Personal Narrative: My Experience With Failure

A first time I Encountered failure was failing algebra first semester, when I was a freshman in high school. I was going to a new school so like everyone I knew that everything was going to be different. All of my classes throughout the year were pretty easy to manage I was on the right track and I understood each course, but the one class I was struggling was algebra I liked math back in middle school. It was simple and easy but like everything in life nothing is as easy as it seems which is one of the lessons I learned. Every time I went to that classroom topics was something I never learned before. For everyone it seemed simple and easy and when it came to me it wasn’t easy it was difficult and I started struggling.

Dealing with adversity and seemingly impossible challenges determines a central lesson I have learned in my life. In early childhood, I experienced severe brain injuries and a life­threatening coma caused by a major car accident. In the following years, I struggled with dyslexia, learning deficits, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. From 1994 to 2004, I faced a major family crisis due to the bankruptcy of my parents’ business, followed by a decade of financial uncertainty. Despite all difficulties, I enrolled in college and dealt with the accumulated stress in trauma therapy from 2008 to 2010. During this time, I also ran a successful web design and hosting company and learned first-hand about the importance of strategic positioning.

The military’s height and weight standard and my ability to successively maintain it. Joining the military at the age of 21 weighing in at 130 pounds; very much in shape and thin, never concerned about how much I weighed in the past. As time went on, I had children and gain weight. Having surgery, which prevented me from working out and more weight was gained. The Military has a standard which I am require to meet, regardless of the circumstances. As I get older and have another surgery the harder it is to keep up with the standard.

Failure is feared by many. The thought of failing cause great stress on anyone. Most think that failing could only change their lives for the worst, but often it changes their lives for the better. My life changing failure happened when I was in the third grade. Not only did I failed a spelling test, I got a zero on it. My transition into third grade did not go over well for me. I was moving and had to start at a new school, and with going up a grade I was getting more work to do that was more difficult than the years before. Now other people were able to cope more easily than I. This is because of my ADHD. My ADHD gave me great trouble when I was in third grade because I did not take time to cope with it and be able to function like everyone else at school.

All throughout my life I loved to run; I even participated in track and cross country all throughout middle school to quench my thirst for a long run. Around the beginning of winter, of my junior year, there came a time when I thought I could no longer run. To further elaborate upon my situation, whenever I would do strenuous physical exercise, or even write in class, my muscles would instantly feel fatigued. It felt very similar to the feeling one gets when their hands have been outside in the frigid cold. I could not even do ten push-ups. Regardless, my muscles would not move as I would like them to. This became a painful obstacle in my daily life. After countless doctor's visits and no signs for a cure I felt hopeless, defeated, and disheartened.

The one time I experienced failure was last year in April. I had just finished a great indoor season and I was eager to start outdoor season. The reason why was because I wanted to accomplish some of the goals that I didn't get to accomplish during indoor season. I wanted to train hard, stay dedicated, and motivated. I started giving it my all at practice and no matter how hard practice was, no matter how tired I was I refused to give up. I told myself that this season would be a great one but I was wrong. Unfortunately, there were other plans for me, I ended up pulling my hamstring that year and not only was I devastated but I was upset. I put so much hard work and so much effort for someone to tell me that I might be out for the rest of

Whether taking test, or practicing for a game, there is always the pressure of utter failure. That failure can either make you choke, and get the better of you or encourage you to try again, and try harder. I recall a time when I was in the third grade, and I felt defeated. There was this program called Awana where you memorize bible verses, and play games. Within the program they had there own competition for kids that can memorize questions, and answers,

Every student has been taught and understands how to succeed. Over many years of schooling it is ingrained into our minds that if we don’t succeed then we fail. This mentality has prevented many people from learning from their mistakes; however, if students learn to see their mistakes not as a failure but as a lesson to learn from, we could all become ameliorated people.

rang throughout my body, and thoughts of failure creeped their way into my mind. Then when the ball finally found its way out-of-bounds, and I subbed in those thoughts faded away.

Last semester, I encountered a personal experience of one’s self-fulfilling prophecy of failure. Looking to accomplish one more mathematics pre-requisite for my chosen major, I decided to proceed by undertaking a course in 1411 pre-calculus, before moving on to statistics in the fall. However, I regularly struggled through each new math class with much determination, I have always accepted that mathematics has always been my kryptonite, packed with anxiety. More importantly, this least favorite subject and one I often battled long hours to comprehend, was just another subject level I wanted in the rearview. Either way, I felt somewhat confident as I started the spring semester that I would get a handle on pre-calculus and obtain a passing

Growing up as the oldest of twelve siblings molded me into a person who is very good at negotiating, managing, decision-making, and a trendsetter. Knowing the role I was born into at a young age, I knew I had try my hardest to succeed even if knew I was not going to successful. Thus, meaning everything I did in life I tried to do it to the best of my abilities, even if I was not good at it. For example, I had to withdraw from Brief Calculus the first time I took the course. However, instead of giving up I retook the course a second time and I tried my hardest to understand the material, I reviewed, studied, and seek help till I couldn’t stand to hear or look at the material; What did I receive after all the work I placed into it? A grade

Where there’s a will there’s a way (Harrington, 2012). What a great subject, that screams motivation, drive, and non-acceptance of failure. What a great subject for me, but it wasn’t always that way. I think it’s easier just do the bare minimum but starting where I did in my career and realizing I didn’t want to stay there made me strive for something better.

When I was in primary school, I was not good at mathematics, so my teacher looked down upon me, and believed I would not do well in it. Actually, I was very depressed and angry. I asked myself: “Why cannot I do that? I can! And I will let you regret what you said!” After that, I got good grades in math after endeavoring to learn and practicing again and again; and even in other curricula, whenever I had difficulty, I encourage myself to cope with it and never give up, so I succeeded.

It is the bottom of the 9th, two outs, tie game with the bases loaded. It was all up to me, one hit and the game was over. All of our hard work, grit and determination has paid off thus far but will it last us just a bit longer? The season started it out a bit rough, our first four games were painful losses, so bad our assistant coach quit. We were so terrible people never even went to our games, and after the fourth loss most parents stopped showing up. Our season was going to be one big humiliating failure.

Hope, struggle, and determination are the three words I use to describe my high school career. My parents have always held me to high expectations that most people in my situation would never think about, but their highest goal for me was that I attend college. We grew up poor due to my parent's divorce when I was only eight-years-old, and I struggled with severe depression and anxiety my entire life; conversely, my goal is to continue to still strive to make my parents proud and attend college. Moreover, I keep up my grades and fight to reach the so-close-yet-so-far dream my parents put in motion for me. I am the first person in my entire family to attend college, despite the seemingly daunting task; I am not afraid because I have a had a