Halie Wetherington Columnist
There are two things in life you can control all the time, attitude and effort. Coach Mac, from Madison County Central School, taught me that years ago and it has stuck with me ever since. Attitude and effort are two factors that are wholeheartedly controlled by one person, and we choose whether or not we let other people or events affect them. Recently, I have found myself getting angry when being around someone who gives little effort, whether that be on the field or in everyday life. But someone else's effort level or actions do not need to affect the way I go about something. Softball and my hardworking mother have both instilled the idea of giving 110 percent with whatever task I take part in, ensuring that the effort is always there. To go along with that, learning that this life is a privilege played a large role in my having a positive attitude, rather than taking things for granted and being negative about events in life.
Even though we are meant to control only what we can control, we are human and that is a very difficult task. Going to college, I realized that most people were not raised the same way I was. My family is great, but they were tough on me, and everything that I received I had to earn, whether that be money, tangible objects, or my scholarship. I also was not born with the natural athletic ability that some people have, and had to work very hard at softball to even be considered average. That being said, it was somewhat of a culture shock when I came in contact with my new group over in the Florida panhandle. A lot of them are wealthy. Most of them never had to worry about much financially and some have never even had a job. In some cases, this type of upbringing translated to the field and to some people's effort levels. Here is where I would get angry, because I did not understand how some players and students expected everything to be handed to them without giving a lot of effort. I had several conversations with my parents and my friends with similar upbringings about the difference one's home life can make in everyday life.
With that being said, the point of controlling what only we can control gets reiterated. It is easy to get caught up in what other people are doing and lose focus of your own goals. Keeping your own attitude and effort in mind can help you stay the course on what you want to achieve. Remember that the next time you come in contact with someone or something that may not perform the way you think they should.