Keep Moving Forward

FIRST PLACE (11TH & 12TH GRADES) Salam School, 12th Grade

Continual progress and development is a part of human nature. As time has passed by, humans have never stopped innovating and becoming smarter and more efficient. Discoveries and commonalities in the world today would have been considered witchcraft in previous centuries. All the people in history who have had the courage to break down walls and do what was previously thought as impossible have gone down as legends. Their legacies are still brought to attention today. What separated these humans was no matter the obstacles of their time, they continued to move forward and break barriers. MLK was one of these people, as he encountered many obstacles in his dream to eliminate racism. MLK preached that no matter the challenge, continuing to move forward and progress day by day, will eventually get you closer to achieving what you were meant to achieve and become.

Complacency is a major issue overcoming many people today. They are satisfied with their position in life and what they have accomplished, so they stop setting goals. They stop their journey of continual self-improvement and settle down believing that they have done everything they can do. Humans are special in that there is no limit as to what we are capable of. Every person has strengths and weaknesses, but what people do not ever realize is that your weaknesses make you stronger. What is meant by this is by expanding on your weaknesses and turning them into strengths, your weaknesses are making you stronger. They are giving you a point where you can work and improve. This is why MLK preached that continuous improvement, even if small, should be a staple in everyday life.

Falling in love with the process is what will give you the motivation to always set new goals. In reality, by achieving your goals you will feel nothing but a dopamine release and then you are back to normal. Achieving your goals is not what make you feel fulfilled, but rather it is the feeling of constantly improving yourself. That small dopamine release that is happening every time you get what you have been working for will only make you want to set new goals and work for something else. That constant chase for self-improvement and complete self-awareness is what will give you purpose and the drive to reach new heights.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was one the greatest leaders in recent history and the impact he has had still reaches our youth today. His mission and vision inspires many and shows that absolutely nothing is impossible. His message for constant improvement is some of the best advice you can give someone. To keep moving forward is to continually remind yourself that you can do anything you set your mind to. This constant drive and push for greatness is how we as a society will improve our circumstances and make life better for everyone.