I've participated in many sports and extracurricular activities throughout my life; gymnastics, cheerleading, dancing, piano and French classes but somehow I've always ended up quitting all of them. Much of this has to do with my personality - I tend to be a bit lazy. I limit myself by maintaining an "average" life, even though I'm fully capable of reaching a great success. When it comes to personality, my mother is my complete opposite. She's a very dedicated person and expects a lot from herself. She always gives her best and is the type of person who never gives up. As her daughter, I've witnessed what happens when we live our lives with high personal expectations. And learning from her, simply by watching her live her life, may be what leads me to making decisions that lead to a happy and successful life.
             In early November of 2005, I was on a swim team and I had two very important dates coming up on the calendar: one of the most significant swim competitions of the year and my 16th birthday. The swim competition was an obsession for my mother. She couldn't believe I hadn't quit the swim team and she was so proud and happy for me. But this enthusiasm was putting a tremendous amount of pressure on me. As the day of the swim meet approached, my nerves seemed to increase with each passing second. Before I knew it, it was the day of the competition. My mother took me to school that morning and I hoped that somehow I could find the time to relax and clear my mind.
             I arrived to class before the other students and the room was empty. As soon as I sat at my desk, all my friends walked in singing happy birthday and carrying an enormous cake and gifts. I was so touched that I didn't even think about the swim competition for the rest of the day. But as soon as the last school bell rang, my nerves kicked into overdrive. I knew it was time to go home and begin getting ready to compete. While I was walking to my bus, my th...