Continent & character Essay

â€Å"Every man has in himself a continent of undiscovered character. Happy is he who acts as Columbus to his own soul. † I have always lived by that principle. There is a vast untapped territory within us. All we need to do is to uncover the mysteries that are resting within the confines of our persona. We need to understand ourselves better so that we can easily accomplish the goals that we have set to achieve. The need to educate ourselves can never be outgrown. Learning is synonymous with life itself. While we are still breathing, we are learning. It remains with us until our last breath. I have always embraced challenges; they are wonderful occasions to educate myself and raise the awareness of my strengths and weaknesses. With a firm familiarity of my personal assets and liabilities I can make a distinction which areas of my life need to improve and which necessitate closure. I value optimism amidst adversity. I always try to discover the brighter side of life and think positive. I believe that things always happen for a reason. They are, in a way, interconnected to create the best that each one of can be. Challenges, problems, and difficulties are present in our lives to ultimately shape the best future for us. â€Å"Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant. † I have a strong penchant towards sports. The values that one can get out of playing basketball, soccer, or golf are remarkable and priceless. Values like sportsmanship, perseverance, and self-control are extremely essential in the real world as well. You build a much stronger and noteworthy character. I begin to feel confident about my chances in other areas of my life. When I was in New Zealand, my homestay family owned a golf course. I had a great opportunity to play golf everyday. The sport taught me patience and self-discipline. It was enough to get me through six tournaments and propelled me to two victories. Winning two tournaments is quite a feat for my standards. In high school, I joined the basketball team. Like golf, the sport offered a whole inventory of merits and positive values. I have been playing as the starting forward since junior high school. Through countless ups and downs our team managed to keep our optimism and solid teamwork. There were times when taking the easy way out was unbelievably enticing but we fought with all we got to stay with the game. Hard work and determination tempered with faith in our abilities brought us out of our doubts. As a result, our high school team placed 9th in the national high school basketball level. Again, it was quite an accomplishment. Currently, I am a member of a soccer club here in America. I widely enjoyed playing the sport. Essentially, the values that I learned from the previous sports are the same but soccer provided me with additional values. The sport entails more discipline. It demands a more focused approach. Training and practice are extremely important to hone the basic skills necessary to successfully tackle the game. True enough, my team came in second place in the regional tournament. Practice truly makes perfect or as close to it as possible. Through soccer I met wonderful people that eventually became my best friends. A great friendship is a priceless investment. I see to it that I present the best of myself to people but not in a condescending way. I value my personal relationship with others. I am a very friendly person. I know its genuine meaning- true friends are going to be by your side through thick and thin. I discovered its true essence when I got ill and my best friend stayed with me and took care of me. Your friends will stand by you no matter what. They will praise your triumphs, overlook your failures, and point out your shortcomings. To fully become the person that you need to be, you must cultivate a sense of spirituality as well. You need to go beyond the superficialities of the physical and embrace the warmth and wisdom of the soul. I am a very religious person. I recognize the presence of a higher being that grants blessings and opportunities to everyone. I believe that ultimately everything will come to full circle and the spirit will triumph. Thus, I joined the praise team in my church. I know the essence of religion and how it helps shape true character. Each person is unique; everyone has something new to offer. I am a unique being and I have some good qualities that I can bring to the university. Words can only describe so much; actions speak louder. â€Å"Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart. † I want to show through concrete and substantial performance what I am truly capable of.