My Moral Compass

A common misconception about compasses is that they point us in the right direction, this is false.  A compass simply shows you what is important for you to know to navigate your way by pointing north.  This is exactly how a moral compass works, it is comprised of the most important beliefs that you hold that will not point you in the right direction but remind you what is important to you so that you can navigate your way.  Unlike a traditional compass, everyone has a different moral compass because different things are important to different people.  My moral compass was different from my classmates when we got into groups in to make our common craft videos, as was every other groups.  The four points of my moral compass are family, perseverance, confidence, and happiness.
Family is undoubtedly the single most important aspect of my life, and in more than one sense of the word. Firstly I mean my home and extended family, I am one of five kids and I have two awesome parents who both have large and close families and all around we are very close.  Despite all of our busy schedules, something that is very important to us sitting down together and having dinner every night.  And there are so many lessons that my family has taught me.  From the simple childhood lessons of kindness to the older and more mature lessons of responsibility and independence.  Secondly I mean the families you form with friends and more importantly teammates.  Everyone has friends that they are so close to that they consider family, and if you are lucky your teammates too will be some of your closest family members.  Being part of a team is unlike anything else, that feeling of being part of a group of diverse people in pursuit of a common goal, and working through so much to get you to that point.  Inspiring each other and pushing the limits until you have accomplished what you set out for, teaching the value of hard work and dedication.  Families are what teach you lessons that prepare you for everything to come.
Perseverance is the most important key to success anywhere in life.  Nothing good comes easy, and if you want something you are going to have to work for it, and work hard.  One of my favorite quotes of all time is "the brick walls are there to give you a chance to show how bad you want something."  It is all about taking what may at the time seem like an impossible obstacle to maneuver, and not giving up until you've gotten through it.  I learned the values of perseverance my sophomore year when my dreams of playing college lacrosse were at stake and countless people doubted I would even play the rest of high school.  And honestly had I not stumbled across the brick walls quote in a creative writing assignment I do not know what would have happened.  It inspired me and gave me hope that all of these people telling me no were just more of a reason to keep fighting and prove that I could and still plan on making that dream come true.
Confidence is almost as equally important as perseverance.  If you ever wish to accomplish anything, no matter how big or small it may be, you have to believe in yourself and others.  If you find yourself in a position of leadership than you must have confidence in yourself if you expect others to follow you.  As a captain of the lacrosse and cross country teams I know that there are meets and games that we will not win, but as long as I have given my teams the confidence to go out and give it all we can, than that itself is some victory.  Half of the battle to the top is believing you can make it.  And not just in sports, in social settings too.  People want to listen to and are attracted to someone who believes in and has a real passion and confidence in what they are talking about.
Lastly is happiness.  Do what is going to make you happy, and make the most of what you get.  If you always expect the glass to be half empty, well gosh darn it is always going to be half empty.  You get what you get in life and no it is not always fair, but it can be fun and you can turn it into something positive.   It is not even that hard, they say it even takes less muscles to smile than to frown.  So just smile, it is easier.
And this is where my compass comes full circle.  It is vital to have confidence that you can accomplish your goals and dreams and persevere through something difficult and making the most of those difficulties by looking at them in a positive light.  And it is your families that teach you these lessons about life.