“You discover someone’s true colors only when they are put under great pressure,” said Coach Mosley, my volleyball coach. These words have opened up my eyes to what I believe. I believe in pressure! I find that through immense pressure, we reveal who we are. Our true identities are revealed only when we persevere through the pressures of life.
Recently, I have realized that everything about a person is displayed when they are under pressure. I play on a club volleyball team; at every practice and every game I witness and experience the power of pressure and the influence it has on people’s actions. Since volleyball is a team sport, my team has to work together and overcome the pressure during games; it molds us as a team.
In the world, people achieve their dreams or goals by going through pressure. The Giants just won Super Bowl XLII by overcoming and dealing with the mental and physical hardships within the game of football. It was not easy for them to win. Due to the simple fact they pushed through the pressure they became stronger, not only as a team, but as individuals. The Giants achieved what they wanted by winning the battle against pressure.
Pressure is a dramatic thing that at some point, in every person’s life, will come upon them and put them on the spot. It is not a caring or kind gesture, it is simply a make or break deal. Many people crack under pressure and fail to achieve their goals. Pressure can affect people in many ways; for some people it makes them perform tasks better, and for others, it puts them into a panicked and stressed mindset. Adults, teenagers, and even kids find pressure to be a stressful thing in their lives.
Throughout my life I have experienced pressure in many different ways; I love pressure and all the effects it has on me. Yes, pressure has had its negative effects on me; it has brought my “bad side” out and has made me do things I regret. By living through all the pressures of my life though, I have become who I am today. I am a strong-spirited person who has gone through many situations of pressure. I have learned to find myself in the right state-of-mind to overcome the pressure placed upon me. I am stronger than many people only because I do not back down and I do not accept anything lower than my best. I feel I can find all of this in me, but only when I am looking at my reflection through the mirror of pressure.
At practice one day, Coach Mosley sat my team down and spoke his beliefs and morals, “You can learn a whole lot more about someone who is under enormous pressure in 30 minutes than you would find out in 30 hours of just simply talking to them.” I thought hard about these words and they hold true, to me, whether I am on the court or out in the “real” world. I consider what my coach was telling my team that day. At anytime, any place, or any situation where I am put under great pressure, someone could be right next to me forming their first impression of me.
Pressure gives you the opportunity to either find or hide yourself. No matter the effect it has on you, it reveals who you are. It can mold and shape you, but it can also break you. I believe in pressure, for it helps me find myself and who I am. So, I rest my case. Through pressure, I know who I am, but do you know who you are?