Being Successful

I live in Novato. Every morning I commute to school, which is a 30 minute drive. I also play on the soccer team for the school.  Being successful to yourself is better than being successful for others. I believe there are different measures to success and what it means to different people.   



I enjoy hikes, but I also enjoy challenges. If you give me a challenge a will do my best to accomplish it. If I don't then I learn from my mistake and try again until I successfully have accomplished what I said out to succeed. I do a hike called T.O.T. It means Trail Of Tears. We call it this because it is about a 2 hour hike which is mainly a hike that is a deer path, and at one point you must bear crawl part of the hill, or you may fall and slip, and get really hurt. I've hiked it 3 times so far, I plan to keep hiking it. Every time I reach the top, it inspires me that if I can accomplish something this difficult with my body then I can accomplish anything academically. Just like the hike it won't be easy at all. and there will definitely be obstacles within obstacles.

Dreaming is probably the easiest thing I have done in my life, doing is probably the hardest thing I struggle to do. I ran the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon on February of 2013. It was definitely a learning experience, something that I plan to do again, next February of 2014. I ran for 9 miles straight and walked, rand for 1 mile more and stopped, another mile and stopped once more, I was very tired, it felt like the run was never going to end. My friend came back to push me, to finish the race. My goal was to complete the race under two hours. I completed it in 1 hour and 58 minutes. Did I get first place on paper, no. But did I get succeed? Absolutely!!! My first half marathon and I achieve my goal, I felt so good that I knew I could accomplish anything if I put my effort and my determination towards it.

People always assume being successful is about being rewarded with something expensive, or maybe some people think that, not all. My definition to success has multiple parts to it. My friendship is very important to me. In the picture I have two of my best friends! They both have there own uniqueness. They are all always willing to help me whenever and wherever, no matter what circumstance. I have always been a shy person and coming the first day of high school was very nerve racking. But I met these two kids. From the first day of high school to the last day, we have remained best friends. I can't wait to see how much we have changed in our college years! Considering how long we have been best friends for, and still are is successful to me.

This picture is kind of a funny story but I'll let my other best friend describe this story, which he posted on Facebook. This is from his point of view.

So it all started when Lorenzo Hernandez texts me, "Wanna do something irrational and hubris?" Then tells me he wanted to run from Novato to Petaluma... 18 miles. My first thought is, challenge accepted! The journey begins, glory ensues, and piercing strain becomes all too prevalent. We reach our breaking point at mile 16. Dehydrated and stranded in the middle of nowhere, we walk. Our dry coarse mouths grow unbearable, bringing us to hitch-hiking. Several cars pass, until finally, our savior (Sierra, whom we can not thank enough) pulls over and takes us. A few blocks from the nearest restaurant, we walk up a few grueling stairs until we reach Old Chicago Pizza. Where Cesar, the bartender, hands us the most soothing, satisfying, and rewarding cups of water Ever Drunken. 'The Victory Cup' sits in my room, commemorating our adventure.
18 Miles
3 Hours
2000 Calories
2 Towns
2 Champions

-Daniel Cataldi

It was very well written. From my side it started when I was laying in bed watching some boxing motivational videos, it sounds very corny, because it is, but that is what I do! It inspired me to get up and do something crazy and run 18 miles. The video I was watching made me realized if another human being can push themselves to their limits in order to better themselves, physically. Why can't I? That is exactly what I did, even though I didn't make it all the way to Petaluma, and we had to hitch hike, it was a successful run and a successful day. After the run I got to eat Old Chicago Pizza, which is the best pizza ever!!!

 
Soccer! I love soccer! I can not explain it! No one will ever understand unless you become me. Soccer is not just a sport to me but a lifestyle. Everything I do revolves around soccer, if it is not then I am doing something wrong. When I am playing the game,  I don't just play it, just because, I play it to get better. A quote I read online said,
"Set your soccer goals high, and don't stop until you get there." -I forget. I need to keep working hard and playing hard to advance in my soccer career. So far I play for the Santa Rosa J.C. soccer team. That is a good step towards my goal. I would say I am not successful yet, but I am definitely getting there.
Success isn't easy, but not trying is very easy. If there is one thing I have learned in life is hard work and determination are a great couple and will always be. And if I never try then there is know way i can be successful. But if I do try, then there is a higher possible chance that I will be successful.