This was what nightmares were made of. I stood in front of a panel of judges, petrified by their piercing stares. They were expecting a speech, and I was too, but the words were lost in another dimension. I stood frozen in place, yet trembling all the same time. I was competing in my first public speaking competition. I was also failing miserably. Needless to say, the memory is still burned in my brain. Never before have I experienced a failure so degrading, so miserable. On the other hand though, no experience has brought me down since. As an individual, I am not the type of person to back down after falling short of success. Those are the experiences that make me passionate about my endeavors. After my first attempt at public speaking, I was faced with a choice: Remain defeated? Or try again?
Only a few short months after my nightmare experience, I signed up to compete once again. I took my place in front of the judges and felt a familiar terror throughout my entire frame. I took a breath. I began to speak. The words came, and I did what I was not able to do before. While floating out of the awards ceremony later that day, first-place certificate in hand, I had an epiphany. I discovered how crucial it was to experience the lowest of lows, the failures, in order to feel the truest joys associated with success. My experience has been a metaphor for my life. I have and always will seek out lofty goals, aware of failure, but relentless in the pursuit of success. My public speaking experience has been my most outstanding accomplishment because I received more than a just a certificate. I received a courage inseparable with my diligence, and that is what dreams are made of.