Believe! by Tyler

Tylerof American Fork's entry into Varsity Tutor's February 2014 scholarship contest

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Tyler of American Fork, UT
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Believe! by Tyler - February 2014 Scholarship Essay

Parents and friends constantly say this word: “believe.” Believe in what? A religion? A sports team or athlete? A miracle? Most commonly they’re saying, “Believe in yourself!” Life is full of people saying they believe in you. But why is it that others can believe in you so easily, yet it is so difficult to believe in yourself? Teddy Roosevelt said, “Believe in yourself and you’re half way there.”

Belief has defined my life. I fight for what I believe and have no trouble being full-hearted about it. However, my largest problem is believing in myself. As a runner for American Fork High School cross country, I have put in thousands of miles of running. I know I have trained harder and endured more sweat and pain than my competitors, yet my mind refuses to let me win. No matter what I tell myself, the little devil of doubt is always controlling how I view myself and my chances of victory. He sits there, waiting to pounce on me when I’m weak and exhausted, when I’m neck and neck with my opponent or when I’m in too much pain to fight back. He’s a bad habit that I subconsciously created but cannot destroy.

“Believe in yourself and you’re half way there.” As I have tried to live by these words and overcome my devils, I have progressed little by little. I’ve been able to see my victories, and with each new success I say to myself, “I can.” Some of my doubts I have overcome. I believe I can do well in school. I believe I can write a good essay. I believe I can talk to girls. I believe I can believe. Even if my belief comes slowly, I know I can achieve confidence and success in my hardest activities--even cross country. Although you’ve heard it more times than you can count, take it from a guy who’s gone through the process of finding belief many times. Believe! Believe in yourself!

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