Motivation

Standing in the choir room, anxiously waiting my turn, I listen to the others sing to tunes and almost all of them are pitched perfectly. Standing in line waiting for my voice to be heard I think to myself, “I wonder if they are nervous or not…. They obviously don’t look it if they are.” I have always have had a problem with people, not people in general with their curious looks and questioning glances, but just dealing with them has been difficult over the years. Thinking of confrontation with them throws me back in time when my best friend gave me the motivation to do what I wanted most.
There I am again, in the large but cramped choir room with a bunch of girls around my age as an 8th grader, learning the impossible, “way up there,” Soprano notes and carrying tunes with perfect posture. We go through the same routine every time: warm-ups, singing, and then putting our music away and moving the chairs back. But this time Mrs. Anderson has something else in mind. “Listen up!” She howls over the roar of teenagers, “I have BIG news! In our music we have solos to audition for! I am going to run through them with you so those of you who want to try out may prepare.” She went through them and as soon as I heard them I fell in love with them. I thought to myself, “I just have to get one of them!” I walked out of that classroom, briskly heading for my next class.
After the day ended and I had enough time to think about that solo, I started to worry. I was scared and I thought everybody would just laugh at me and tell me what a dope I was for even trying. With that thought in mind I called my dearest friend and supporter Jackson. “I don’t think I can do it…” I desperately tell him. “I am scared, what if they all laugh at me!?” I’ll never forget what he told me that afternoon, and I will never forget how his voice sounded as cool as ice. “I believe you can Lea, me and plenty of other people think that you have what it takes. Your voice is like silk. You CAN.” Jackson gave me the courage that day to work towards my goal and to never give up. He taught me that all you need is motivation to get the job done.
That night in my room I found that song on the internet and practiced over and over until my voice gave out. When I think that I have perfected it for the next day I became giddy with pleasure. As I walked to class the next day I was nervously on edge, unsure of what will happen after my try out. The dreadful monster slithered into my head again telling me that I can’t do it, racking up my nerves. Short uneven breaths escaped me as I hustled to the bathroom to text Jackson. “What if something goes wrong?” Jackson knew exactly what to say, “Remember what I tell you okay? Shoot for the moon and even if you miss at least you will be among the stars.” With that being said my anxiety attack slowed to a stop. I was ready and I CAN do this.
As I re-entered the choir room I repeated Jackson’s words of wisdom to myself, over and over again like a skipping record. The teacher calls me down and as I walk in front of the class the monster comes knocking at my door but I lock the door and open another to success. I look up and all of a sudden everyone’s eyes are on me like lasers, but I won’t let that disturb me now. I belt with all I can until it is over. After I end the last note sudden clapping overwhelms me. It felt like trying to swim upstream against raging waters. Mrs. Anderson knows right away who she wants to do the solos, “Ladies I am happy to inform you that Tayah Reynolds, Kiah Clemons, and Aliyah Weaver will be getting the following solos.” My heart stops, I did it…, It may not be as important to everybody else but I did it! As I leave the room Jackson is there to congratulate me, “See I told you that you could do it. You’re gonna blow the audience away.”
Several weeks later after rehearsing…
That night was the best night of my entire life, almost everybody I knew was there! They were ready to support me in success of failure, but I already knew that I was not going to fail tonight, if anything I was going to stop the show. I was going to give them everything that I had. I sang the solo with an upbeat tune and happiness, and when I looked out into the crowd I saw Jackson the one person that was there for me. Jackson motivated me to do something I wanted and to never give up.
All of a sudden I was back in the present, standing in the almost empty choir room. Standing there thinking makes me realize all over again that Jackson was the best thing that ever happened to me. I will never give up on my dreams.
Shoot for the moon even if you miss you will be among the stars.
-Brian Thomas Litterell and Les Brown

Submitted by Anonymous

Motivation