Elijah

I learned to be more willing to work up from a different starting point.

"In the eighth grade, I failed to keep my starting position on the basketball team after I was promoted from the crevices of the bench. A year later, I failed to start in freshman ball. A year later, I transferred to a different school and failed to start altogether. A year after that I ceded first chair in violin for second chair.

These failures were difficult because I was accustomed to excelling in the classroom in high school. I made peace that I wasn't a stellar athlete and became more focused on music. I led the second section senior year.

I'm not good at everything, but I've limited myself because of my poor self-esteem. Perfectionism is a trap. Strive for diligence, excellence, and consistency. I learned to be more willing to work up from a different starting point."

- Elijah