According to Angela Lee Duckworth, grit is defined as having passion and perseverance for long term goals. This trait shows strength in one’s character and the resolve necessary to overcome challenges and achieve an end goal. I displayed this definition of grit whenever I lift weights at the gym. My goal for exercising nearly every day is not only because I want to be healthy or fit; rather, I want to be a stronger person than I was the day before. This mindset of constantly putting in work and sticking with a future goal will help me succeed in finishing a four year optometric program.
When I first started exercising, I was often intimidated by others and embarrassed by the amount of weight I could lift. However, I was told that there was nothing to be ashamed of because everyone had to
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With this in mind, I dedicated several hours at the gym for a few weeks. I was discouraged to discover that my results did not improve and felt that my efforts were wasted. But I did not quit. I worked unbelievably hard on my craft, corrected my techniques, and pushed myself both physically and mentally. Over the course of the next few months, I saw improvement and lifted more than I had the week before. This goes on to show that improvements do not simply result from a single day’s work; rather, it is a product of dedication and hard work over long periods of time. Similarly, having this same mentality will be key in making it through four years of optometry school. As a aspiring optometrist, I expect there will be times when I will be overwhelmed and stressed out. There will be times when I put in work but still fail. But the