K.+SAT+Essay

** English 11 2B ** ** 5/7/2011 **   **__ SAT ESSAY __**
 * Patrick Wittle **
 * Prompt: Is it best for people to accept who they are and what they have, or should people always strive to better themselves? **


 * This is almost an offensive statement. It certainly does not make sense. People should always strive to better themselves, because they can become an inspiration to others, contribute to the good beyond themselves and simply be a better person. **
 * There are numerous accounts of people who have overcome hardships and disabilities, but the life of Helen Keller immediately comes to mind when I read the prompt statement. Here was a woman who was deaf and blind all her life from an illness as an infant. Talk about disabilities. I am sure Helen, her parents and her teacher, Anne Sullivan, thought numerous times about quitting the efforts to teach Helen how to communicate, and let Helen accept her handicaps as insurmountable barriers to making herself a better person. Here is a lady that couldn’t see or hear, but completed college, wrote several books, traveled the world, became a famous speaker and advised many Presidents on programs for the disabled. If what Helen Keller had to overcome is not an inspiration to every individual, then those not inspired by Helen Keller’s story are probably not impressed by much of anything. **
 * Improving and bettering oneself goes beyond just making the individual a better person. It also has the capacity to benefit the world around the individual. There is no limit on how much one can improve. Success is an infinite quality. When one betters themselves, it has a multiplier effect and spreads. When individuals strive to better themselves, they better society and the world at the same time. I not only benefit from my own efforts to better myself. I also benefit from the efforts of everyone around me who strive to better themselves. In fact, it is logical that every day I benefit in some small or large measure from others that I never will meet and living in other parts of the world simply through their efforts to better themselves. An example is the relationship between teachers and students. If my teachers strive to better themselves, I am going to get a better education. **
 * Probably the best reason for one to strive to become better is simply for themselves. The person you will spend the most time throughout your life is yourself. Striving to become better, you will have a greater opportunity to enjoy the company of yourself. Life will have more enjoyment and purpose. One will have the satisfaction of knowing they are better today than they were yesterday. One will also have the satisfaction of knowing that possibly through their endeavors to become better individuals, others will benefit. Probably one of the best ways to pursue individual happiness is for one to strive to become a better person. **
 * I cannot image what mankind would be like today, if individuals over the millions of years had not been individually motivated to improve themselves. People should always strive to better themselves, because they can become an inspiration to others, contribute to the good beyond themselves and simply be a better person. There will always be those who will use self improvement for bad purposes. Those self improvements, however, lead to self destruction and produce no benefits. Individuals that strive to better themselves will generally realize their success brings a greater good and happiness to them and others. Everyone should endeavor to be better today than they were yesterday and know they have the opportunity to be better tomorrow. **