I remember when I was still in first year high school. Our adviser would post all the names of the class who got good grades from Top 1 to Top 50. We are fifty in the class and it was embarrassing but it was true that out of the 50 students I was always number 49. I had a very poor self-esteem then, I believe that it was because of poverty and the poor condition of my two front teeth were the major causes of my very poor self-perception. In spite of my poor school performance, my father would still pretend to be very proud of me. He said that at least I won over one classmate. The same self-esteem was carried on until my Second Year High School and my situation had worsen due to my sinusitis. I was so sickly that I had colds and cough for one whole year and my grades never improved.
One time, during a summer vacation, I stole my older sister’s diary where I read a poem which I memorized and recited every day. The poem follows:
One time, during a summer vacation, I stole my older sister’s diary where I read a poem which I memorized and recited every day. The poem follows:
“If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win, but you think you can’t,
It is almost certain you won’t.
“If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will-
It’s all in the state of mind.
“If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
“Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!”
I put and pasted this in my heart and in my mind.
Amazingly, the poem worked like magic into my very poor self-esteem. When I was in Third Year High School, my health had improved and best of all I was at the top 10 of the class. I do not know how this poem had manifested but I started to believe in myself and the things I can do in spite of poverty and my poor health. In my Fourth Year High School, I rose to top 2 or top 3 in the class. I recognized that I was a late bloomer at this stage of my life. Also I graduated in that small school as third honor, (for some reasons I cannot remember on why I did not go to school during the awarding).
Amazingly, the poem worked like magic into my very poor self-esteem. When I was in Third Year High School, my health had improved and best of all I was at the top 10 of the class. I do not know how this poem had manifested but I started to believe in myself and the things I can do in spite of poverty and my poor health. In my Fourth Year High School, I rose to top 2 or top 3 in the class. I recognized that I was a late bloomer at this stage of my life. Also I graduated in that small school as third honor, (for some reasons I cannot remember on why I did not go to school during the awarding).
I truly agree that if we believe we can, then we can do it. No matter what the trials are and how hard the test would be. I had several ups and downs after my high school graduation. Now that I am a professional I am working toward one definite goal in my life and I back it up with DETERMINATION, PERSISTENCE AND FAITH. The journey would still be far but I will keep the CONVICTION.
