GIVE IT ALL!

     So the other day while at the gym, I ran into a friend. We got to talking, and he told me he reads my blogs and enjoys them a lot, to which I thanked him and said I appreciated the time he gives me by reading them. He went on to say I should write a blog on the topic of "Giving it your all". This is it:
     Everyday that we live is in some way a struggle. I'm not saying that means everyday is bad; not in the least. Because a lot of the time these "struggles" are minor and easily manipulated to work out in our favor in the end. They just sometimes require more effort than we're in the mood to give. That's where giving it your all comes in. Hear me out.
     We all love giving 100% effort when we are doing something we like. Why wouldn't we? It's something we like. We're obviously having fun in some way or another by what we're doing. But what about those times we're doing something we don't like and just want to say screw it and throw in the towel.
     I am one of the most extroverted and optimistic persons you'll ever meet. My mom has always said the I've "never met a stranger" but that doesn't mean I don't have my down days as well. One thing that always brings me down slightly is school. I HATE IT. I've never liked school. BUT God blessed me with the gift of being able to put in the bare minimum of effort and still come out on top, and unfortunately I took this gift for granted. Here I was and still am at times, this kid who sits on his ass procrastinated while watching my fellow peers stress and worry about the same assignments I would wait till the last minute to do, and I knew I'd get pass with an above average grade that I may or may not have deserved depending on if you consider grading based on quality or time put in. But I digress.
     Finally I reached college and first semester freshman year hit me like a Mack Truck. I did not do as well I as would have liked, and it reflected in my grades. I had spent the semester operating on the same formula I always have: last minute, bare minimum effort. But this wasn't high school and the college academic system isn't as easily manipulated or forgiving as high school and all the "schools" below it. And that's when it hit me!
     A person should try their hardest regardless of whether they WANT to, because whether they want to or not, they NEED to. You shouldn't just be weighed on the good character and effort you display when you do something you like! Anyone can look like a good when they are in their element. We should weigh a person on how they perform when they are in a situation that's not so appealing to them. It's the guy who is in a undesirable situation and refuses to throw in the towel that I want on my team. And I learned that from my first semester in college. This squeaking by bulls**t wasn't and isn't going to fly anymore, for me or anybody else regardless of situation. It's time to grow up and give it your all regardless if you want to. Is this easier said than done? Oh most certainly. I'm not naive. But if done it's one of the most honorable thing you can do. Any form of work/activity is honorable as long as you do it to the fullest of your potential and don't just "curl up and die" given your unfavorable predicament.
     So this one is for you, guy who hates going to the gym, girl who doesn't want to try in class, soon to be parent who wasn't really in the mood to have kids, single-mom working multiple s****y jobs to support the family, and to everyone else out there as well, whatever your situation: GIVE IT YOUR ALL! Give it 110% until you can't give anymore, and when that moment comes, KEEP GIVING! Because it may not be easy, but nothing memorable, honorable, or praise worthy ever is. Pick your head up and remember that the finish line isn't until the day the big man above calls you up.