Life's Challenges

It’s not easy to face the many different challenges life has in store for us. As children, the term challenge is almost a foreign term that’s hard to understand. Each day individuals wake up to a fresh new day to do and be better than the day before. Those individuals who are goal-oriented view each new day as a fresh start, a time to improve on the previous day’s attempt to get closer to reaching goals. Depending on what that goal is, and the complexity of reaching it, it can be quite challenging when unexpected issues arise, such as time and money. This is when determination must take center stage on getting to where one wants to be.

Goals that require funding and much time are challenging when there is no money available and time is of the essence. By now, I hoped that I would be a famous published writer known throughout the country for my fictional stories. Writing has always been my hobby, since my first story-writing assignment as a child in school. I remember the class was English and the purpose of the assignment was to understand how using our imagination can be creative.

It’s around that time when I started to understand, somewhat, the concept of challenging. Although I didn’t know the term for it, I knew that I felt pressured to write something that the teacher would approve of and possibly find interesting. So many questions began running through my mind such as what should I write about, how do I start, how much should I write. Those were just a few of the questions swimming in my head before I even picked up my pencil and paper. Obviously, my teacher could sense the pressure I was feeling because I can remember her calling me up to her desk and explaining that I could write about whatever I wanted to, that I found fun. Ultimately, I wrote a short story that took three and a half pages which earned me an A+. I had to admit that writing that story made me so happy because I was using my imagination in a happy and playful way.

Challenges, for me, are like dares or requests to participate in any contest which displays skill or strength. And, challenges aren’t always presented to us from others. As an aspiring writer, I often challenge myself to outperform previous tasks or skills that involves my writing. With challenges comes motivation, that inner feeling that drives me to engage in a contest or event. For employers, creating challenges for employees can be the tool that increases an individual’s productivity on the job, especially when there is a reward to be gained.

Still, I have been in the company of successful people that believe that meeting a challenge is more than a reward, because it builds up one’s belief in their own individual ability to meet or exceed the requirements of that challenge. And, after conversing with those successful individuals, I’m convinced that their concept of challenges contributes to their success. I believe that reaching my goal as a successful writer is challenging because of the numerous, well-known writers that are already a part of the literary world and who have left an admirable impression on many of the readers of their work. But, if I don’t continue to express my thoughts and feelings through my writing, I’m throwing in the towel, more or less. And why I should do that when I know that what I have to say has the potential to be just as interesting and engaging to possible readers? Instead of allowing myself to be intimidated by those writers who have met the challenge of becoming successful in their unique craft, I’m motivated at the idea that someday my stories can, and will be, read by readers across the globe.

So, I challenge myself to focus more on what it is I enjoy doing—writing stories. Challenges are a part of life that everyone faces at some point. Be inspired! Be motivated! When posed with a challenge, face it head on knowing that you can complete it successfully!

It's a part of life.