FInally

When I first started this class I didnt really appreciate reading. I thought it was boring and I never really did it. I tried reading a few book on my own but after starting a few pages or chapters I would stop because I was disinterested. I never really like reading books for pleasure. Ive always read the books assigned for classes but it was a hastle because it was absolutely nothing I was interested in. I bought the book Crash Into Me this summer because it looked intersesting but I never really read it until this part couple weeks. It was more intriguing then I thought so im glad i went back and read it. I usually would attempt at reading a book because I thought it wouold be interesting but I guess I never found time to sit down and read. I feel like in the summer Im just too involved with things that i dont have too much time to read for pleasure. And during the school year I definitely didnt have that much time because of tennis and all the other homework thats assigned. Its hard to devote my mind to the book instead of on my homework. But because of this class I have read some interesting books and got a lot out of some of them. The more close the book was to life the more interesting it was to read. I enjoyed reading in this class unlike I did for other classes when they were assigned. I liked having the freedom to choose an interesting book that i wanted to read. It was more fun and made me want to read

Current Week 12

“The most important thing.  Your greatest weapon is your attitude.”

“You’re going to struggle to reach your goals.  Sometimes, you’ll need someone to have your back.”

“Purposely short-changing yourself and your commitments because of your fears is not a path to significance.”  

I think the best quote of the three is the second one because most of the time to reach your goal you are going to need someone you can really trust to help you stay on track and to confide in along the way.  Maybe it’s someone that is in a high position or has the power to help or maybe is a really close friend that you can talk about troubles and fears and failures along the way.  It just seems like everybody needs to have somebody to lean on along the way. 

This week pages read:     113

Last week pages read:    103

Total pages read:        1,639

Failure is Not an Option

Penton is really big on fighting hard for your goal and commitment.  He mentioned weak moments where he thought just one beer wouldn’t hurt or skipping one workout wouldn’t make any difference but he was disciplined enough to just keep visually himself playing the best football ever.  During the process he also learned that fighting for your goal might cost you big time.  Like he lost his friends in high school because he chose not to drink and party.  Penton talked a lot about attitude and if you start feeling the poor pitiful me this sucks stuff, you probably won’t succeed in your goal.  You have to keep challenging yourself until.  The part that got real confusing to me was Penton spent a lot of time stressing how important it is to be true to yourself but he also talked about the importance of being part of a team.  My experience is that there’s a lot of negative influence on the teams I’ve been on in middle school and high school.  There’s either someone who wants to start drama or rumors or something.  But I also get what Penton is trying to say because you can’t succeed as a team without everyone working together and working towards the same goal, and, a team can do more together than its members can do apart.  He also points out that no one can live life alone and that’s its better to have one or two really good friends that you can completely trust than to have a bunch of acquaintances.  Another thing Penton says that I’ve heard from my parents is that you are who you hand out with.  Even if friends do something not so cool, if I’m with them but don’t participate in the bad thing they’re doing, I’m still guilty by association.  One of the last things Penton talks about is failure.  You can’t be afraid to fail while you’re working towards your goal.  Most likely, if you don’t screw up along the way, you’re probably not working hard enough or taking enough risks to get the job done.  Just keep working hard, take chances and don’t give up.

Goal Tending

Penton spends a lot of time talking about faith and how they Ohio State Football team used faith to win the National Championship.  Their plan wasn’t to win the public’s confidence but to win the top trophy.  And they did.  Penton explain that faith isn’t just a religious thing.  It was something we all live by in everyday events like something as simple as having faith that the chair you’re about to sit in will hold you up.  You don’ know for sure but you have faith that it will is an example.  He talked about how real faith is based on personal knowledge and experience and that blind faith isn’t based on anything at all so it won’t get you very far.  It seemed a little confusing but I kind of get it.  After setting a goal and making a commitment to succeed at the goal you have to clear your mind and life of anything that stands in its way that you can control like girlfriends, being lazy, or spending too much money on things.  Then you have to make sure you don’t let anyone’s criticism of your goal get in the way.  Just ignore their comments or actions.  Then you have to keep envisioning yourself making the goal, never letting up on it or doubting yourself.  Sounds easier said than done.  Penton had a real awkward chapter in the book where he talks about sex and how he made a promise to himself when he was that he wouldn’t have sex until he was married.  He mentions several times that he was really tempted and even mentioned something my mom has said to me before and that is laying down with a girl was not a good idea.  It usually leads to trouble.  Penton actually made it to his wedding day without even kissing his wife before then.  That doesn’t even seem right.  He thought it was well worth the wait but I think it seems kind of risky.  What happens if there’s not the connection you expect afterwards?

Current Week 11

“I need to stand my ground.”

“When you make a commitment, the kind that leads to significance, you cannot simply be wishing for something you aren’t willing to work hard to achieve.”

“Making commitments is the way to avoid a life of surrender.”

There’s a lot of good messages in the book but the first quote kind of sums it up.  Stand firm to what you believe in and feel strongly about and don’t let anyone get in the way of your commitments to yourself.

This weeks pages read:  103
Last weeks paged read:  257
Total pages read:          1526

Eat Your Heart Out

The story continues to focus on commitment and standing your ground.  Penton talks about how his sister, Sara, used the same philosophy to get want she was passionate about which was a high level of education.  His sister was an extreme introvert.  She hated being the center of attention.  During a high school band competition, show won an award and when her name was called over the loud speaker announcing the name, she freaked out and was totally humiliated.  Sara was a brilliant student, though, and she wanted to go to an Ivy League college.  She and her family couldn’t afford it so Sara started looking into ways to get scholarships.  She finally realized there was probably only one option to get the education she had the passion for at a price she could afford and that was to be accepted into the United States Naval Academy.  There were a few hurdles Sara would have to work hard at to get into the academy.  She had the smarts but she would have to overcome the physical requirements and the political requirements, like public speaking.  Sara was determined and started working out.  Each day she got stronger and pushed herself further.  She staged mock interviews and practiced them over and over and worked in the community to gain confidence in herself and even got a congresswoman to endorse her.  Again, it all paid off.  She got into the academy and by her senior year was ranked 13^th in her class and was promoted to Commander of the Naval Academy Band and Bugle Corp.  The book goes on to say that if you want to be successful like the Penton brother and sister, you have to determine your strengths and passion.  Strengths are what you are good at, like sports, money, math, or drawing.  Passion is what you love, like video games, music or art.  You’re supposed to pick a couple from the lists that excite you the most and they’re probably the ones that you’d be the best at.  The next step is to quit wishing or hoping and start committing and resolving to what enthuses you.  So far, the book is kind of motivating.  I hope the book finishes by giving some pointers on how to turn a wish into a commitment.

Pay Off

A friend of mine was given the book “Stand Your Ground” by his school sports director to read.  A few weeks ago we got to talking about having to read stuff and when I mentioned I had to read for this class, he recommended I give the book a shot.  He said it was kind of interesting since it’s based on a true story about a guy from Van Wert, Ohio not far from us.  It’s about a kid who leads a normal life with a good family and has lots of friends.  His name is Joel Penton.  He’s an average kid, good student, but not-so-good jock.  When he was nine he tried out for Little League.  He didn’t make the team and ended up playing for the Farm League which consisted of the misfits.  He tried out again the next year and still didn’t make it.  He was extremely disappointed and embarrassed but decided basketball and baseball were not his thing.  His real passion was football but knew that was nothing more than a ridiculous dream.  He tried out and got picked, third from last.  The team wasn’t too thrilled he made the team either.  But his dad challenged him and told him that if he truly had the passion for the game, he needed to dedicate himself to being the best football player he could be.  Penton took his dad’s advice and started running and working out.  He set up cones in the basement to practice quick maneuvering.  He thought about football day and night.  His dedication paid off.  In high school he was the only freshman chosen to play on the varsity football team.  Things seemed to be going his way until his friends started choosing the party scene.  Penton had made a pact with his friends and himself that they wouldn’t party.  But, one by one, his friends let him down.  When Penton tried to join them to hang out, his friends avoided him.  They also staged a phony vote for class president.  Penton had been the class president his freshman, sophomore, and junior year but his so-called friends voted him out in favor of a guy that didn’t even want the position.  They just wanted to be sure Penton didn’t win.  Penton stood his ground, though.  He didn’t have much of a social life but his passion on the football field only intensified.  It all paid off, too.  In his senior year his high school football coach introduced him with Coach Tressell at Ohio State.  It all worked out.  Coach Tressell offered Penton a full scholarship to OSU to play football, his passion