I believe in accomplishing goals. Goals are one of the main parts of my life that get me from one day to the next. Goals give me something to look forward to and help me to realize that one day I am going to accomplish something. I believe that when I set a goal I am stepping into a journey that requires focus, determination, and faith. I have believed in setting goals since my eighth grade year. Before eighth grade, I would set goals but I would never follow through and accomplish them. Throughout my sixth and seventh grade years I always wanted a cell phone but I never wanted to earn it. I thought it would just be given to me with no questions asked. After two years of hoping, I finally decided to do something about my lack of having a cell phone. I asked my parents “if I make all A’s during my eighth grade year then will I be able to get a cell phone?” They said I could and I was very surprised. Beginning in my eighth grade school year, I set a goal to make all A’s that year and I accomplished my goal. Before that year, I was unaware that I had the ability to accomplish that kind of goal because throughout middle school I did not put that much effort into my schoolwork. Since my eighth grade year, I have relied on goals. I realized that when I set a goal and accomplish it, I am not only left with a feeling of fulfillment but I also know that I am capable of accomplishing something if I focus. Now I try to set a goal for the day, the week, and the year. A short term goal that I try to work on every day is having a better attitude when situations do not go as planned. Sometimes accomplishing this goal is difficult for me. A problem that I have encountered many times is I get so excited about a goal that I want to accomplish and I work hard to do so until a challenge arises and I give up. I have learned that giving up does not solve anything. I would rather go beyond my comfort zone in trying to accomplish a goal and fail rather than quit. I know that accomplishing goals takes practice and not every goal that I am going to set will be accomplished, but I believe that if I maintain a focused determination then any goal can be accomplished in my lifetime. As Jimmy Dean once said, “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” This I believe.