When I was accepted to West Point’s Prep school in November of 1994, I knew that I would graduate from West Point with the Class of 2000. When times got rough for me, as I was forced to mature as a man and a leader, I was confident that I would graduate. Even when I hit my academic brick wall second semester of my Yearling (sophomore) year and had to take a sabbatical from the basketball team, I still knew that I was going to graduate on time. When I was afraid to jump off of the 10 meter tower into the pool and was nearly kicked out of school, I still knew that nothing was going to stop me from graduating. My experience at West Point, though extremely tough and challenging at times, was one of the most rewarding of my life. Though I faced many trials and tribulations, I knew that GOD had prescribed that I graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Through fighting with academics, conquering childhood fears, and dealing with poor examples of leadership, I had full faith and confidence that I was going to graduate with my class. There was never any doubt.
Saying all that, many people would say that I construe a great sense of confidence, so much so that I am able to emanate it upon others, as I did my soldiers. This strong sense of self-confidence has seen me through many difficult and challenging experiences in ways that most people are unable to comprehend, unless they were there at the moment. This same self-confidence is what allows me to truly believe that I will achieve my goal, despite the odds.
Even with this great sense of self-confidence, I am constantly reminded of my frailties: of my humanity. That though I have achieved much in such a short amount of time, there are still many important elements missing in my life. The puzzle is not yet complete. I am humble enough to acknowledge that I do not know where all of the pieces are, where some of the pieces go, or even the order in which some of the pieces should go. I clearly recognize that I require the assistance of others in order to fill in and find these missing pieces.
For those of you who have someone helping you to complete your puzzle, be sure to openly acknowledge them and thank them for their continued support. Selfless service and self-sacrifice are qualities that we must all embrace if we truly desire to live complete and fulfilled lives. None of us can achieve our goals on our own. If you feel as though you are doing it alone, look to your left and your right. I bet one of those people could use and would appreciate a selfless act from you.
