Stereotypes are my worst enemy, and assumptions are my biggest pet peeve. I do not think that I could say I am particularly motivated to reach a single particular place or goal. I am adventurous, easily exciteable, and impulsive. This means that I am constantly changing hobbies, habits, and routines. Instead, I would have to say I am motivated simply to succeed at whatever it is I am participating in at the time. It also becomes more compelling and worth while to me as people doubt my ability. I love to surprise people and prove them wrong. I show them that I can do anything I put my mind to, I never give up, and I refuse to be underestimated due to gender or size.
But every story has got to start somewhere right? So my story would have to begin at age four with city league T-ball. The Cardinals were the best and I wanted to be the best of the best. I wanted to hear my momma and daddy screaming the loudest at the side lines, and "Way to go baby!" sounded much nicer(and much less embarassing) then "What are you doing out there?!" So sports took up most of my time and focus. I enjoyed them. So don't get me wrong. I wasn't one of those kids who was forced into sports by vicarious parents. I actually enjoyed competing. Only, looking back now, maybe that's not even true. I think my favorite part of sports was the praise and attention for succeeding. I hated getting lectured on the way home about the strikes I made swinging too fast, shots I took too far outside, or digs I should've made. So I would go home and practice for hours upon hours, constantly challenging my brother(and always becoming more angry losing to a nearly two hundred pound, foot taller, three years older opponent.) It's easy enough to admit that I am extremely competitive. And so this life style of giving my all, practicing all the time, and challenging myself to meet, beat, and exceed status quo followed through eleven years of softball, six years of basketball, four years of volleyball, two years of cheerleading, and occassional/seasonal tennis.
The sports are easy to put value on. There's the simple cost for joining, always cheeper for city league than school and travel sports of course. Uniforms and trophies threw in a couple hundred. The most expensive was by far high school cheerleading. The athletic gives little to nothing to our sponsorship and so every uniform, pompom, weather gear, bag, sweat suit, t-shirt, and camp came directly from pocket. Fundraisors were there, but little is made from a car wash with donation pay and our kiddie camp money was even stolen from us my junior year. Through two years, I easily surpassed the point of fifteen hundred dollars. Practice is all day every day. If you're not physically playing the sport, you're probably going over plays and strategies in your head. Most sports, in the simplest of definitions, take at least four to five days a week, but there's really no such thing as a 'day off.' So time is definitely a huge choice and dedication to sacrifice.
However, with age, things changed. My competitive manor, diligent attitude, and flat out obssession with success transferred to more than just sports. School became a constant competition with my siblings. My mother has always been extremely tight on school expectations and failure or even below average were not accepted in my household. Excuses were never accepted. Every 'B' was "only (so) many points from an 'A.'" I also wanted to always be involved in clubs and committees. Basically anything I did had to be top notch or got scratched and redone. My obssessive compulsion was relunctant to join in and help out at a young age. Art projects always took twice as long compared to other students and any diagram "sketched" in my notes had far too much detail. The complusion to succeed can be placed in any situation at all in my life and that's exactly where I put it. It went into sports, grades, hobbies, college applications, job searches, road tests, board games, and so the list continues. I became thrilled by the idea of taking someone's doubt in me and transforming it into surprise and pride. I think the greatest word anyone can use to me in praise is "impressed." That right there is success.
A lot of kids despise their parents for all the pressure and expectations, but I don't. Sure, at some times, it was aggravating and heart breaking. No one enjoys feeling less than adequate or not good enough. Everyone finds a little joy in being exceptional. Without their push, I wouldn't have my competitive outlook. Yes, it may be inconvenient when friends want to "play for fun," but mostly it just gives me the nudge I need to push on and give all that I have and not take less than I deserve. Motivation to exceed in life is the best you can have in my opinion, and it's even something that I pine for when searching for a 'significant other.' No, I will not sit lazily all day and accept not accomplishing something each and every day. I don't need a first place trophy every day, but it can just be a simple task of getting what needs to be done accomplished. I could never accept someone who is okay with not succeding in school, not succeding in the work force, and not furthering their education and economic status. It's the way I was raised and the way that I will raise my children. My name is Kasey Blair Nixon. I am motivated to succeed, and I will.
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