriousness is commonly known as hard work.  Some people never really know or understand what this word means or entails. Those people are the ones pointing the finger at external objects to blame for what they have not accomplished. The true key to life is industriousness. There is no substitute for a person who is willing to go the extra mile, plan harder, study longer, stay later at work, etc. I was recently talking with some close friends and family and we came across the topic of what it takes to do well in school. After some talking back and forth the common denomator between all of us happened to be, hard work. For example, if a student ends up graduating with a 4.0 some might automatically assume that he is just naturally smart, or if a high school basketball player turns pro, that he is just naturally talented. I do not agree with this way of thinking at all. I mean you can't deny that someone who gets a 4.0 or a basketball player that turns pro from high school does have some god given talents, but what most people fail to recognize is what is internal to that individual. The student who graduates with a 4.0 is not only a smart person,  but they are also the person who is putting in the time outside of the classroom in order to succeed in the classroom.  They are focusing on the small intangibles that no one sees, all anyone sees is the A on the report card.  Not the many hours spent in the library studying while others are out partying and leaving there homework for another day, and then another day, etc. Comparingly, no one ever gives credit to the incredible athlete for his work inside the gym when no one is around to witness it. Do you really think that Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and pretty much the entire NBA made it where they are just by there god given talent or by practicing whenever the team was practicing.  The answer is hell no.  Which brings me to a John Wooden quote that reads, "“There is no sub­sti­tute for work. Worth­while things come from hard work and care­ful plan­ning,”. Don't ever take the hard work required to succeed for granted, because if you do you will have no chance!


As you know my goal is compile my own version of the pyramid of success with actions in my own life.  I am not doing this as a way to boast about me or to predict that I will be successful, but my hope is that by the time that i have completed the pyramid no matter how many years down the road that I will finally be successful, which is once again defined as "the peace of mind that is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming".


So with out further adew, everything I have participated in throughout my life I have always applied myself to my best abilities. I didn't always win the "Big Game", but no matter what I always put in the work.  Whether it was in school, sport, social life, work etc, I have not sacrificed the importance of hard work.  As a result, I have accomplished a lot thus far.  And to be honest, I expect nothing but the best for my work in any situation which is what drives me to continue to work hard to achieve my goals.  Recently my hard work has paid off once again. Today I received an email from Regis University inviting me to participate in the one-on-one interview with the faculty at the University for the Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program. Now this does not mean that I am accepted by any means, but it is the next step. I would not even be in this situation if i didn't stay focused on my end goal and grind it out till the end. I mean the application alone took me over 5 months to compile together before i submitted it. There were times where I thought about not even turning in my application because I was scared about not getting accepted. In the end i said fuck it and completed the app and turned it in. As a result I am now in a position to start grad school in May of 2011 to pursue my goal of becoming a Physical Therapist. The next step is to stay the course and prepare myself as much as possible before the interview so I can have the best possibility to get accepted. And that is exactly what I will do.


In conclusion, if there is something that you want to achieve, whether it is to be the best damn garbage man in the country or to become the next President of the United States, don't overlook the journey to get there. Buckle down and be willing to work harder than the person next to you to prepare you as much possible so when you get the chance to shine you are ready. One more thing, don't let the negativity of peers steer you away from what you want to accomplish, it isn't their life, so just do you!


Suggested Readings:  Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and Off the Court