Inner Strength: The Building Block of The Individual

Marie Curie once said “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and, above all, confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” This quote is the basis of inner strength, and the qualities which it exhibits. Inner strength is, in my definition, the ability to follow through on decisions, to have substantial willpower, and to know what you want, and have the perseverance to be able to do what you need to do get it. There are many individual qualities that make up the idea of inner strength. Some of which are; consistency, bravery, and self-confidence. These particular three are what I have chosen to focus on in this paper.

Consistency is the ability to maintain a standard or repeat a task with little variation. It is a vital component of inner strength because without it, some of the other qualities you might have are unhelpful as if you lack consistency you cannot efficiently or effectively achieve a goal. In “I Am Offering this Poem” by Jimmy Santiago Baca, he is very consistent and repetitive, saying “I love you” after every paragraph in an attempt to relay to the reader how much he loves them. I apply consistency in my own life in many ways, one of which being asking my girlfriend for brownies, which she always says yes to because she loves me. I am also consistent in my video game scores, winning nearly every time I participate in a race.

Bravery is displaying courage in the face of danger. Some people misinterpret this as a lack of fear when in reality it is facing your fears. It is also an aid in the ability to persevere when things get hard. Bravery is an important part of inner strength because when you face your fears and conquer them, you grow as an individual and are not afraid anymore. If you never faced your fears and never exhibited bravery it would prevent you from experiences and potential growth. In the movie 42, Jackie Robinson was a great example of a brave person, because although he was constantly harassed and put down, he always stood up for himself and persevered. He did not stand down from the people in his way even though he was scared. The first time I went on a roller coaster I was terrified, but I was brave and faced my fear, and ended up liking roller coasters (except ones that go upside down).

Self-confidence is best defined as an assurance in yourself and your abilities. It is something many individuals struggle with. It is an important quality of inner strength because it makes you more comfortable with doing things that can enhance your life such as joining the school play, or talking in front of others. In the poem “Life for My Child Is Simple, and Is Good” by Gwendolyn Brooks, she says “Not that success, for him, is sure, infallible, but never has he been afraid to reach.” This quote is explaining that he had confidence in himself and was not fearful of reaching, although success was not guaranteed. I displayed self-confidence when I asked out my girlfriend. I was scared at first, when I asked her, but in the end I got her, so being confident in myself worked out pretty well.

In conclusion, inner strength is the inherent undercover motivator, with its most notable characteristics being self-confidence, bravery, and consistency. Inner strength is what gives you the ability to make and follow through on decisions, to persevere, and to get things done and feel good about yourself. Without it, people would not have the ability to advance in life. Everyone would be at a stalemate. I believe inner strength is what makes some people go on when others give up. I believe this strength is at the core of successful people. As stated in the title, inner strength is the building block of the individual and even if you do not currently possess these qualities, you can gain them, or work at making one better, which will in turn better yourself.

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