Small Steps to Success by Emma

Small Steps to Success by Emma - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

The life of a student. A never ending circus show, complete with a performer who traipses across the tightrope balancing mountains of homework, social dilemmas and personal responsibilities, all performed before a live audience of peers, family and teachers. Such a grand feat, how could such a thing be possible? You may wonder. Look closer at the performer now, and learn the secret of how they perform their trick. For me, it begins with a simple act of the mind. Before each great display, back behind the curtain, I, the performer, sit before all the items about to be carried across the tightrope, miles high, I list them off one by one. Once the list is made, I, the performer, choose only one of those items, and step by step, ease it over the tightrope. Watch my footwork closely. The secret to this balancing act? To focus on tasks one at a time, one step at a time. This has been the most beneficial small habit to both my academic and personal success.
Stress is a constant when balancing the various aspects of life in general, and can be a factor that restrains individuals from pushing themselves if they are unable to properly manage it. In my experience, the best way to manage stress is by splitting responsibilities into three categories; academic courses, extracurricular activities and home responsibilities. Within each category, I create smaller subcategories, and within each I produce a list. Take academics, for example. I break the load of school into classes, and one at a time in order, I consider a list of everything I need to be successful in each class. I complete the tasks one at a time in order of due dates, time available, the amount required of each assignment, study hours, upcoming exams, and more. I find this tactic especially beneficial in moments where I feel completely overwhelmed and feel that I have too much to do. I take a step away from my work and take a moment to breathe. I then proceed to form a list, a physical list if I have time, a mental list if I do not, and then choose the first most pressing item on the list and focus my entire attention on its completion. Once said task is completed, I move on to the next task.
After completing each task fully one at a time, I feel a sense of accomplishment and even fulfillment, far more than trying to complete all my tasks at once. After crossing off an item on my list, each check mark feels like a small weight lifted off my shoulders, as well as a small reward. After a section of the list has been completed, I reward myself with a small break, a chance to eat a snack or read a chapter in a book. All small steps, including small breaks, allow me to focus more intently on specific tasks, completing each to the best of my ability, and keeping my ability sharp. Now that the task of writing this essay is complete, I have another check off my list, and one more step on my path to success.