Disciplined to Grow by Olivia

Disciplined to Grow by Olivia - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

Over the course of my 17 years of life on this Earth, I’ve found that, as humans, we tend to surprise ourselves. When we accomplish a task that feels impossible, the feeling of success and accomplishment floods through us. If we win an award or receive a good grade on a test, better than our expectations, we learn the value of not underestimating ourselves. In my experiences, the most rewarding surprise is when we discover something new about ourselves we never knew existed. These discoveries change how we think about ourselves, which alters so many aspects of our lives.

My self-discovery occurred during my sophomore year of high school. I was enrolled in AP World History, my very first full-year AP course. I was enjoying the class since history is my favorite subject, and I felt inspired by the challenges that came with the workload. However, the demands of this class were never-ending, and subject material became more complex as time moved on. I felt as though I was trapped in a loop: learn the new content, struggle with it, finally gain a sense of understanding, and then learn something new. By Mid-February, I was deeply struggling. I felt hopeless, defeated, and burnt out. All the motivation I had once was gone, and I fought to stay afloat.

Yet in the depths of this struggle, I felt something shift. It was as if a small voice in my head was saying, “You can’t give up. If you give up, everything you sacrificed will have been for nothing. You can do it!” And so I kept working, pushing myself through every ounce of resistance I had towards my homework and studies. Despite the challenges the work brought me, I kept encouraging myself to do better, and to overcome the hopelessness I felt. This was a new sense of self-discipline I never experienced before, and it changed my entire perspective on my life.

Once I established a base of self-discipline, I watched my educational life transform in front of my eyes. It didn’t stop the endless workload, or make the work easier, but it made everything more rewarding. Every success, no matter how small it seemed, drove me forward. I wanted to learn and improve because I found joy in that. Additionally, with self-discipline in place, I found easier methods to start my work. I no longer felt the desire to procrastinate; I wanted to accomplish my work quickly and effectively so I didn’t feel overwhelmed later on. The feeling of hopelessness began to fade. Even though dragging myself out of the mental hole would be difficult, I knew it would be possible. And there was a fire in me to make that happen.

Finding the force of self-discipline has changed my life. From school, to athletics, and even at home, I’ve seen glimpses of self-discipline everywhere. At school, as my classes have gotten harder, I’ve pushed myself further to achieve the grades I want. I spend hours learning and practicing material in order to see the successes I desire. In dance, I train religiously in order to improve and grow my capabilities. And at home, I’ve made myself disciplined in keeping my spaces clean and tidy so I can function at my maximum capacity. Being disciplined and holding myself accountable is not easy. I’ve pushed through many mental hurdles when I’ve wanted to give up and throw in the towel. However, when I look back at all I’ve gone through, I realize that, without discipline, I would not be where I am today. Discipline gave me the ability to endure difficult situations in the past, and I believe that, if I keep practicing my discipline, it will bring me further than I am now.