Seventh Grade Tennis Tryouts

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"Our greatest glory is not in never failing but in rising up every time we fall." These words by Ralph Waldo Emerso perfectly describe my feeling towards failure. Now this wasn't my mentality from the start; in fact, this way of thinking took time and some wise words from my parents. One experience that I recount as a failure was seventh grade tennis tryouts. Knowing that I had my faith in my hand, but being overconfident and arrogant was my demise. That particular incident had a mind altering effects on my mentality as a whole. It was the halfway point of seventh grade and the Wimbledon Championship concluded. For the sixth time Roger Federer reign supreme. As a spectator and a big fan, I was astonished and very driven to play. Knowing that in a month that tryouts were happening. I asked my parents for a racket and some tennis balls. Now at the time I was confident in my aptitude in playing tennis. Plus, I practiced pretended tennis several times. Fast forward a month the inevitable tennis tryouts occurred. I was oozing with confidence of making the team and being at least vice-captain. At the tryouts the coach asked me who to play a quick match with. I choice the captain, Brendon …show more content…

For a while I blamed the racket, the shoes, Brendon everyone and everything except me. When my mom arrived she was puzzled with the early pick up. For the whole ride home I didn't say a word. I honestly think my mom predicted the entire outcome. Before we got out of the car, my mom said a quote that totally changed my perspective. ” You can't blame anyone but yourself ", these six simply words shook my boots. In that moment I self-reflected again and this time I saw all the failures that led to my demise. I turned to see my mom and said," Thank you." In that instant I knew that failure was in the hand of the beholder and the only person who has the power to change it was

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