GRIT Week 2 Project by Sam Morton

1. "Do everything as if God was standing next to you."

samxmorton — 2024-09-14 21:22:25 UTC

I was a freshman in high school when I got into trouble with girls on my volleyball team. My coach pulled me into her office and told me to "do everything as if God was standing next to you.". As a girl who heavily resides in her faith, this quote has stuck with me for the last 5 years and is a constant reminder to do right by myself and others. This belief comes up almost daily. When I'm choosing what actions to take at home, work, or school I think of what was said to me that day. I want to keep this belief because it keeps me morally grounded. Whenever I think of the God I believe in standing next to me, I take it as a reminder to do right by Him for Him and myself.

2. "Be someone.".

samxmorton — 2024-09-14 21:29:49 UTC

This quote was something my dad would say to me every morning when he took me to school or dropped me at the bus stop. While it has been a few years since he has said those words in those conditions, I am still reminded daily how important it is to try to make something of yourself and find a purpose within the life you are given. This belief typically comes up when I am having a rough day at school, work, or the gym. I remind myself that the effort I am putting now is me building the life I want for myself. I want to stick with this belief because it keeps me grounded in times I feel like slacking or doing less than what I expect of myself.

3. Learning how to drive a manual

samxmorton — 2024-09-14 21:34:45 UTC

When I was 16 my dad bought me my first car, which happened to be a manual. He said this would be a skill I could use for the rest of my life. He taught me how to effectively drive a stick shift in 4 days. This taught me how there are seemingly small lessons in life that will end up contributing to a much bigger picture. They play a significant role in developing who we are as people. I also learned that perseverance matters in the most difficult of times. When I was learning to drive I thought I would never get the hang of it but my dad stayed by my side and made me persevere through the difficulty. I now believe that with perseverance, I can face any new challenged head on. I want to keep this belief because it provides me with mental stability and strength and acts as a reminder that there is a reason behind every lesson life hands us.

4. Choosing what was right for me

samxmorton — 2024-09-14 21:38:54 UTC

In middle school and beginning of high school, I played volleyball. However, about halfway into my freshman year, I concluded that I would have to pick between taking advanced classes or continuing with volleyball. Luckily I knew that I did not want to pursue a career in athletics so I chose academics. Nonetheless, it was one of the hardest decisions I have had to make because my love for the sport was never ending and it was difficult to let it go. This taught me to believe that with difficult decisions comes a gradual reward. I still do not believe I have been "rewarded" for stopping volleyball. However, I do believe I will reach it one day when I obtain my master's degree. I want to keep this belief because it shows me that there is a reason for making difficult decisions and while in the moment it may be upsetting or aggravating, it will lead you where you need to be. This belief is conditional, though. I believe a person has to be able to choose what they feel will lead them to a path of success.

5. Getting my IB Diploma

samxmorton — 2024-09-14 21:42:45 UTC

As a junior in highschool, I decided to make a two-year-long commitment to obtaining my International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. At the beginning of my journey, I was unaware of the trials and tribulations that were to come. Many students dropped courses or the dipola as a whole. However, regardless of who dropped I told myself that I had already come this far and made the commitment so I needed to follow through. I graduated high school and found out on July 6, 2024, that I scored enough points to obtain the IB Diploma. This also taught me the importance of perseverance and self-discipline. While the event occurred recently, my self-discipline has grown exponentially. This can be seen in other aspects of my life such as with college classes and the gym. Being rewarded for such a daunting task has allowed me to fully apply myself to reach certain milestones. Similar to my other lessons, I want to keep this belief as it is crucial to my personal growth.

Belief I want to change:

samxmorton — 2024-09-14 21:47:28 UTC

I have always believed that I am "bad at studying" or that I do not need to. These are the beliefs I want to change. Whether or not I need to study a certain subject, I want to build better studying habits and gain as much knowledge as possible about what is being taught to me. I want to pivot to "studying is an important factor to maintaining good grades". I believe this pivot will help me enforce better studying habits into my routine.