Be willing to work hard, improve self

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joseph Anselmo
  • 56th Security Forces Squadron
With the New Year under way everyone has begun their so-called New Year's resolution. It's the same story every year. People set a goal and take their first steps to achieve it as soon as the clock strikes midnight and the calendar switches over. You see these people in the gym working hard. You talk to them at work and hear how they are progressing. Everything runs smoothly for the first month and maybe the second. But, slowly these individuals lose sight of their goal and get off track. Excuses begin to cloud the path to the finish line and quietly that goal is a thing of the past.

Being in the Air Force is a great honor, and I serve with pride each day. One of the greatest pieces of advice I received came from my military training instructor in basic training. We sat in the dayroom and listened to his experiences, his ups and downs, and then he proceeded to give us a little knowledge. Little did I know how important his advice would be.

He told us the biggest career killer in the Air Force is becoming content. He told us more people are getting booted out by Uncle Sam each year because they aren't willing to do the extra work or self-improve. I didn't think much about it at the time but since arriving at Luke Air Force Base I see that his wise words have stood tall.

With everyone's New Year's dream still alive, I want to challenge you to see your goal out to the end. Self-improvement shouldn't just be a goal set for the New Year; it should be a life quest. As an individual in the world's greatest Air Force you should always be taking steps to better yourself. It may be to hit the gym harder or finish your education. For some it could be to be a better parent or spouse. Whatever it is, always push yourself to be a better person. Don't let failures or speed bumps discourage you.

One of my favorite quotes is from the book "Keeping the Moon" by Sarah Dessen. It reads, "If you try anything, if you try to lose weight, or to improve yourself, or to love, or to make the world a better place, you have already achieved something wonderful, before you even begin. Forget failure. If things don't work out the way you want, hold your head up high and be proud. And try again. And again. And again!"

With that being said, keep your head held high and keep the grind going. Don't give up on your goals and don't stop improving. Take each day to work on you and become a better person. There is only one thing you can control in life and that is you. Take charge of your actions, and take charge of your life. When you do, you will be certain to see with dedication you will slowly begin to self-improve and your standard will slowly begin to increase.