In this day and age, teenagers have a difficult time grasping the significance of self-discipline until they put the work in themselves and see the results they have been searching for. Most teens do not refine the skill of efficiently reaching goals, and that causes their lives to feel more overwhelming rather than accomplished. Whether it’s saving up for a car, raising an ACT score, making varsity in a sport, nailing an audition, or reaching a weight PR, high schoolers face a multitude of goals that require motivation and the ability to take that first step in the right direction.
Peyton Oliver (11) has slowly learned this life lesson over the course of his high school experience, as he no longer plays varsity basketball but has taken on and developed the habits he learned as a student-athlete. Oliver takes pride in his work ethic and progress when it comes to working out and uses his routine to accomplish new goals and better himself each day. However, motivation can dwindle after long days at school or work, and Oliver has learned to fight those negative thoughts with an encouraging mindset.
“You gotta remember that you’re gonna have days like that, you’re gonna have days where you’re not one hundred percent, you know. But you always want to try and do your best and even if it’s not your best, it’s your all,” Oliver said.
Starting something from scratch can seem daunting and overwhelming, especially when high schoolers have so many things on their plates already. However, when students take the initiative to work on themselves, they develop an impactful life skill that can be utilized daily. Oliver explains the importance of taking that first step and staying motivated despite difficulties, while also reaching those goals that you learn to set for yourself.
“You just have to start. Basically you’ve got to get your plan and it’s gonna completely suck at first, nobody’s gonna want to do it. Once you start building a routine, the most important part [is creating] a lot of small goals to keep you motivated throughout the week, and [then overtime I add] little increases for me keep me motivated to go towards big goals,” Oliver said.
Katelynn Frye (12) decided her sophomore year that she wanted to improve on her own time so she would feel more confident on the soccer field. From waking up at 4:30 in the morning to running 10 miles on a Saturday, Frye feels accomplished when she takes the initiative and pushes herself to perform better. On difficult days, she has learned that just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean she has to give up.
“Sometimes you just have to disconnect from the emotions and you can’t listen to the way you’re feeling. You just have to go into it because you know that if you don’t go, you’ll probably end up feeling worse later,” Frye said.
Frye knows that when she perseveres through negative feelings, the result impacts her life more than her lack of motivation. This point of view can challenge teenagers if they do not know how to properly apply it, but once it’s learned they can face bigger problems in the future. Frye applies this intense perspective to different areas of her life, including her difficult classes as a senior and her job outside of school.
“I would say the mindset kind of translates into every aspect of my life, I just want to do everything to the full potential,” Frye said.
Finding something to work towards and develop can seem daunting to a teenager, especially if they have given up on a goal before. However, students are still learning, and failure and setbacks should not prohibit them from trying again. Everyone faces difficulties during their walk in life, so it’s important to have a support system, plan, and sense of motivation for when things get hard. In the end, every successful person got to where they are because they took the first step in the right direction, so don’t be afraid to do the same.
