I believe in perseverance. Our former president Calvin Coolidge says it best: "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent ."
I'm positive everybody had a little league coach that at the end of every game gave out medals and said everybody was a winner. Well, they were wrong. The kids who abandoned the game when the were losing ten to zero aren't winners. They aren't even a loser. They are far worse. They are quitters.
Now, let me tell you a story about perseverance. It all started one morning at a wrestling tournament. I had won match after match all morning. Then it was the championship match to decide who got first and who got second. I pompously strutted into the ring, confident from winning all morning, only to lock eyes with my opponent who had four inches and 15lbs on me. My heart sank faster than the Titanic. Before I could think the referee blew the whistle. We locked up. Seconds felt like hours. Time after time getting up only to be thrown down like I was a rag doll. Every so often I would glance at the score board what started out as a 2 point lead became a 6 point lead and eventually an 11 point lead(In wrestling a 12 point lead is an automatic win).
It was the third period. I had 30 seconds left in the match the score was 11 to 0 I was being annihilated. I was tired. Nothing left in the tank. But, then I found this drive, this want, no this need to win. I quickly sat out and got the reversal. Before I knew it I had him on his back in a half Nelson and the referee shouting out the countdown "3,2,1". The referee's hand came down and slapped the mat with a thunderous boom that echoed throughout. I had won. I walked off the mat humble, but still proud. I had persevered when I could have settled for second. As president Coolidge said "perseverance and determination alone are omnipotent."
