Firefighter Research Papers

Once you have decided what you want to do with your life, how do you move forward with that decision? For Braun, it was as simple as opening a bank account under the name of the Pencils of Promise organization and depositing twenty-five dollars into the account (Braun, 75); something so small that it is not capable of making a difference; and yet, it does. People tend to envision things as black or white; you are either successful or you aren’t. They find themselves believing that if they do not make a big change in their life, then they have made no change at all. This common misconception leads people to either make decisions which they are not yet ready for or to give up on the idea before it has even been attempted. The key to changing one’s

path in life is to do it gradually; a baby cannot go from sitting upright to walking, he must first learn to crawl. One way of starting on your new life-path, as mentioned by Braun, is surrounding yourself with those who make you better (Braun, 211-218). So you want to be a doctor? Surround yourself with others who also aspire to be doctors.

Call doctor’s that you admire and ask them questions about their career. Or maybe, you want to be a firefighter? Research what it’s like to be a firefighter. Visit the local fire station and ask if you can look around or even volunteer. There is always a starting point that will lead you down the path to success and happiness; no matter how small this action may be, you’ll find that it ignites the fire within you which drives you to do bigger and better things. Take one step at a time and, before you know it, those seemingly insignificant changes amount to a larger change than you could have ever originally imagined. I find myself really identifying with this idea because I find that I am always telling myself I can’t do things and find that, more often than not, I don’t try for fear of failing. The Promise of a Pencil, as well as the interactive discussion topics provided by the First Year experience Class at FIU, have allowed me to envision a future where, instead of telling myself I can’t, I’ll tell myself I can, even though I might not believe it at first. This idea is derived from Braun’s eleventh mantra: speak the language of the person you want to

become. Though this was not Braun’s direct argument, I find this to be something to live by because it encourages one to go out of his comfort zone and accomplish things which he didn’t believe he could. This is not to say that believing you can do something automatically makes it so; this simply means that by having an open and optimistic mind, you are predisposed to success rather than failure. This is a concept that I will carry on into my every-day life; believing that I can and working hard on a day-to-day basis in order to make that belief a reality.
We all have very different upbringings, career paths, and aspirations. The key to our success in these endeavors comes from within. We all must learn to be optimistic but realistic, surround ourselves with similar-minded people, and listen to negative criticisms but not let them deter us; only make us stronger. It is important to remember that you were not created in one day; you are a culmination of experiences and memories that allow you to think and act the way that you do. With this in mind, it becomes evident that we cannot change who we are, but we are free to choose who we can become. In a world free of prejudices, pressures, and monetary restrictions, what version of you would you wish to pursue? Which you do you want to become? Follow your passion and decide who you truly wish to be. If one is following their heart instead of their mind, I truly believe that real change can be made in this world.