The sport of track and field is more than just running in circles every day. The elements of life are instilled in the sport and it either make or breaks you. It gives you perspective on real life situations. I have always been grateful that I had the gift of running because it has taught me so much over the years. It has taught me the essence of discipline, time management and why family support is key to succeeding in life.

Track and Field had introduced to me, the idea of discipline. Discipline is a key element in excelling in life. Throughout my high school years, I realized that it took discipline to help grow as a person. Specifically, before I compete in a meet or practice, I always have a warm up routine to relax my muscles. When I discovered the importance of the warm up routine every time I ran, I understood why it must be part of my routine. Doing the same warm up routine every day, instilled in me the discipline that was needed, that it had to be done daily and that it was a key element for my success in the sport. Track and Field is 20 percent physical and 80 percent nutritional. What you eat affects your training which is why it is more important. It takes discipline to know that whatever I eat, is going to help me prepare for my training. It takes discipline to know that just because I may enjoy eating or drinking something, doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll help my body. The amount of discipline it takes to be effective in the sport depends on how far you want to go with it and if you’re willing to make sacrifices for the sake of it.

The beautiful thing about time is that it’s a gift and there is enough time in the day to get tasks done. While in high school, it wasn’t hard to manage my time because I knew what my priorities were. Specifically, I devoted majority of my time to school and track. I wanted to excel so I knew how much time I had to commit to everything that had to get done. Because time management came easy to me, numbers did as well, which is why I excelled in mathematics and found interest in accounting. From that point on I started planning career goals for myself, such as wanting to become a CPA and have multiple accounting firms, internationally. Now to do this, I must have a plan in place with deadlines that accommodate the goal. Everything that I do must not only be for the betterment of myself and to achieve but to exceed my goals. To make sure I succeed, deadlines must be met and that task must be completed. Time management is vital because it shows what your priorities are and your character.

As an only child, it wasn’t until high school that I truly knew the importance of my family. My family believed in me, that I could do anything I set my mind to. They were always supporting me by coming to my award ceremonies and track meets. When I spend time with my family, I see it as a benefit and time well spent. The wisdom that they have passed on to me has helped me get through high school itself. Over time, I understood why my mother functions the way she does and why she does certain things. My mom sacrificed a lot for me to get where I am at today. Because of what she did, I had hope. She had hope that I would do better than her which is why those sacrifices were made. She knew that my future was bright and that I had the potential and intelligence to do well in life. What I have learned from my family and mother has contributed to my success.

I have learned that for whatever a person wants to do, do it to the best of your ability. Track and Field has always been my passion. The opportunities it has presented me have been life changing. Every time I step on the track, I always envision my self continually getting better every day. I’ve always been willing to put in the work and the results have shown. Skills, such as discipline, time management and having people who support your cause, have made it easier to continue to move forward in the sport. I love track and field with all my heart and nothing can take the love away, irrespective of the circumstances.