Overcoming Obstacles

Overcoming Obstacles Obstacles are inevitable and show up in the daily lives of everyone. It is, however, the way one manages these obstacles that will decide how much success and accomplishments they receive. Challenges may come up, but they can be controlled by persistence, ambition, and determination. Someone’s dream and the specific challenges may be different than those in this poem, but the message can apply to anyone. In “As I Grew Older,” by Langston Hughes, the poet uses symbolism, tone, and repetition to teach readers that in order to achieve a goal one must fight through any given obstacle.

Reflecting on all the times in my life that I have had to overcome obstacles there is a long list of mishaps, lessons learned and many other adventures. The top one of the list is going through US Navy boot camp, which consisted of basically being torn down and built back up. In short you are told that the way you have always learned things from as early age is the wrong way and there is only one way the Navy way.

Throughout everyone's lifetime, one will confront an obstacle. Obstacles can obstruct or hinder one’s process. Most of the time obstacles have a negative a affect on people because of how difficult they can be. Not making a team, loss of a loved one, loss of a job are some examples of common obstacles that occur to many people. Obstacles are barriers that block people from pursuing what they want to do. They are present in every journey of our life, no matter how big or small. The importance of overcoming obstacles is learning new skills, determination and creating new opportunities.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

I have faced many obstacles in my life and have been through many hardships. However, I always overcome them in one way or another. For example, when I first walked the halls of Harlingen High School I entered as a shy but ambitions freshman with a lot of friends and unfortunately a lot of enemies. I was always put down due to play playing ability in band. I constantly tried to get better and better and that’s when freshman region auditions came along. I was excited to be able to actually compete with others so I can finally prove myself to my peers and teachers. I stumbled through my pre-audition and wasn’t able to audition and that killed me inside. I practiced so hard to not be able to audition. Although I was never any good I decided to

a day in his life when he was a child. He shows off his money by purchasing lavish things for

He wanted to make good money. Since he is unskilled to work city jobs, he worked as a small-time weed courier for a Puerto Rican dealer in Chicago. He has proven his trustworthiness, his boss trusted him to transport a large quantity of drugs across the state. He is able to buy a nice car for himself because of his job as a courier. However, he is an outlaw, who has been in jail, luckily, his boss bailed him out after a few

Wade Jones walked home in the middle of a cold, winter New York night. He had a hard day at Jones Financial Corporation, dealing with annoying employees, barking at his door. As he was walking down a lonely street, he saw his old friend, O.J. Derrick. “ Hey, what’s up, young blood. You're coming over here to give me my money from three years ago,” O.J. said. “ Hey, whats up Derrick. I told you last week, that I gave you money a year later. How are you doing,man,” Wade said, with a frown on his face. O.J. has been on drugs for so long that it affected his memory. He doesn’t even remember his 25th birthday. “ I am doing good, Wade. This business man came over here yesterday and gave me money for food,” O.J said.

says people won't get any money out of him. He is surrounded by a lot

He is bound to make money by any means, even if the process is illegal. This also reveals that his relationship with

Jack Murphy was a typical kid growing up in inner-city chicago. His apartment consisted of his grandparents, 2 brothers, and his mom and dad. By the age of 14 he already started to fall down the wrong path and began selling drugs with his older brother Eddie. He never knew anything else than to do what his brother did. Jack’s parents were hardworking blue collar factory workers needing to earn enough money for all 3 boys and set a good example. No matter what Jack did, he would do more and work harder at it than anyone else;

Well hey, but that's the way it is.” In these lines a drug dealer sells to young adults or teenagers knowing that the use of narcotics can bring a destructive lifestyle. When listening to the song the drug dealer sounds elated as he announces to Tupac that he made an earning today. Once Tupac calls him out for selling cocaine to young adults his tone changes and he sounds somber saying “I gotta get paid.” The drug dealers tone reveals that he is aware his acts are wrong, but he has to have an income in order to support daily life and possibly care for a family.

Obstacles and disadvantages are a part of life, and will always be there in your path. Some of the hurdles will be bigger than others, and some hardships will be easier than others. Whether it be a chair in your way or something you can't get over, obstacles will be there. The question is not how to avoid snags, but how can you turn the tables on them and have a positivist outcome. Flipping them to benefit you, and others around you to have a better outcome on the situation. There are three ways that I know that can help you achieve this, being optimistic, adding on to your armor, and using them as an advantage.

“They never said it was easy, they said it would be worth it.” This quote means that everything in life is going to be hard; in the end, it will all be worth it. Think about it as a subject at school it may be boring, but it will be worth it in the future. So if you're having a hard time in life this quote can help you, and believe me I was in your shoes one day.

“My crimey here think the way to go is more drugs. But I know better. I think making money is okay, but not making it just by dealing. You gotta go legit, at least for a minute. You gotta go state fresh, all the way live, if you wanna do anything worthwhile out here. Everybody thinks they can make crazy dollars, but they confused. It aint like that. I’ve seen co-caine bust many a head – they get fucked up and be clocking out after they find out they cannot find the key to understanding that mystery skied. But you know what? But-but0but you know what? They don’t have a clue. Word.” (Williams, 1989)