“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.”

As a competitive ballroom dancer as well as a teenage girl about to begin high school, I feel this quote applies to my life in many ways. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that in order to be the best you have to push yourself to your limits.

After seven years of competing in ballroom dance, I’ve learned the hard way that the secret to success is to never give up and to persevere no matter how hard it may seem at the time. Before Nationals in 2012, my success in competitions wasn’t consistent. Many times I was lazy and didn’t put in the effort that was necessary in order to achieve my goals. But when I heard about Nationals, I decided to become more determined and reach my full potential. The results of putting in that “little extra” were outstanding. We won first place out of hundreds of dancers! Since that moment, I have always put 110% into what I do.

Another way I have applied this quote to my life is in schoolwork. Before this year, my grades weren’t great. I got B’s and C’s on most of my assignments and assessments. While my grades still aren’t perfect, deciding to become more focused and working harder has improved my grades dramatically and all together made me a better student with better study habits.

Most of the time, working hard at something can seem like an impossible task. But what most people don’t realize is that the only thing standing in the way of them reaching their goals is themselves. Usually only a tiny bit of extra effort is actually needed to go from an ordinary person to an extraordinary person.