Self-Determination Leads to Success by Russell - Horsham

Determination is the leading factor in success. Without it we may never reach our goals. I believe that if you want to succeed at achieving your goals you must have self-determination. Without it, when you reach an obstacle or something holds you back, you may quit and never get past that barrier. Other people have the power to help motivate you to try harder, but in the end you need to be the one to have the determination, drive and dedication to keep going and to continue fighting for your goals.


Time and time again, it has been necessary for me to have strong will and determination. I have never been the type of student who wanted to go to school, study for the big test, or the student that got straight A’s. I have always had trouble in school. Luckily, I never let the thought of giving up or dropping out pass through my mind. However, I have had to face several obstacles in my school career. I have always had difficulty with reading. I have had an IEP for the majority of my school years. I have been teased when it took me extra time to finish a test or when I had an assignment that I had to read aloud. I decided I would not allow the negative people to keep me from achieving my goals. I am proud to say that I have always been determined to pass and graduate. Hopefully, by the end of the month, I will be able to say that I am a high school graduate.
Many people in my life have influenced me to remain determined and stay on the right path to accomplish my goals. I have always been surrounded by strong, positive people. I strongly believe my self-determination comes from those people. My mom and my karate instructors are all positive, determined people. They have all achieved great things in their lives. My Sensei has a 4th degree black belt and my mom has become a long distance runner, including a recent 70 mile run. Their accomplishments have required determination and hard work. They all believe in themselves and have set that example for me. They have always believed in my ability to succeed in school, even when I had my doubts. As a result, I never wanted to disappoint the people who have always supported me and believed in me. I would not be where I am today without the people in my life and my own strong will and self-determination.