I Believe In An Indomitable Spirit

Perhaps the most formidable thing on earth is a person will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. I believe I am one of those people. I struggled a lot with schoolwork and achieving average grades, because I have Attention Deficit Disorder. School in itself was demanding enough, but coupled with the challenge to accomplish my goal of becoming a black belt in Martial Arts, it was near impossible. The Martial Arts is a sport that requires both mind and body. To this day, I live by the disciplines I learned as a five-year old red belt, while being trained in the art of Tae Kwon Do. There are five characteristics that are held far above any other: Courtesy, Self Control, Perseverance, Integrity, and an Indomitable Spirit. There is one specifically that stands out among the rest that has helped me to achieve far more than anyone has ever expected me to: The Indomitable Spirit. When I first memorized and recited the values of Tae Kwon Do, I never really thought about them-it was just another homework assignment. I came to a point where I was so discouraged with my life, and all it seemed I had to show for it was that black piece of fabric. To some, it meant nothing, but to me it was the world. My Martial Arts training was a constant in my life, while the rest of it came crashing sown around me. After my father’s death, I was able to pick myself up, collect the pieces, and work on putting my life back together again. I’d like to say this was all that I had to endure with at the time, but it’s far from the truth. I dealt with several bouts of depression, plus the school struggles that come with ADD, and I had to help raise my then-seven year old brother so my mom could find a better job to support us. My schoolwork, and Martial Arts training quickly took the back burner while I did my best to repair everything.

Soon, it came to be a crucial time in my life. I had to decide which colleges to look at, and I was ready to test for my “Shodan”, or First Degree Black Belt. My life did a one-eighty at that point, when I realized that the people who refuse to give up are the ones that achieve everything. I refused to settle for anything that wasn’t my best. I got accepted to Eastern University, and I also received my First Degree Black Belt. But without realizing the importance of never giving up, I never would be where I am today.

Maybe I’m not the smartest, fastest, or the best at everything, but I will bet you anything that I am, to this day, the most determined to accomplish my goals in life. The ones who refuse to stay defeated, we are the ones who will find the cures, win the campaigns, and create the masterpieces of tomorrow.