“To Give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift.”
I have chosen to write my essay about this Steve Prefontaine quote because it resonates with me. It exhibits one of Pre’s most important qualities and one that I strive to maintain in my day to day life, dedication.
This quote means to me that we are each given the gift of being alive and every person should find something they love to dedicate themselves to so as to not waste this gift. Pre loved and dedicated himself to running, always trying his best, never giving up, and never wasting his . Each individual may find a different passion but as long as they never give up, and never stop trying they can fulfill their gift completely.
The passion that I have found for myself is my welding and fabrication as both a class and hobby. This is different from Pre in that giving my best doesn’t involve guts or physical pushing, but I still apply this living to my passion by never turning down an opportunity and always persevering in the face of difficulty. I was faced with such difficulty just this week at the SkillsUSA State welding competition. During competition I was confronted by malfunctioning welders, poorly written blueprints, and a continuous line of other issues, but I was able to focus and ceaselessly try my hardest, enabling me to win silver.
I consistently apply this core value to my life in all aspects. Whether it be Track and Field, Swimming, or school, I seek to challenge myself and never take the easy road. This quote means to me that if you don’t try your best then you are wasting the opportunities that you have been given.