I Respect Myself When I Try—Because Trying Is What Truly Matters
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had days where “trying” felt like the most unglamorous thing in the world. Everyone seems to celebrate the person who crossed the finish line, not the one who kept stumbling on the track. Social media doesn’t exactly hand out trophies for people who said, “Well, at least I tried.” And yet, I’ve come to realize something: I feel the most self-respect not when I’ve achieved perfection, but when I’m genuinely trying. That moment when I decide, “I’ll give it my best shot”—even if the world yawns and looks away—that’s when I know I’m honoring myself. Why Trying Deserves More Credit Than It Gets We live in a culture obsessed with outcomes. Promotions, gold medals, six-pack abs—pick your poison. The message is clear: results are everything. Effort? Cute, but come back when you’ve got a trophy. But here’s the problem with that logic: life doesn’t always hand out neat, measurable rewards. You can work hard, prepare thoroughly, and still not land the ...
