Heroes in my life

“If you never fall, you don’t know what getting up is like.” That is a famous quote from one of my many heroes, Stephen Curry. So, what really is a hero? Heroes are not defined by the size of their strength but by the passion of their heart. A hero does not stay back and relax in his comfort zone, but they go the extra mile and persevere to get the job done. For me, a hero is someone who is sacrificial, someone who is relentless, and someone who is competent; heroes - just like Curry- realize how failing is a way to make you stronger.

The first trait that heroes bear is relentlessness. This trait means that they never stop fighting until they get the job done. Just like sharks, these heroes know to never stop until they “catch their fish.” The first person that I think that holds this trait, is Michael Jordan. He was determined to be the best that he could be; he would stay thirty minutes after practice and constantly shoot free-throws to improve his game. He became one of the best of all time because of the hard and grueling work he put in almost every day. He made it into the hall of fame and set records like 10 NBA scoring titles. Moreover, I feel that firemen and first responders, are relentless because they are determined to save people’s lives even when that means sacrificing theirs. They will work as hard as they have to rescue or improve people's lives. On September 11th, +343 firefighters died trying to save peoples’ lives. Even when they realized they were going to die, they did not give up and tried to save at least one more person. Together with, I feel that Tiger Woods displays relentlessness. He has never given up even in his hardest times and is determined to win. He has given it all, he has to win and improve his game. He once said, “No matter how good you get, you can always get better.” He will tell himself that even when he is having a good day so it keeps his mental drive going. These heroes express this valuable trait to make their and other people’s lives better.

The second import trait that heroes carry is the willingness to sacrifice possessions of their own. The first person that I believe carries this trait, is Harriet Tubman. She sacrifices all her time and energy to save slaves through the underground railroad, and she does not get more than a, “thank you.” Sadly, she is not known by many people in this day in age. Likewise, I feel the people who fight for our country are some of the most sacrificial people there are. They sacrifice a lot more than just time; they will sacrifice energy and are willing to sacrifice their lives to guard our country. The effort they put in to helping our country is drastic. Finally, I believe that my parents are some of the biggest sacrificers in my life. They will spend all of their time just trying to make their kids’ lives better. They put in all their time in effort to make us happy and do what's best for us. All the sweat they put in helping our crazy family helps me realize how self-sacrificing they are. My dad has spent countless hours taking me to tennis and paying for my lessons. If more people would start becoming heroes like these, it would make the world a more humble, better place.

The final trait that heroes occupy is competency. This trait means that heroes just have the ability and knowledge to do something successfully. This trait can apply to many successful people (some that I have already mentioned) but I feel that a special athlete that really possesses this trait is Michael Phelps. He has been the most successful swimmer of all time with a total of 28 Olympic medals. He has set many records and knows how to be successful; his bird-like body with a huge wingspan can only set him up for success. Equally, I feel that police display this trait very well. They know the intense and exhilarating feeling of catching the criminal and they know what disciplined work is like. Furthermore, I feel that Roger Federer really shows this trait. Roger is a pro tennis player that can be known as the best of all time. He has won 20 titles and set many records. Just like Phelps, he knows what the standards of winning are. He knows the hard work you have put in to win; he even quoted, “There is no way around hard work. Embrace it. You have to put in the hours because there’s always something which you can improve. ” These were the heroes in my life that demonstrate this character trait.

The traits possessed by these heroes are impacting the world in various ways. Even being a hero in a neighborhood can make the world a better place. The journey always has to start somewhere. You can display heroism in many different ways but its your character that really expresses your inner hero. The way to hold this heroic title is you have to be sacrificial, you have to be relentless, and you have to be competent. The concept of heroism really inspired me to try do helpful work wherever I go even if no one knows I did it. If there were more heroes in this world -- it would be a better place.