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Eight brilliant student essays on what matters most in life.

Read winning essays from our spring 2019 student writing contest.

For the spring 2019 student writing contest, we invited students to read the YES! article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age” by Nancy Hill. Like the author, students interviewed someone significantly older than them about the three things that matter most in life. Students then wrote about what they learned, and about how their interviewees’ answers compare to their own top priorities.

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these eight were chosen as winners. Be sure to read the author’s response to the essay winners and the literary gems that caught our eye. Plus, we share an essay from teacher Charles Sanderson, who also responded to the writing prompt.

Middle School Winner: Rory Leyva

High School Winner:  Praethong Klomsum

University Winner:  Emily Greenbaum

Powerful Voice Winner: Amanda Schwaben

Powerful Voice Winner: Antonia Mills

Powerful Voice Winner:  Isaac Ziemba

Powerful Voice Winner: Lily Hersch

“Tell It Like It Is” Interview Winner: Jonas Buckner

From the Author: Response to Student Winners

Literary Gems

From A Teacher: Charles Sanderson

From the Author: Response to Charles Sanderson

Middle School Winner

Village Home Education Resource Center, Portland, Ore.

The Lessons Of Mortality 

“As I’ve aged, things that are more personal to me have become somewhat less important. Perhaps I’ve become less self-centered with the awareness of mortality, how short one person’s life is.” This is how my 72-year-old grandma believes her values have changed over the course of her life. Even though I am only 12 years old, I know my life won’t last forever, and someday I, too, will reflect on my past decisions. We were all born to exist and eventually die, so we have evolved to value things in the context of mortality.

One of the ways I feel most alive is when I play roller derby. I started playing for the Rose City Rollers Juniors two years ago, and this year, I made the Rosebud All-Stars travel team. Roller derby is a fast-paced, full-contact sport. The physicality and intense training make me feel in control of and present in my body.

My roller derby team is like a second family to me. Adolescence is complicated. We understand each other in ways no one else can. I love my friends more than I love almost anything else. My family would have been higher on my list a few years ago, but as I’ve aged it has been important to make my own social connections.

Music led me to roller derby.  I started out jam skating at the roller rink. Jam skating is all about feeling the music. It integrates gymnastics, breakdancing, figure skating, and modern dance with R & B and hip hop music. When I was younger, I once lay down in the DJ booth at the roller rink and was lulled to sleep by the drawl of wheels rolling in rhythm and people talking about the things they came there to escape. Sometimes, I go up on the roof of my house at night to listen to music and feel the wind rustle my hair. These unique sensations make me feel safe like nothing else ever has.

My grandma tells me, “Being close with family and friends is the most important thing because I haven’t

always had that.” When my grandma was two years old, her father died. Her mother became depressed and moved around a lot, which made it hard for my grandma to make friends. Once my grandma went to college, she made lots of friends. She met my grandfather, Joaquin Leyva when she was working as a park ranger and he was a surfer. They bought two acres of land on the edge of a redwood forest and had a son and a daughter. My grandma created a stable family that was missing throughout her early life.

My grandma is motivated to maintain good health so she can be there for her family. I can relate because I have to be fit and strong for my team. Since she lost my grandfather to cancer, she realizes how lucky she is to have a functional body and no life-threatening illnesses. My grandma tries to eat well and exercise, but she still struggles with depression. Over time, she has learned that reaching out to others is essential to her emotional wellbeing.  

Caring for the earth is also a priority for my grandma I’ve been lucky to learn from my grandma. She’s taught me how to hunt for fossils in the desert and find shells on the beach. Although my grandma grew up with no access to the wilderness, she admired the green open areas of urban cemeteries. In college, she studied geology and hiked in the High Sierras. For years, she’s been an advocate for conserving wildlife habitat and open spaces.

Our priorities may seem different, but it all comes down to basic human needs. We all desire a purpose, strive to be happy, and need to be loved. Like Nancy Hill says in the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” it can be hard to decipher what is important in life. I believe that the constant search for satisfaction and meaning is the only thing everyone has in common. We all want to know what matters, and we walk around this confusing world trying to find it. The lessons I’ve learned from my grandma about forging connections, caring for my body, and getting out in the world inspire me to live my life my way before it’s gone.

Rory Leyva is a seventh-grader from Portland, Oregon. Rory skates for the Rosebuds All-Stars roller derby team. She loves listening to music and hanging out with her friends.

High School Winner

Praethong Klomsum

  Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, Calif.

Time Only Moves Forward

Sandra Hernandez gazed at the tiny house while her mother’s gentle hands caressed her shoulders. It wasn’t much, especially for a family of five. This was 1960, she was 17, and her family had just moved to Culver City.

Flash forward to 2019. Sandra sits in a rocking chair, knitting a blanket for her latest grandchild, in the same living room. Sandra remembers working hard to feed her eight children. She took many different jobs before settling behind the cash register at a Japanese restaurant called Magos. “It was a struggle, and my husband Augustine, was planning to join the military at that time, too.”

In the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” author Nancy Hill states that one of the most important things is “…connecting with others in general, but in particular with those who have lived long lives.” Sandra feels similarly. It’s been hard for Sandra to keep in contact with her family, which leaves her downhearted some days. “It’s important to maintain that connection you have with your family, not just next-door neighbors you talk to once a month.”

Despite her age, Sandra is a daring woman. Taking risks is important to her, and she’ll try anything—from skydiving to hiking. Sandra has some regrets from the past, but nowadays, she doesn’t wonder about the “would have, could have, should haves.” She just goes for it with a smile.

Sandra thought harder about her last important thing, the blue and green blanket now finished and covering

her lap. “I’ve definitely lived a longer life than most, and maybe this is just wishful thinking, but I hope I can see the day my great-grandchildren are born.” She’s laughing, but her eyes look beyond what’s in front of her. Maybe she is reminiscing about the day she held her son for the first time or thinking of her grandchildren becoming parents. I thank her for her time and she waves it off, offering me a styrofoam cup of lemonade before I head for the bus station.

The bus is sparsely filled. A voice in my head reminds me to finish my 10-page history research paper before spring break. I take a window seat and pull out my phone and earbuds. My playlist is already on shuffle, and I push away thoughts of that dreaded paper. Music has been a constant in my life—from singing my lungs out in kindergarten to Barbie’s “I Need To Know,” to jamming out to Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” in sixth grade, to BTS’s “Intro: Never Mind” comforting me when I’m at my lowest. Music is my magic shop, a place where I can trade away my fears for calm.

I’ve always been afraid of doing something wrong—not finishing my homework or getting a C when I can do better. When I was 8, I wanted to be like the big kids. As I got older, I realized that I had exchanged my childhood longing for the 48 pack of crayons for bigger problems, balancing grades, a social life, and mental stability—all at once. I’m going to get older whether I like it or not, so there’s no point forcing myself to grow up faster.  I’m learning to live in the moment.

The bus is approaching my apartment, where I know my comfy bed and a home-cooked meal from my mom are waiting. My mom is hard-working, confident, and very stubborn. I admire her strength of character. She always keeps me in line, even through my rebellious phases.

My best friend sends me a text—an update on how broken her laptop is. She is annoying. She says the stupidest things and loves to state the obvious. Despite this, she never fails to make me laugh until my cheeks feel numb. The rest of my friends are like that too—loud, talkative, and always brightening my day. Even friends I stopped talking to have a place in my heart. Recently, I’ve tried to reconnect with some of them. This interview was possible because a close friend from sixth grade offered to introduce me to Sandra, her grandmother.  

I’m decades younger than Sandra, so my view of what’s important isn’t as broad as hers, but we share similar values, with friends and family at the top. I have a feeling that when Sandra was my age, she used to love music, too. Maybe in a few decades, when I’m sitting in my rocking chair, drawing in my sketchbook, I’ll remember this article and think back fondly to the days when life was simple.

Praethong Klomsum is a tenth-grader at Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California.  Praethong has a strange affinity for rhyme games and is involved in her school’s dance team. She enjoys drawing and writing, hoping to impact people willing to listen to her thoughts and ideas.

University Winner

Emily Greenbaum

Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 

The Life-Long War

Every morning we open our eyes, ready for a new day. Some immediately turn to their phones and social media. Others work out or do yoga. For a certain person, a deep breath and the morning sun ground him. He hears the clink-clank of his wife cooking low sodium meat for breakfast—doctor’s orders! He sees that the other side of the bed is already made, the dogs are no longer in the room, and his clothes are set out nicely on the loveseat.

Today, though, this man wakes up to something different: faded cream walls and jello. This person, my hero, is Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James.

I pulled up my chair close to Roger’s vinyl recliner so I could hear him above the noise of the beeping dialysis machine. I noticed Roger would occasionally glance at his wife Susan with sparkly eyes when he would recall memories of the war or their grandkids. He looked at Susan like she walked on water.

Roger James served his country for thirty years. Now, he has enlisted in another type of war. He suffers from a rare blood cancer—the result of the wars he fought in. Roger has good and bad days. He says, “The good outweighs the bad, so I have to be grateful for what I have on those good days.”

When Roger retired, he never thought the effects of the war would reach him. The once shallow wrinkles upon his face become deeper, as he tells me, “It’s just cancer. Others are suffering from far worse. I know I’ll make it.”

Like Nancy Hill did in her article “Three Things that Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I asked Roger, “What are the three most important things to you?” James answered, “My wife Susan, my grandkids, and church.”

Roger and Susan served together in the Vietnam war. She was a nurse who treated his cuts and scrapes one day. I asked Roger why he chose Susan. He said, “Susan told me to look at her while she cleaned me up. ‘This may sting, but don’t be a baby.’ When I looked into her eyes, I felt like she was looking into my soul, and I didn’t want her to leave. She gave me this sense of home. Every day I wake up, she makes me feel the same way, and I fall in love with her all over again.”

Roger and Susan have two kids and four grandkids, with great-grandchildren on the way. He claims that his grandkids give him the youth that he feels slowly escaping from his body. This adoring grandfather is energized by coaching t-ball and playing evening card games with the grandkids.

The last thing on his list was church. His oldest daughter married a pastor. Together they founded a church. Roger said that the connection between his faith and family is important to him because it gave him a reason to want to live again. I learned from Roger that when you’re across the ocean, you tend to lose sight of why you are fighting. When Roger returned, he didn’t have the will to live. Most days were a struggle, adapting back into a society that lacked empathy for the injuries, pain, and psychological trauma carried by returning soldiers. Church changed that for Roger and gave him a sense of purpose.

When I began this project, my attitude was to just get the assignment done. I never thought I could view Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James as more than a role model, but he definitely changed my mind. It’s as if Roger magically lit a fire inside of me and showed me where one’s true passions should lie. I see our similarities and embrace our differences. We both value family and our own connections to home—his home being church and mine being where I can breathe the easiest.

Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James has shown me how to appreciate what I have around me and that every once in a while, I should step back and stop to smell the roses. As we concluded the interview, amidst squeaky clogs and the stale smell of bleach and bedpans, I looked to Roger, his kind, tired eyes, and weathered skin, with a deeper sense of admiration, knowing that his values still run true, no matter what he faces.

Emily Greenbaum is a senior at Kent State University, graduating with a major in Conflict Management and minor in Geography. Emily hopes to use her major to facilitate better conversations, while she works in the Washington, D.C. area.  

Powerful Voice Winner

Amanda Schwaben

Wise Words From Winnie the Pooh

As I read through Nancy Hill’s article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I was comforted by the similar responses given by both children and older adults. The emphasis participants placed on family, social connections, and love was not only heartwarming but hopeful. While the messages in the article filled me with warmth, I felt a twinge of guilt building within me. As a twenty-one-year-old college student weeks from graduation, I honestly don’t think much about the most important things in life. But if I was asked, I would most likely say family, friendship, and love. As much as I hate to admit it, I often find myself obsessing over achieving a successful career and finding a way to “save the world.”

A few weeks ago, I was at my family home watching the new Winnie the Pooh movie Christopher Robin with my mom and younger sister. Well, I wasn’t really watching. I had my laptop in front of me, and I was aggressively typing up an assignment. Halfway through the movie, I realized I left my laptop charger in my car. I walked outside into the brisk March air. Instinctively, I looked up. The sky was perfectly clear, revealing a beautiful array of stars. When my twin sister and I were in high school, we would always take a moment to look up at the sparkling night sky before we came into the house after soccer practice.

I think that was the last time I stood in my driveway and gazed at the stars. I did not get the laptop charger from

my car; instead, I turned around and went back inside. I shut my laptop and watched the rest of the movie. My twin sister loves Winnie the Pooh. So much so that my parents got her a stuffed animal version of him for Christmas. While I thought he was adorable and a token of my childhood, I did not really understand her obsession. However, it was clear to me after watching the movie. Winnie the Pooh certainly had it figured out. He believed that the simple things in life were the most important: love, friendship, and having fun.

I thought about asking my mom right then what the three most important things were to her, but I decided not to. I just wanted to be in the moment. I didn’t want to be doing homework. It was a beautiful thing to just sit there and be present with my mom and sister.

I did ask her, though, a couple of weeks later. Her response was simple.  All she said was family, health, and happiness. When she told me this, I imagined Winnie the Pooh smiling. I think he would be proud of that answer.

I was not surprised by my mom’s reply. It suited her perfectly. I wonder if we relearn what is most important when we grow older—that the pressure to be successful subsides. Could it be that valuing family, health, and happiness is what ends up saving the world?

Amanda Schwaben is a graduating senior from Kent State University with a major in Applied Conflict Management. Amanda also has minors in Psychology and Interpersonal Communication. She hopes to further her education and focus on how museums not only preserve history but also promote peace.

Antonia Mills

Rachel Carson High School, Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Decoding The Butterfly

For a caterpillar to become a butterfly, it must first digest itself. The caterpillar, overwhelmed by accumulating tissue, splits its skin open to form its protective shell, the chrysalis, and later becomes the pretty butterfly we all know and love. There are approximately 20,000 species of butterflies, and just as every species is different, so is the life of every butterfly. No matter how long and hard a caterpillar has strived to become the colorful and vibrant butterfly that we marvel at on a warm spring day, it does not live a long life. A butterfly can live for a year, six months, two weeks, and even as little as twenty-four hours.

I have often wondered if butterflies live long enough to be blissful of blue skies. Do they take time to feast upon the sweet nectar they crave, midst their hustling life of pollinating pretty flowers? Do they ever take a lull in their itineraries, or are they always rushing towards completing their four-stage metamorphosis? Has anyone asked the butterfly, “Who are you?” instead of “What are you”? Or, How did you get here, on my windowsill?  How did you become ‘you’?

Humans are similar to butterflies. As a caterpillar

Suzanna Ruby/Getty Images

becomes a butterfly, a baby becomes an elder. As a butterfly soars through summer skies, an elder watches summer skies turn into cold winter nights and back toward summer skies yet again.  And as a butterfly flits slowly by the porch light, a passerby makes assumptions about the wrinkled, slow-moving elder, who is sturdier than he appears. These creatures are not seen for who they are—who they were—because people have “better things to do” or they are too busy to ask, “How are you”?

Our world can be a lonely place. Pressured by expectations, haunted by dreams, overpowered by weakness, and drowned out by lofty goals, we tend to forget ourselves—and others. Rather than hang onto the strands of our diminishing sanity, we might benefit from listening to our elders. Many elders have experienced setbacks in their young lives. Overcoming hardship and surviving to old age is wisdom that they carry.  We can learn from them—and can even make their day by taking the time to hear their stories.  

Nancy Hill, who wrote the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” was right: “We live among such remarkable people, yet few know their stories.” I know a lot about my grandmother’s life, and it isn’t as serene as my own. My grandmother, Liza, who cooks every day, bakes bread on holidays for our neighbors, brings gifts to her doctor out of the kindness of her heart, and makes conversation with neighbors even though she is isn’t fluent in English—Russian is her first language—has struggled all her life. Her mother, Anna, a single parent, had tuberculosis, and even though she had an inviolable spirit, she was too frail to care for four children. She passed away when my grandmother was sixteen, so my grandmother and her siblings spent most of their childhood in an orphanage. My grandmother got married at nineteen to my grandfather, Pinhas. He was a man who loved her more than he loved himself and was a godsend to every person he met. Liza was—and still is—always quick to do what was best for others, even if that person treated her poorly. My grandmother has lived with physical pain all her life, yet she pushed herself to climb heights that she wasn’t ready for. Against all odds, she has lived to tell her story to people who are willing to listen. And I always am.

I asked my grandmother, “What are three things most important to you?” Her answer was one that I already expected: One, for everyone to live long healthy lives. Two, for you to graduate from college. Three, for you to always remember that I love you.

What may be basic to you means the world to my grandmother. She just wants what she never had the chance to experience: a healthy life, an education, and the chance to express love to the people she values. The three things that matter most to her may be so simple and ordinary to outsiders, but to her, it is so much more. And who could take that away?

Antonia Mills was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and attends Rachel Carson High School.  Antonia enjoys creative activities, including writing, painting, reading, and baking. She hopes to pursue culinary arts professionally in the future. One of her favorite quotes is, “When you start seeing your worth, you’ll find it harder to stay around people who don’t.” -Emily S.P.  

  Powerful Voice Winner

   Isaac Ziemba

Odyssey Multiage Program, Bainbridge Island, Wash. 

This Former State Trooper Has His Priorities Straight: Family, Climate Change, and Integrity

I have a personal connection to people who served in the military and first responders. My uncle is a first responder on the island I live on, and my dad retired from the Navy. That was what made a man named Glen Tyrell, a state trooper for 25 years, 2 months and 9 days, my first choice to interview about what three things matter in life. In the YES! Magazine article “The Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I learned that old and young people have a great deal in common. I know that’s true because Glen and I care about a lot of the same things.

For Glen, family is at the top of his list of important things. “My wife was, and is, always there for me. My daughters mean the world to me, too, but Penny is my partner,” Glen said. I can understand why Glen’s wife is so important to him. She’s family. Family will always be there for you.

Glen loves his family, and so do I with all my heart. My dad especially means the world to me. He is my top supporter and tells me that if I need help, just “say the word.” When we are fishing or crabbing, sometimes I

think, what if these times were erased from my memory? I wouldn’t be able to describe the horrible feeling that would rush through my mind, and I’m sure that Glen would feel the same about his wife.

My uncle once told me that the world is always going to change over time. It’s what the world has turned out to be that worries me. Both Glen and I are extremely concerned about climate change and the effect that rising temperatures have on animals and their habitats. We’re driving them to extinction. Some people might say, “So what? Animals don’t pay taxes or do any of the things we do.” What we are doing to them is like the Black Death times 100.

Glen is also frustrated by how much plastic we use and where it ends up. He would be shocked that an explorer recently dived to the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean—seven miles!— and discovered a plastic bag and candy wrappers. Glen told me that, unfortunately, his generation did the damage and my generation is here to fix it. We need to take better care of Earth because if we don’t, we, as a species, will have failed.

Both Glen and I care deeply for our families and the earth, but for our third important value, I chose education and Glen chose integrity. My education is super important to me because without it, I would be a blank slate. I wouldn’t know how to figure out problems. I wouldn’t be able to tell right from wrong. I wouldn’t understand the Bill of Rights. I would be stuck. Everyone should be able to go to school, no matter where they’re from or who they are.  It makes me angry and sad to think that some people, especially girls, get shot because they are trying to go to school. I understand how lucky I am.

Integrity is sacred to Glen—I could tell by the serious tone of Glen’s voice when he told me that integrity was the code he lived by as a former state trooper. He knew that he had the power to change a person’s life, and he was committed to not abusing that power.  When Glen put someone under arrest—and my uncle says the same—his judgment and integrity were paramount. “Either you’re right or you’re wrong.” You can’t judge a person by what you think, you can only judge a person from what you know.”

I learned many things about Glen and what’s important in life, but there is one thing that stands out—something Glen always does and does well. Glen helps people. He did it as a state trooper, and he does it in our school, where he works on construction projects. Glen told me that he believes that our most powerful tools are writing and listening to others. I think those tools are important, too, but I also believe there are other tools to help solve many of our problems and create a better future: to be compassionate, to create caring relationships, and to help others. Just like Glen Tyrell does each and every day.

Isaac Ziemba is in seventh grade at the Odyssey Multiage Program on a small island called Bainbridge near Seattle, Washington. Isaac’s favorite subject in school is history because he has always been interested in how the past affects the future. In his spare time, you can find Isaac hunting for crab with his Dad, looking for artifacts around his house with his metal detector, and having fun with his younger cousin, Conner.     

Lily Hersch

 The Crest Academy, Salida, Colo.

The Phone Call

Dear Grandpa,

In my short span of life—12 years so far—you’ve taught me a lot of important life lessons that I’ll always have with me. Some of the values I talk about in this writing I’ve learned from you.

Dedicated to my Gramps.

In the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” author and photographer Nancy Hill asked people to name the three things that mattered most to them. After reading the essay prompt for the article, I immediately knew who I wanted to interview: my grandpa Gil.      

My grandpa was born on January 25, 1942. He lived in a minuscule tenement in The Bronx with his mother,

father, and brother. His father wasn’t around much, and, when he was, he was reticent and would snap occasionally, revealing his constrained mental pain. My grandpa says this happened because my great grandfather did not have a father figure in his life. His mother was a classy, sharp lady who was the head secretary at a local police district station. My grandpa and his brother Larry did not care for each other. Gramps said he was very close to his mother, and Larry wasn’t. Perhaps Larry was envious for what he didn’t have.

Decades after little to no communication with his brother, my grandpa decided to spontaneously visit him in Florida, where he resided with his wife. Larry was taken aback at the sudden reappearance of his brother and told him to leave. Since then, the two brothers have not been in contact. My grandpa doesn’t even know if Larry is alive.         

My grandpa is now a retired lawyer, married to my wonderful grandma, and living in a pretty house with an ugly dog named BoBo.

So, what’s important to you, Gramps?

He paused a second, then replied, “Family, kindness, and empathy.”

“Family, because it’s my family. It’s important to stay connected with your family. My brother, father, and I never connected in the way I wished, and sometimes I contemplated what could’ve happened.  But you can’t change the past. So, that’s why family’s important to me.”

Family will always be on my “Top Three Most Important Things” list, too. I can’t imagine not having my older brother, Zeke, or my grandma in my life. I wonder how other kids feel about their families? How do kids trapped and separated from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border feel?  What about orphans? Too many questions, too few answers.

“Kindness, because growing up and not seeing a lot of kindness made me realize how important it is to have that in the world. Kindness makes the world go round.”

What is kindness? Helping my brother, Eli, who has Down syndrome, get ready in the morning? Telling people what they need to hear, rather than what they want to hear? Maybe, for now, I’ll put wisdom, not kindness, on my list.

“Empathy, because of all the killings and shootings [in this country.] We also need to care for people—people who are not living in as good circumstances as I have. Donald Trump and other people I’ve met have no empathy. Empathy is very important.”

Empathy is something I’ve felt my whole life. It’ll always be important to me like it is important to my grandpa. My grandpa shows his empathy when he works with disabled children. Once he took a disabled child to a Christina Aguilera concert because that child was too young to go by himself. The moments I feel the most empathy are when Eli gets those looks from people. Seeing Eli wonder why people stare at him like he’s a freak makes me sad, and annoyed that they have the audacity to stare.

After this 2 minute and 36-second phone call, my grandpa has helped me define what’s most important to me at this time in my life: family, wisdom, and empathy. Although these things are important now, I realize they can change and most likely will.

When I’m an old woman, I envision myself scrambling through a stack of storage boxes and finding this paper. Perhaps after reading words from my 12-year-old self, I’ll ask myself “What’s important to me?”

Lily Hersch is a sixth-grader at Crest Academy in Salida, Colorado. Lily is an avid indoorsman, finding joy in competitive spelling, art, and of course, writing. She does not like Swiss cheese.

  “Tell It Like It Is” Interview Winner

Jonas Buckner

KIPP: Gaston College Preparatory, Gaston, N.C.

Lessons My Nana Taught Me

I walked into the house. In the other room, I heard my cousin screaming at his game. There were a lot of Pioneer Woman dishes everywhere. The room had the television on max volume. The fan in the other room was on. I didn’t know it yet, but I was about to learn something powerful.

I was in my Nana’s house, and when I walked in, she said, “Hey Monkey Butt.”

I said, “Hey Nana.”

Before the interview, I was talking to her about what I was gonna interview her on. Also, I had asked her why I might have wanted to interview her, and she responded with, “Because you love me, and I love you too.”

Now, it was time to start the interview. The first

question I asked was the main and most important question ever: “What three things matter most to you and you only?”

She thought of it very thoughtfully and responded with, “My grandchildren, my children, and my health.”

Then, I said, “OK, can you please tell me more about your health?”

She responded with, “My health is bad right now. I have heart problems, blood sugar, and that’s about it.” When she said it, she looked at me and smiled because she loved me and was happy I chose her to interview.

I replied with, “K um, why is it important to you?”

She smiled and said, “Why is it…Why is my health important? Well, because I want to live a long time and see my grandchildren grow up.”

I was scared when she said that, but she still smiled. I was so happy, and then I said, “Has your health always been important to you.”

She responded with “Nah.”

Then, I asked, “Do you happen to have a story to help me understand your reasoning?”

She said, “No, not really.”

Now we were getting into the next set of questions. I said, “Remember how you said that your grandchildren matter to you? Can you please tell me why they matter to you?”

Then, she responded with, “So I can spend time with them, play with them, and everything.”

Next, I asked the same question I did before: “Have you always loved your grandchildren?” 

She responded with, “Yes, they have always been important to me.”

Then, the next two questions I asked she had no response to at all. She was very happy until I asked, “Why do your children matter most to you?”

She had a frown on and responded, “My daughter Tammy died a long time ago.”

Then, at this point, the other questions were answered the same as the other ones. When I left to go home I was thinking about how her answers were similar to mine. She said health, and I care about my health a lot, and I didn’t say, but I wanted to. She also didn’t have answers for the last two questions on each thing, and I was like that too.

The lesson I learned was that no matter what, always keep pushing because even though my aunt or my Nana’s daughter died, she kept on pushing and loving everyone. I also learned that everything should matter to us. Once again, I chose to interview my Nana because she matters to me, and I know when she was younger she had a lot of things happen to her, so I wanted to know what she would say. The point I’m trying to make is that be grateful for what you have and what you have done in life.

Jonas Buckner is a sixth-grader at KIPP: Gaston College Preparatory in Gaston, North Carolina. Jonas’ favorite activities are drawing, writing, math, piano, and playing AltSpace VR. He found his passion for writing in fourth grade when he wrote a quick autobiography. Jonas hopes to become a horror writer someday.

From The Author: Responses to Student Winners

Dear Emily, Isaac, Antonia, Rory, Praethong, Amanda, Lily, and Jonas,

Your thought-provoking essays sent my head spinning. The more I read, the more impressed I was with the depth of thought, beauty of expression, and originality. It left me wondering just how to capture all of my reactions in a single letter. After multiple false starts, I’ve landed on this: I will stick to the theme of three most important things.

The three things I found most inspirational about your essays:

You listened.

You connected.

We live in troubled times. Tensions mount between countries, cultures, genders, religious beliefs, and generations. If we fail to find a way to understand each other, to see similarities between us, the future will be fraught with increased hostility.

You all took critical steps toward connecting with someone who might not value the same things you do by asking a person who is generations older than you what matters to them. Then, you listened to their answers. You saw connections between what is important to them and what is important to you. Many of you noted similarities, others wondered if your own list of the three most important things would change as you go through life. You all saw the validity of the responses you received and looked for reasons why your interviewees have come to value what they have.

It is through these things—asking, listening, and connecting—that we can begin to bridge the differences in experiences and beliefs that are currently dividing us.

Individual observations

Each one of you made observations that all of us, regardless of age or experience, would do well to keep in mind. I chose one quote from each person and trust those reading your essays will discover more valuable insights.

“Our priorities may seem different, but they come back to basic human needs. We all desire a purpose, strive to be happy, and work to make a positive impact.” 

“You can’t judge a person by what you think , you can only judge a person by what you know .”

Emily (referencing your interviewee, who is battling cancer):

“Master Chief Petty Officer James has shown me how to appreciate what I have around me.”

Lily (quoting your grandfather):

“Kindness makes the world go round.”

“Everything should matter to us.”

Praethong (quoting your interviewee, Sandra, on the importance of family):

“It’s important to always maintain that connection you have with each other, your family, not just next-door neighbors you talk to once a month.”

“I wonder if maybe we relearn what is most important when we grow older. That the pressure to be successful subsides and that valuing family, health, and happiness is what ends up saving the world.”

“Listen to what others have to say. Listen to the people who have already experienced hardship. You will learn from them and you can even make their day by giving them a chance to voice their thoughts.”

I end this letter to you with the hope that you never stop asking others what is most important to them and that you to continue to take time to reflect on what matters most to you…and why. May you never stop asking, listening, and connecting with others, especially those who may seem to be unlike you. Keep writing, and keep sharing your thoughts and observations with others, for your ideas are awe-inspiring.

I also want to thank the more than 1,000 students who submitted essays. Together, by sharing what’s important to us with others, especially those who may believe or act differently, we can fill the world with joy, peace, beauty, and love.

We received many outstanding essays for the Winter 2019 Student Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye:

Whether it is a painting on a milky canvas with watercolors or pasting photos onto a scrapbook with her granddaughters, it is always a piece of artwork to her. She values the things in life that keep her in the moment, while still exploring things she may not have initially thought would bring her joy.

—Ondine Grant-Krasno, Immaculate Heart Middle School, Los Angeles, Calif.

“Ganas”… It means “desire” in Spanish. My ganas is fueled by my family’s belief in me. I cannot and will not fail them. 

—Adan Rios, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

I hope when I grow up I can have the love for my kids like my grandma has for her kids. She makes being a mother even more of a beautiful thing than it already is.

—Ashley Shaw, Columbus City Prep School for Girls, Grove City, Ohio

You become a collage of little pieces of your friends and family. They also encourage you to be the best you can be. They lift you up onto the seat of your bike, they give you the first push, and they don’t hesitate to remind you that everything will be alright when you fall off and scrape your knee.

— Cecilia Stanton, Bellafonte Area Middle School, Bellafonte, Pa.

Without good friends, I wouldn’t know what I would do to endure the brutal machine of public education.

—Kenneth Jenkins, Garrison Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.

My dog, as ridiculous as it may seem, is a beautiful example of what we all should aspire to be. We should live in the moment, not stress, and make it our goal to lift someone’s spirits, even just a little.

—Kate Garland, Immaculate Heart Middle School, Los Angeles, Calif. 

I strongly hope that every child can spare more time to accompany their elderly parents when they are struggling, and moving forward, and give them more care and patience. so as to truly achieve the goal of “you accompany me to grow up, and I will accompany you to grow old.”

—Taiyi Li, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

I have three cats, and they are my brothers and sisters. We share a special bond that I think would not be possible if they were human. Since they do not speak English, we have to find other ways to connect, and I think that those other ways can be more powerful than language.

—Maya Dombroskie, Delta Program Middle School, Boulsburg, Pa.

We are made to love and be loved. To have joy and be relational. As a member of the loneliest generation in possibly all of history, I feel keenly aware of the need for relationships and authentic connection. That is why I decided to talk to my grandmother.

—Luke Steinkamp, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

After interviewing my grandma and writing my paper, I realized that as we grow older, the things that are important to us don’t change, what changes is why those things are important to us.

—Emily Giffer, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.

The media works to marginalize elders, often isolating them and their stories, and the wealth of knowledge that comes with their additional years of lived experiences. It also undermines the depth of children’s curiosity and capacity to learn and understand. When the worlds of elders and children collide, a classroom opens.

—Cristina Reitano, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.

My values, although similar to my dad, only looked the same in the sense that a shadow is similar to the object it was cast on.

—Timofey Lisenskiy, Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, Calif.

I can release my anger through writing without having to take it out on someone. I can escape and be a different person; it feels good not to be myself for a while. I can make up my own characters, so I can be someone different every day, and I think that’s pretty cool.

—Jasua Carillo, Wellness, Business, and Sports School, Woodburn, Ore. 

Notice how all the important things in his life are people: the people who he loves and who love him back. This is because “people are more important than things like money or possessions, and families are treasures,” says grandpa Pat. And I couldn’t agree more.

—Brody Hartley, Garrison Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.  

Curiosity for other people’s stories could be what is needed to save the world.

—Noah Smith, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

Peace to me is a calm lake without a ripple in sight. It’s a starry night with a gentle breeze that pillows upon your face. It’s the absence of arguments, fighting, or war. It’s when egos stop working against each other and finally begin working with each other. Peace is free from fear, anxiety, and depression. To me, peace is an important ingredient in the recipe of life.

—JP Bogan, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

From A Teacher

Charles Sanderson

Wellness, Business and Sports School, Woodburn, Ore. 

The Birthday Gift

I’ve known Jodelle for years, watching her grow from a quiet and timid twelve-year-old to a young woman who just returned from India, where she played Kabaddi, a kind of rugby meets Red Rover.

One of my core beliefs as an educator is to show up for the things that matter to kids, so I go to their games, watch their plays, and eat the strawberry jam they make for the county fair. On this occasion, I met Jodelle at a robotics competition to watch her little sister Abby compete. Think Nerd Paradise: more hats made from traffic cones than Golden State Warrior ball caps, more unicorn capes than Nike swooshes, more fanny packs with Legos than clutches with eyeliner.

We started chatting as the crowd chanted and waved six-foot flags for teams like Mystic Biscuits, Shrek, and everyone’s nemesis The Mean Machine. Apparently, when it’s time for lunch at a robotics competition, they don’t mess around. The once-packed gym was left to Jodelle and me, and we kept talking and talking. I eventually asked her about the three things that matter to her most.

She told me about her mom, her sister, and her addiction—to horses. I’ve read enough of her writing to know that horses were her drug of choice and her mom and sister were her support network.

I learned about her desire to become a teacher and how hours at the barn with her horse, Heart, recharge her when she’s exhausted. At one point, our rambling conversation turned to a topic I’ve known far too well—her father.

Later that evening, I received an email from Jodelle, and she had a lot to say. One line really struck me: “In so many movies, I have seen a dad wanting to protect his daughter from the world, but I’ve only understood the scene cognitively. Yesterday, I felt it.”

Long ago, I decided that I would never be a dad. I had seen movies with fathers and daughters, and for me, those movies might as well have been Star Wars, ET, or Alien—worlds filled with creatures I’d never know. However, over the years, I’ve attended Jodelle’s parent-teacher conferences, gone to her graduation, and driven hours to watch her ride Heart at horse shows. Simply, I showed up. I listened. I supported.

Jodelle shared a series of dad poems, as well. I had read the first two poems in their original form when Jodelle was my student. The revised versions revealed new graphic details of her past. The third poem, however, was something entirely different.

She called the poems my early birthday present. When I read the lines “You are my father figure/Who I look up to/Without being looked down on,” I froze for an instant and had to reread the lines. After fifty years of consciously deciding not to be a dad, I was seen as one—and it felt incredible. Jodelle’s poem and recognition were two of the best presents I’ve ever received.

I  know that I was the language arts teacher that Jodelle needed at the time, but her poem revealed things I never knew I taught her: “My father figure/ Who taught me/ That listening is for observing the world/ That listening is for learning/Not obeying/Writing is for connecting/Healing with others.”

Teaching is often a thankless job, one that frequently brings more stress and anxiety than joy and hope. Stress erodes my patience. Anxiety curtails my ability to enter each interaction with every student with the grace they deserve. However, my time with Jodelle reminds me of the importance of leaning in and listening.

In the article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age” by Nancy Hill, she illuminates how we “live among such remarkable people, yet few know their stories.” For the last twenty years, I’ve had the privilege to work with countless of these “remarkable people,” and I’ve done my best to listen, and, in so doing, I hope my students will realize what I’ve known for a long time; their voices matter and deserve to be heard, but the voices of their tias and abuelitos and babushkas are equally important. When we take the time to listen, I believe we do more than affirm the humanity of others; we affirm our own as well.

Charles Sanderson has grounded his nineteen-year teaching career in a philosophy he describes as “Mirror, Window, Bridge.” Charles seeks to ensure all students see themselves, see others, and begin to learn the skills to build bridges of empathy, affinity, and understanding between communities and cultures that may seem vastly different. He proudly teaches at the Wellness, Business and Sports School in Woodburn, Oregon, a school and community that brings him joy and hope on a daily basis.

From   The Author: Response to Charles Sanderson

Dear Charles Sanderson,

Thank you for submitting an essay of your own in addition to encouraging your students to participate in YES! Magazine’s essay contest.

Your essay focused not on what is important to you, but rather on what is important to one of your students. You took what mattered to her to heart, acting upon it by going beyond the school day and creating a connection that has helped fill a huge gap in her life. Your efforts will affect her far beyond her years in school. It is clear that your involvement with this student is far from the only time you have gone beyond the classroom, and while you are not seeking personal acknowledgment, I cannot help but applaud you.

In an ideal world, every teacher, every adult, would show the same interest in our children and adolescents that you do. By taking the time to listen to what is important to our youth, we can help them grow into compassionate, caring adults, capable of making our world a better place.

Your concerted efforts to guide our youth to success not only as students but also as human beings is commendable. May others be inspired by your insights, concerns, and actions. You define excellence in teaching.

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The internet can be a dark and, quite often, violent place for women — many of whom are subjected to trolling, harassment, and threats on a daily basis. But it can also be a truly wonderful place, one that provides free access to news, educational resources, entertainment, communication, and wealth of incredible writing — including these empowering essays by women you can read online right now . Written by Cecile Richards, Lindy West, Lady Gaga, and more, these essays are filled with inspiration and wisdom to guide you through your day.

For female readers, the online world can sometimes feel like a minefield, one that is littered with destructive words meant to tear women down or shut them up. But for famous authors and writers, beloved celebrities, and popular athletes, it can also serve as the perfect platform to share their empowering stories, which often include plenty of inspirational anecdotes and practical advice that makes the whole mess of the internet worth it.

Whether you’re looking for a bit of guidance in your own life, or hoping to inspire your friends with some sage advice from more experienced women, here are nine empowering essays you can read for free online right now .

"The Most Daring Women Don’t Always Make Headlines" by Cecile Richards

"Today, women across this country are doing her proud. The earth is shifting under the force of millions of women standing up for themselves, for each other, for their daughters and their mothers and sisters," writes the former president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund Cecile Richards in her inspiring piece about women and activism for Harper's Bazaar . "Women are no longer asking for permission. They’re just diving in and taking risks. They know we can’t afford to sit this one out."

Read the full essay here .

"Rebranding Motherhood" by Diksha Basu

"If anything, so far being a mother feels quite delightfully self-indulgent. I have a daughter in whom I can constantly look for and find little bits of myself or, better yet, improved bits of myself," writes Windfall author Dikashu Basu in a moving essay for The New York Times about redefining motherhood. "Recently a construction worker called out to me on the street in Lower Manhattan and I got my angry anti-catcalling face ready to respond but he very respectfully said, 'You have a beautiful daughter, ma’am.' My vanity now has two bodies within which to reside — the sacrifice looks more like narcissism from certain angles."

Read the full essay here.

"This Is Survival" by Aly Raisman

In a heartbreaking but incredibly powerful essay for The Players' Tribune , American gymnast Aly Raisman opens up about her experience with sexual abuse, and offers some words of encouragement to anyone else who has gone through the same thing. "I am not a victim. I am a survivor. The abuse does not define me, or anyone else who has been abused. This does not define the millions of those who’ve suffered sexual abuse," the two-time Olympian writes. "They are not victims, either. They are survivors. They are strong, they are brave, they are changing things so the next generation never has to go through what they did."

"What I Learned at War" by Tammy Duckworth

Senator Tammy Duckworth has often spoken out about her time serving in the U.S. army, including in this persuasive essay about the price of war and what it can teach us that she wrote for Politico. "That day, I lost both of my legs, but I was given a second chance at life," she writes, recounting her experience fighting in the Iraq War. "It’s a feeling that has helped to drive me in my second chance at service—no one should be left behind, and every American deserves another chance."

"The 'Perfect Body' Is a Lie. I Believed It For a Long Time and Let It Shrink My Life" by Lindy West

If you have read Lindy West's memoir Shrill , you know that she has a lot of incredibly insightful things to say fat acceptance and body positivity. In an essay for The Guardian, she shares some of them, saying "The 'perfect body' is a lie. I believed in it for a long time, and I let it shape my life, and shrink it – my real life, populated by my real body. Don’t let fiction tell you what to do. In the omnidirectional orgy gardens of Vlaxnoid, no one cares about your arm flab."

"Bring It On" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

The first Muslim American to medal in the Olympics, fencing champion Ibtihaj Muhammad opened up about what it is like to compete in an sport where so few people look like her. "One day, during a fifteen-hour flight to a training camp in Beijing, I arrived at a moment where I said enough is enough — I’d spent years fighting for every win, every opportunity, every ounce of respect on my path to becoming an Olympian, and I was no longer going to allow other people to affect how I perceived myself or restrict what I was capable of," she writes in Lenny Letter. "When people stared me down at a tournament, I didn’t know if it was a race thing or a religious thing or that they weren’t ready for change, but I finally realized: Why was that burden on me to figure out? I didn’t have the time to acquire their baggage or analyze why anyone wanted to make me feel inferior. I had a job to do on that team, and that job was winning a medal."

"Why It's So Important That CEOs Like Me Speak Out Against Trump" by Reshma Saujani

In an essay about corporate responsibility in the age of Trump by Reshma Saujani, the Girls Who Code founder and CEO reminds readers that individuals have a lot of power to enact change. "But if every American has the power to sway a CEO," she argues in a piece for Teen Vogue, "then every American quite literally has a chance to sway public opinion, to shape the way we talk and think and act on our values system — to change the way we treat our fellow Americans and those who come here seeking a better life for their families."

"Ava DuVernay on How to 'Pivot Towards Positivity' in Trying Times" by Ava DuVernay

There are few creatives as wise, or as giving when it comes to advice, as A Wrinkle in Time director Ava DuVernay. "These days I’m a lot less competitive, a lot less concerned about what other people do. I’m much more focused on the things that make me happy," she writes in an inspirational essay for InStyle. "I believe that good comes when you put out good, and so I just try to emanate joyful vibes. Why not? I’m not going to spend my day hating on someone else. I’ve got so many better and more joy-filled things to do."

"Portrait of a Lady" by Lady Gaga

In her 2016 essay on being a woman in the modern world, Lady Gaga opens up and offers a truly refreshing and inspiring perspective. "Being a lady today means being a fighter. It means being a survivor," she writes. "It means letting yourself be vulnerable and acknowledging your shame or that you're sad or you're angry. It takes great strength to do that."

Passion doesn’t always come easily. Discover your inner drive and find your true purpose in life.

From learning how to be your best self to navigating life’s everyday challenges.

Discover peace within today’s chaos. Take a moment to notice what’s happening now.

Gain inspiration from the lives of celebrities. Explore their stories for motivation and insight into achieving your dreams.

Where ordinary people become extraordinary, inspiring us all to make a difference.

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From being a better partner to interacting with a coworker, learn how to deepen your connections.

Take a look at the latest diet and exercise trends coming out. So while you're working hard, you're also working smart.

Sleep may be the most powerful tool in our well-being arsenal. So why is it so difficult?

Challenges can stem from distractions, lack of focus, or unclear goals. These strategies can help overcome daily obstacles.

Unlocking your creativity can help every aspect of your life, from innovation to problem-solving to personal growth.

How do you view wealth? Learn new insights, tools and strategies for a better relationship with your money.

100 Powerful Motivational Quotes to Help You Rise Above

100 motivational and inspiratinal quotes about life and success to help you conquer lifes challenges..

Every member of the human race knows that life can present difficult challenges, often taking all the fun out of our day to day lives. To overcome these obstacles there are a lot of good strategies you can employ, and very often the answer lies within. 

One great way to dig deep and overcome your difficulties is to get motivated! You may need motivation for work, home life, or simply to gain the extra positive energy necessary to develop success and get through the week. 

Enjoy the inspirational quotes below, and remember that the only limit to achieving our desires is one of imagination! Create your own happy life by filling it with purpose, and you can achieve excellence and fulfill your own dreams and your own life plan on your terms.

Motivational Quotes: Information to Inspire Your Life

There Is No Greater Thing You Can Do With Your Life And Your Work Than Follow Your Passions – In A Way That Serves The World And You. RICHARD BRANSON (more Richard Branson quotes)

Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it. ROALD DAHL

If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one. DOLLY PARTON

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. HELEN KELLER

Life is a series of baby steps along the way and if you add up these tiny little steps you take toward your goal, whatever it is, whether it's giving up something, a terrible addiction or trying to work your way through an illness. HODA KOTB

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. OPRAH WINFREY (more Oprah Winfrey quotes)

To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone. REBA MCENTIRE

Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking: “What’s in it for me?” BRIAN TRACY

The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams. OPRAH WINFREY

As soon as something stops being fun, I think it’s time to move on. Life is too short to be unhappy. Waking up stressed and miserable is not a good way to live. RICHARD BRANSON

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, '"What are you doing for others?""

Martin luther king, jr. (more martin luther king, jr. quotes), "i've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why i succeed.", michael jordan, "nothing can dim the light that shines from within.", maya angelou, "it's not what we have in life but who we have in our life that matters.", margaret laurence, "embrace the glorious mess that you are.", elizabeth gilbert, "sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.", "when one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.", helen keller, "life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how i react to it.", charles swindoll, "don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.", robert louis stevenson, "without passion, you don’t have energy. without energy, you have nothing.", warren buffett (more warren buffett quotes), "it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. if you think about that, you’ll do things differently.", warren buffett, "remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.", dale carnegie, work for that feeling that you have accomplished something…don’t waste your time on this earth without making a mark., "life is not fair, get used to it", "the only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.", ralph waldo emerson, "live for each second without hesitation.", we define ourselves far too often by our past failures. that’s not you. you are this person right now. you’re the person who has learned from those failures., "you don’t need to be better than anyone else, you just need to be better than you used to be.", success quotes to inspire and help you overcome roadblocks.

For some, there is only one motivation that they need, and that’s providing for their family. For others (like Elon Musk, for example) motivation can be harder to come by - especially if your goal is to move the human race forward and onto Mars!. 

Everyone feels like quitting at some point, and no one has all the answers. And even though it can be tempting to get under the blanket and shut out the world sometimes, quitting won’t make the challenges go away. If you give zero effort, you’ll have exactly the same number of chances at getting what you want.

Use these motivational quotes for work, for your personal life, and for anything that requires that extra boost of motivation.

When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favour. ELON MUSK (more Elon Musk quotes)

Talent is god-given. Be humble. Fame is Man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful. JOHN WOODEN

Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose. WAYNE DYER

The Pessimist Sees Difficulty In Every Opportunity. The Optimist Sees Opportunity In Every Difficulty. WINSTON CHURCHILL (more Winston Churchill quotes)

If you can tune into your purpose and really align with it, setting goals so that your vision is an expression of that purpose, then life flows much more easily. JACK CANFIELD

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. NAPOLEON HILL (more Napoleon Hill quotes)

A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided. TONY ROBBINS (more Tony Robbins quotes)

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. HENRY DAVID THOREAU

By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands – your own. MARK VICTOR HANSEN

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. JOHN LENNON

You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it. CHARLES BUXTON

You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your life; at some point, you have to unleash the potential and make your move. ERIC THOMAS

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. CALVIN COOLIDGE

There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure. PAULO COELHO

Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine. ROY T. BENNETT

The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do. SWATI SHARMA

You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind. DALE CARNEGIE

I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. JIMMY DEAN

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I’m possible'! AUDREY HEPBURN

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. HENRY FORD

Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear. GEORGE ADDAIR

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. NORMAN VINCENT PEALE

If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you. LES BROWN

Someone else’s success does not equal a failure for you. JOE ROGAN

Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. WINSTON S. CHURCHILL

Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value. ALBERT EINSTEIN

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. STEVE JOBS

Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. ALICE WALKER

You have to see failure as the beginning and the middle, but never entertain it as an end. JESSICA HERRIN, FOUNDER AND CEO OF STELLA & DOT

Inspirational Quotes About Persevering Through Difficulty: From Albert Einstein to Babe Ruth

It may be just an opinion, but a so-called “minimum wage work ethic” will not get you want you want (or deserve!). Use the following handpicked motivational quotes to inspire you to not give up, but rather, to come through the other side and emerge as a winner!

I like criticism. It makes you strong. LEBRON JAMES

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. ALBERT EINSTEIN

Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about. WINSTON CHURCHILL

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. THOMAS EDISON

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. ARISTOTLE ONASSIS

It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up. VINCE LOMBARDI

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. HENRY FORD

If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. VINCENT VAN GOGH

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. CONFUCIUS

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. C.S. LEWIS

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

It always seems impossible until it’s done. NELSON MANDELA

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. NELSON MANDELA

Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed. BOB RILEY

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. MAHATMA GANDHI

You’re going to go through tough times – that’s life. But I say, ‘Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.’ See the positive in negative events. JOEL OSTEEN

Every problem is a gift –- without problems we would not grow. TONY ROBBINS

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did. MARK TWAIN (more Mark Twain quotes)

Believe you can and you’re halfway there. THEODORE ROOSEVELT

It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens. That’s how change occurs. JILLIAN MICHAELS

The man who says he can, and the man who says he can’t are both correct. CONFUCIUS

Never give up. You only get one life. Go for it! RICHARD E. GRANT

You just can’t beat the person who never gives up. BABE RUTH

If you can’t, you must. If you must, you can. TONY ROBBINS

It is never too late to be what you might have been. GEORGE ELIOT

You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over. RICHARD BRANSON

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. ROBERT F. KENNEDY

Motivational Quotes for Women - From Eleanor Roosevelt to Lady Gaga

We all look forward to strong, successful and independent women. But have you ever wondered how they managed to become strong and successful? 

Here are some motivational quotes about success for you to achieve your ambitious goals from some of the most impressive women throughout history.

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. MAYA ANGELOU (more Maya Angelou quotes)

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. MARGARET MEAD (more Margaret Mead quotes)

Life imposes things on you that you can’t control, but you still have the choice of how you’re going to live through this. CELINE DION

Do all the good you can, for all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as long as you can. HILLARY CLINTON

Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. HARRIET BEECHER STOWE

I've always been famous, it's just no one knew it yet. LADY GAGA (more Lady Gaga quotes)

Any actress who appears in public without being well-groomed is digging her own grave. JOAN CRAWFORD

Fame is not the glory! Virtue is the goal, and fame only a messenger, to bring more to the fold. VANNA BONTA

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. HELEN KELLER

My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent. RUTH BADER GINSBERG

Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and enjoying it for everything that it is. MANDY HALE

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

Without an open-minded mind, you can never be a great success. MARTHA STEWART

If you do things well, do them better. Be daring, be first, be different, be just. ANITA RODDICK

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. AMELIA EARHART

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. MAYA ANGELOU

Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it the more natural it becomes to not let my fears run me. ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain. VIVIAN GREENE

Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going. CHANTAL SUTHERLAND

We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. BARBARA DE ANGELIS

I may be kindly, I am ordinarily gentle, but in my line of business I am obliged to will terribly what I will at all. CATHERINE THE GREAT

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform. DIANE MARIECHILD

Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. CHARLOTTE WHITTON

I want to do is because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others. AMELIA EARHART

Some women choose to follow men, and some choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore. LADY GAGA

Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country. MARGARET THATCHER (more Margaret Thatcher quotes)

Motivational Quotes for Business 

Starting a business is tough, but if you want to change the world and make money while you’re at it, you might need some inspirational quotes and motivational quotes to get you going. You can not only plan to be a success, you can plan to succeed beyond your wildest dreams! Who knows – you could be the next Steve Jobs! Let these quotes for business inspire you, remind you of why you started in the first place, and get you out of your comfort zone.

Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along. GEORGE HERBERT

You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. ZIG ZIGLAR

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure. HELLEN KELLER

Play by the rules, but be ferocious. PHIL KNIGHT

Every problem is a gift—without problems we would not grow. ANTHONY ROBBINS

You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong. WARREN BUFFETT

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. HENRY DAVID THOREAU

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ANAÏS NIN

Don’t settle for what life gives you; make life better and build something. ASHTON KUTCHER

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover. MARK TWAIN

Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you. GEORGE WHITEFIELD

When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you’ll find a way to get it. JIM ROHN

Fortune always favours the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself. P. T. BARNUM

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. THOMAS A. EDISON

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. DALE CARNEGIE

When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there. ZIG ZIGLAR

Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. PELE

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. HELEN KELLER

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. WINSTON CHURCHILL

I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. STEPHEN COVEY

The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same. COLIN R. DAVIS

Opportunities don't happen. You create them. CHRIS GROSSER

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. HERMAN MELVILLE

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. MICHAEL JORDAN

Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming. RICHARD BRANSON

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure. COLIN POWELL

The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. VIDAL SASSOON

There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them. SETH GODIN

Motivational Quotes for College Students - Quotes About Life in School and Beyond

Being a college student is stressful. After all, preparing for the real world is not an easy job! We can all use a little bit of help getting through, so check out these motivational quotes about life to keep you resilient.

A winner is a dreamer who never gives up. NELSON MANDELA

Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough. OG MANDINO

It never gets easier. You just get better. JORDAN HOECHLIN

The true success is the person who invented himself. AL GOLDSTEIN

All progress takes place outside the comfort zone. MICHAEL JOHN BOBAK

Make the most of yourself….for that is all there is of you. RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement. W. CLEMENT STONE

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune, but great minds rise above them. WASHINGTON IRVING

Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. THEODORE N. VAIL

With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world. Dalai Lama

Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle. CHRISTIAN D. LARSON

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. WALT DISNEY

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. CONFUCIUS

Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better. JIM ROHN

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did. MARK TWAIN

Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. JOSHUA MARINE

Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now. DENIS WAITLEY

College is the reward for surviving high school. JUDD APATOW

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. MALCOLM X

Every year, many, many stupid people graduate from college. And if they can do it, so can you. JOHN GREEN

Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest when you haven't planted. DAVID BLY

College inspired me to think differently. It's like no other time in your life. LARA OLEYNIK

Motivational Quotes from Celebrities

Everyone looks for a little wisdom and inspiration now and then, even celebrities. Here are some of the top motivational quotes from celebrities to push you forward on your journey to success. Allow these inspirational quotes to fill your mind with clarity and purpose, straight from Hollywood.

You never really learn much from hearing yourself speak. GEORGE CLOONEY

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. LUCILLE BALL

Don't give it five minutes if you're not going to give it five years. MEGHAN MARKLE​

Every day is not a success. Every year is not a success. You have to celebrate the good. REESE WITHERSPOON

Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable. COCO CHANEL

I refuse to accept other people’s ideas of happiness for me. As if there’s a ‘one size fits all’ standard for happiness. KANYE WEST

Life is being on the wire, everything else is just waiting. KARL WALLENDA

Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing. DENIS WAITLEY

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default. J.K. ROWLING

When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important. ELLEN DEGENERES  

Stick around. Don’t lose your heart, just keep going, keep at it. MARK RUFFALO

I'd rather be called a boy and play with paper airplanes than be called a man and play with a girl's heart. NIALL HORAN

I don’t like to share my personal life… it wouldn’t be personal if I shared it. GEORGE CLOONEY

The image is one thing and the human being is another. It's very hard to live up to an image, put it that way. ELVIS PRESLEY

I've always been famous, it's just no one knew it yet. LADY GAGA

Your imperfections make you beautiful, they make you who you are. So just be yourself, love yourself for who you are and just keep going. DEMI LOVATO

No matter how talented you are, not everybody is going to like you. But that’s life, just stay strong. JUSTIN BIEBER

Don’t feel stupid if you don’t like what everyone else pretends to love. EMMA WATSON

If you can do what you do best and be happy, you are further along in life than most people. LEONARDO DICAPRIO

Ignore the naysayers. Really the only option is, head down and focus on the job. CHRIS PINE

I’ve learned it’s important not to limit yourself. You can do whatever you really love to do, no matter what it is. RYAN GOSLING

I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself. EMMA STONE

I’m a big believer in accepting yourself and not really worrying about it. JENNIFER LAWRENCE

I don’t do things for the response or the controversy. I just live my life. RIHANNA

Motivational Quotes for Entrepreneurs

Planting a sapling and starting your own business are similar in terms of growth. First, you need to invest money and time. Then, gently taking care of your new project, you must build with no expectations in return. During the entrepreneurial journey, you may require constant motivation. 

Here is a collection of motivational quotes for entrepreneurs to help you keep the fires burning bright. Hopefully, these inspirational quotes will help you so that you never lose the passion you need to succeed.

I never dreamed about success. I worked for it. ESTÉE LAUDER

Don’t let others convince you that the idea is good when your gut tells you it’s bad. KEVIN ROSE, CO-FOUNDED DIGG

Think big and don’t listen to people who tell you it can’t be done. Life is too short to think small. TIM FERRISS

I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite. G.K. CHESTERTON

I don’t know the word ‘quit.’ Either I never did, or I have abolished it. SUSAN BUTCHER

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. THEODORE ROOSEVELT

If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time. STEVE JOBS

Almost everything worthwhile carries with it some sort of risk, whether it’s starting a new business, whether it’s leaving home, whether it’s getting married, or whether it’s flying into space. CHRIS HADFIELD

Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. WILL RODGERS

The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere. BARACK OBAMA

Winners never quit and quitters never win. VINCE LOMBARDI

The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell. ANDREW CARNEGIE

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. WALT DISNEY

Success depends on employees. For me knowing and connecting with my employees is very important. DIVINE NDHLUKULA, FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF DDNS SECURITY OPERATIONS LTD

Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. JAMIE PAOLINETTI

Do not focus on numbers. Focus on doing what you do best. It’s about building a community who want to visit your site every day because you create value and offer expertise. CASSEY HO, FOUNDER OF BLOGILATES.COM

In the age of transparency, honesty, and generosity, even in the form of an apology, generate goodwill. ALEXANDER ASSEILY, FOUNDER OF JAWBONE

If you know too much before the start, then you will get overwhelmed. Come up with an original idea, and don’t copy because there will be no passion. You need that otherworldly passion. Just start. JENI BRITTON BAUER

Don’t try to do everything by yourself, but try to connect with people and resources. Having that discipline and perseverance is really important. CHIEU CAO

It’s necessary to find a mentor who can invest time to know your personal capabilities and business model. NIGEL DAVIES, FOUNDER OF CLAROMENTIS

Don’t get distracted. Never tell yourself that you need to be the biggest brand in the whole world. Start by working on what you need at the present moment and then what you need to do tomorrow. So, set yourself manageable targets. JAS BAGNIEWSKI, CO-FOUNDER OF EVE SLEEP

You have to get good at ceding control and not taking things personally. Even seasoned entrepreneurs have struggled with that. I think it’s about not taking failures personally and also not taking successes personally. LEILA JANAH, FOUNDER OF SAMASOURCE AND LXMI

Your ability to attract, evaluate, and forge strong working relationships with co-founders, early employees, and investors often mean the difference between failure and success. CLARA SHIH, CO-FOUNDER OF HEARSAY SYSTEMS

My advice is to focus on the importance of forging a long-term relationship, whether with colleagues, partners, or customers. It is often easy to get caught up in short-term decisions. SHEILA LIRIO MARCELO, FOUNDER OF CARE.COM

If you’re starting something on your own, you better have a passion for it, because this is hard work. SALLIE KRAWCHECK, CO-FOUNDER OF ELLEVEST

Be nicer to your customers than your competitors. RICHARD REED, CO-FOUNDER OF INNOCENT DRINKS

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Challenges in College , Getting Into College , Going Back to College , Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

Inspirational College Application Essay Decoded!

Updated: July 11, 2022

Published: October 29, 2021

If you are applying to a college that requires a college application essay, you will undoubtedly want your college essay to leave a lasting impression on its readers. 

Many colleges request a college application essay; some colleges will provide prospective students with the topic they want you to write about, while others will leave the choice up to you.  

So, how do you write an inspirational essay? There’s no single right way to source college essay inspiration, but there are some recommendations that we’ve compiled here to help you along with your process. 

What is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement, or college application essay, is an opportunity to share something about yourself through writing that the college admissions team won’t necessarily glean from your resume , transcript, or letters of recommendation. 

It provides applicants with the space to share more about their personality and complement the other pieces of your application to offer a well-rounded picture of who you are. 

Things to Note 

Before you get started on your college essay, there are some important things to keep in mind . You’ll likely have been spending a lot of time compiling all the other components for your application, which may include transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, letters of recommendation, and more. 

When it comes time to write your personal statement, be sure to:

Read the Directions Closely

Many prospective students and enrolled students will note that their college essay was the most challenging aspect of completing their college application. This is because it requires the most thought, time, and can also be somewhat open-ended. As such, it’s vital that students read the college essay guidelines and directions closely. In itself, the college essay is like a test for college admissions committees to see how well you can follow directions. 

Avoid Clichés 

There are many inspirational essay examples you can choose from to find ideas, but when using inspiration, avoid using clichés. While clichés exist for a reason because they are based in truth, many students will likely use them. To prevent your essay from getting overlooked, use your own words and voice to describe what you write about so that you can stand apart. 

Once you have your essay drafted, be sure to plan enough time to proofread and edit your work. Even if you feel unsure of putting words on the page, write them down. You can spend time making it better with a second, third, and fourth look. The proofreading stage should also include an objective set of eyes (someone you trust) who can give you their honest opinion about your essay.

A Step-by-Step Guide 

Your college essay isn’t going to write itself. You have to put in the work, but it can be overwhelming to know where to start. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide that should help you start and finish your inspirational college essay. 

Organize and Brainstorm 

Before you get started on drafting your college essay, organize your thoughts. If you’ve been given essay prompts, dedicate at least 5-10 minutes to each prompt to think about what you may write about.  

Choose Your Topic 

Based on how much you come up with for each prompt, you can choose which prompt will suit your story the best. If you have an open-ended prompt, think about defining moments in your life, your passions, inspirations, achievements, and the like to come up with some ideas of what you can share. 

Create an Outline 

There will be a lot of details that you’ll want to add to your essay to convey your point(s). To keep the flow organized, begin by outlining what you will talk about. A clear starting point is a brief introduction with a hook sentence to grab the reader’s attention. Then, list where you will go next with main points and supporting evidence (anecdotes from your past, examples of your point, etc.). Finish up with a conclusion that reiterates your main point (topic/gist), and close out with something that leaves the reader thinking or feeling something strongly so that your essay lingers in their mind. 

Once you have your outline sorted, you can get to drafting up your inspirational essay. While it’s difficult not to edit as you write, try to let everything out. You’ll have time to clean it up after, but allowing your train of thought to appear on the page may lead to something brilliant. 

Many college essays will provide you with a maximum word count. Remain aware of this word count as you write. 

Pro Tip: If you use Google Docs, go to Tools> Word Count> Select “Display Word Count While Typing.”

The chances are, you’ll probably find it easier to write more than less. To cut down your word count, read each sentence and ask yourself if that sentence or word is necessary to convey your point. Keep an eye on grammar and spelling. Even though you will use the word processor’s spelling and grammar review upon completion, it doesn’t always catch everything. 

After you’ve edited down your college essay, read it over a few times, and entrust someone (or multiple people) to give you some feedback. Try not to take the feedback personally, as the people you allow to read your essay will likely have your best interest in mind, and they are just trying to help you write a better final product. 

College Essay Inspiration 

You’ll want your personal statement to be considered an inspirational college essay. To make this vision a reality, remember to: 

• Be passionate 
• Be specific 
• Be yourself 

Some topics that make for inspirational college essays include stories about:

• Overcoming a challenge 
• Learning something new 
• Making a significant life change 
• Sharing an epiphany 
• Expressing your interests and reasoning 

Your Story is Important 

Whether you believe it or not, your personal statement and story is important. No two people have the same life circumstance or outlook as another, so sharing your truth with a college admissions team can be the root of inspiration, and ultimately, admission. 

Believe in yourself and your words, and take the necessary time to prepare, edit, and write your very own inspirational essay for college. The truth is that it can be all the difference to granting your acceptance into the college of your dreams.

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Essays About Life Lessons: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Read our guide to see the top examples and prompts on essays about life lessons to communicate your thoughts effectively.

Jordan Peterson once said, “Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences teach the best lessons.” The many life lessons we’ll accumulate in our life will help us veer in the right direction to fulfill our destinies. Whether it’s creative or nonfiction, as long as it describes the author’s personal life experiences or worldview, recounting life lessons falls under the personal or narrative essay category. 

To successfully write an essay on this topic, you must connect with your readers and allow them to visualize, understand, and get inspired by what you have learned about life. To do this, you must remember critical elements such as a compelling hook, engaging story, relatable characters, suitable setting, and significant points. 

See below five examples of life lessons essays to inspire you:

1. Life Lessons That the First Love Taught Me by Anonymous on GradesFixer.Com

2. the dad’s life lessons and the role model for the children by anonymous on studymoose.com, 3. studying history and own mistakes as life lessons: opinion essay by anonymous on edubirdie.com, 4. life lessons by anonymous on phdessay.com, 5. valuable lessons learned in life by anonymous on eduzaurus.com, 1. life lessons from books, 2. my biggest mistake and the life lesson i learned, 3. the life lessons i’ve learned, 4. life lessons from a popular show, 5. using life lessons in starting a business, 6. life lessons you must know, 7. kids and life lessons.

“I thought I knew absolutely everything about loving someone by the age of fourteen. Clearly I knew nothing and I still have so much to learn about what it is like to actually love someone.”

The author relates how their first love story unfolds, including the many things they learned from it. An example is that no matter how compatible the couple is if they are not for each other, they will not last long and will break up eventually. The writer also shares that situations that test the relationship, such as jealousy, deserve your attention as they aid people in picking the right decisions. The essay further tells how the writer’s relationship became toxic and affected their mental and emotional stability, even after the breakup. To cope and heal, they stopped looking for connections and focused on their grades, family, friends, and self-love.

“I am extremely thankful that he could teach me all the basics like how to ride a bike, how to fish and shoot straight, how to garden, how to cook, how to drive, how to skip a rock, and even how to blow spitballs. But I am most thankful that could teach me to stand tall (even though I’m 5’3”), be full with my heart and be strong with my mind.”

In this essay, the writer introduces their role model who taught them almost everything they know in their seventeen years of life, their father. The writer shares that their father’s toughness, stubbornness, and determination helped them learn to stand up for themselves and others and not be a coward in telling the truth. Because of him, the author learned how to be kind, generous, and mature. Finally, the author is very grateful to their father, who help them to think for themselves and not believe everything they hear.

“In my opinion, I believe it is more important to study the past rather than the present because we can learn more from our mistakes.”

This short essay explains the importance of remembering past events to analyze our mistakes. The author mentions that when people do this, they learn and grow from it, which prevents them from repeating the same error in the present time. The writer also points out that everyone has made the mistake of letting others dictate how their life goes, often leading to failures. 

“… I believe we come here to learn a valuable lesson. If we did not learn this lesson through out a life time, our souls would come back to repeat the process.” 

This essay presents three crucial life lessons that everyone needs to know. The first is to stop being too comfortable in taking people and things for granted. Instead, we must learn to appreciate everything. The second is to realize that mistakes are part of everyone’s life. So don’t let the fear of making mistakes stop you from trying something new. The third and final lesson is from Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” People learn and grow as they age, so everyone needs to remember to live their life as if it were their last with no regrets.

“Life lessons are not necessarily learned from bad experiences, it can also be learned from good experiences, accomplishments, mistakes of other people, and by reading too.”

The essay reminds the readers to live their life to the fullest and cherish people and things in their lives because life is too short. If you want something, do not let it slip away without trying. If it fails, do not suffer and move on. The author also unveils the importance of travelling, keeping a diary, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life Lessons

Use the prompts below if you’re still undecided on what to write about:

As mentioned above, life lessons are not only from experiences but also from reading. So for this prompt, pick up your favorite book and write down the lessons you learned from it. Next, identify each and explain to your readers why you think it’s essential to incorporate these lessons into real life. Finally, add how integrating these messages affected you. 

There are always lessons we can derive from mistakes. However, not everyone understands these mistakes, so they keep doing them. Think of all your past mistakes and choose one that had the most significant negative impact on you and the people around you. Then, share with your readers what it is, its causes, and its effects. Finally, don’t forget to discuss what you gained from these faults and how you prevent yourself from doing them again.

Compile all the life lessons you’ve realized from different sources. They can be from your own experience, a relative’s, a movie, etc. Add why these lessons resonate with you. Be creative and use metaphors or add imaginary scenarios. Bear in mind that your essay should convey your message well.

Popular shows are an excellent medium for teaching life lessons to a broad audience. In your essay, pick a well-known work and reflect on it. For example, Euphoria is a TV series that created hubbub for its intrigue and sensitive themes. Dissect what life lessons one can retrieve from watching the show and relate them to personal encounters. You can also compile lessons from online posts and discussions.

If the subject of “life lessons” is too general for you, scope a more specific area, such as entrepreneurship. Which life lessons are critical for a person in business? To make your essay easier to digest, interview a successful business owner and ask about the life lessons they’ve accumulated before and while pursuing their goals.

Use this prompt to present the most important life lessons you’ve collected throughout your life. Then, share why you selected these lessons. For instance, you can choose “Live life as if it’s your last” and explain that you realized this life lesson after suddenly losing a loved one.

Have you ever met someone younger than you who taught you a life lesson? If so, in this prompt, tell your reader the whole story and what life lesson you discovered. Then, you can reverse it and write an incident where you give a good life lesson to someone older than you – say what it was and if that lesson helped them. Read our storytelling guide to upgrade your techniques.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Inspirationfeed

Inspiring and educating bright minds.

Essential Tips for Writing an Inspirational Essay

Last Updated on February 29, 2024

Table of Contents

Admit it! We all get a little sweaty when we have to write an essay. However, when it comes to writing an inspirational essay, the essay writer has got a big responsibility on his/her shoulders. Not only he/she has to prepare a properly structured essay, but the essay must give the readers encouragement and a sense of hope.

Following are the essential tips that will aid and assist you in writing an inspirational essay.

How to write an inspirational essay

Tip #1: know your audience.

When it comes to writing an inspirational essay, you must know your target audience. As an example, if you are writing an essay for school children, the way of writing an inspirational essay will be entirely different as compared to writing an inspirational essay for senior citizens.

Based on your target audience, jot down all the inspirational topics that you have in your mind. When you know your readers, you can choose better from a list of inspirational topics.

After finalizing your topic, you can easily expand on the same. Please do not forget to utilize transitional words and phrases that connect the different ideas that you will present in your essay, revolving around the core topic.

Tip #2: Write an introduction that compels the audience to read ahead

Remember you are writing an inspirational essay. Therefore, it becomes more essential for you to write an introduction that grasps the attention of the readers and compel the readers to continue reading ahead.

Though this tip holds for any kind of essay; it becomes more vital when writing an inspirational essay. You simply cannot afford to write a bland and a boring introduction for an inspirational essay.

If you fail to captivate the attention of the readers in the beginning, decidedly a significant majority of the readers won’t feel like going through the rest of the essay and more likely will skip reading your presentation.

Tip #3: An inspiration essay must conclude with some sort of action

An inspirational essay cannot end abruptly. While the conclusion must tie together all the points mentioned in the essay, the conclusion of an inspirational essay has got one more task in hand. Make sure that the conclusion inspires the audience for some sort of action and provokes them to bring about a change in their life. Motivation must be the key component of an inspirational essay.

Tip #4: Read your essay yourself before finalizing

Make sure that you read the essay written by you before finalizing or submitting the same. When you will read your essay you can better judge whether the essay is inspiring or not.

Final Words

Writing an inspirational essay is a big task. Apart from conveying your ideas to the readers, you have an additional responsibility of inspiring them as well. Therefore, you have to put in an additional amount of research to make sure that the words of your essay are compelling enough to motivate the readers.

Posted by: Cris Antonio

Cris Antonio is a content wizard, responsible for coming up with fresh and unique article ideas. Aside from writing, Cris also enjoys painting, collecting toys, and reading German novels.

Essay on Inspiration

Students are often asked to write an essay on Inspiration in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Inspiration

What is inspiration.

Inspiration is a powerful feeling that motivates us to take action. It can come from various sources like people, nature, books, or even a simple thought.

Importance of Inspiration

Inspiration is important as it drives us to achieve our goals. It encourages creativity, boosts confidence, and helps in overcoming challenges.

Sources of Inspiration

Inspiration can be found everywhere. It could be a successful person, a beautiful sunset, an interesting book, or even a small act of kindness.

In conclusion, inspiration is a driving force that helps us to strive for success and make our dreams come true.

250 Words Essay on Inspiration

The essence of inspiration.

Inspiration, an intangible yet profoundly impactful force, has the power to awaken our minds and stimulate creativity. It is the catalyst that drives us towards the realization of our dreams and aspirations.

The Sources of Inspiration

Inspiration can be derived from a multitude of sources. It may emanate from a powerful speech, an awe-inspiring piece of art, or even from the silent beauty of nature. Personal experiences, both triumphant and tragic, can also serve as profound sources of inspiration.

The Role of Inspiration in Personal Growth

Inspiration is instrumental in personal growth. It fuels our passion, motivates us to strive for excellence, and encourages us to challenge our limits. It helps us to perceive things from a fresh perspective, fostering innovation and originality.

Inspiration and Society

On a societal level, inspiration has the potential to instigate change. It can influence individuals to work towards the betterment of society, thereby fostering a culture of altruism and empathy.

To conclude, inspiration is not just an emotional response; it is a driving force that can lead us to achieve the unimaginable. It is a catalyst for creativity, a tool for personal growth, and a vehicle for societal change. Hence, it is essential to remain open to inspiration from all sources and harness its power to enrich our lives and the world around us.

500 Words Essay on Inspiration

Introduction to inspiration.

Inspiration is a complex yet fascinating phenomenon that plays a crucial role in human creativity and innovation. It is the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. This invisible force is the catalyst that propels individuals to transcend ordinary experiences and limitations, leading to the realization of unique, inventive, and sometimes revolutionary ideas.

The Source of Inspiration

Inspiration is not a one-size-fits-all concept; it is highly individualistic and can be derived from a multitude of sources. For some, it could be the beauty of nature, while for others, it might be a profound piece of literature, an awe-inspiring piece of art, or even a personal life event. It can also be found in the resilience of those who overcome adversity or the achievements of those who push the boundaries of what is considered possible.

Psychology of Inspiration

From a psychological perspective, inspiration involves two main processes: being inspired by and being inspired to. ‘Being inspired by’ refers to the encounter with an external trigger (be it a person, idea, or event) that instigates a sense of possibility and admiration. ‘Being inspired to’ is the motivational component of inspiration that propels the individual to transform the inspired thought into action.

Inspiration and Creativity

Inspiration is intrinsically linked with creativity. It is the spark that ignites the creative process, leading to the generation of novel and valuable ideas. It is a conduit through which we can access our deepest resources of creativity and problem-solving abilities. The more open we are to inspiration, the more creative we become.

Inspiration in Everyday Life

Inspiration is not confined to grand projects or groundbreaking ideas; it is also present in everyday life. It can be found in small, seemingly insignificant moments that bring joy, provoke thought, or incite change. It can be a catalyst for personal growth, a source of strength during challenging times, and a beacon of hope for a better future.

In conclusion, inspiration is a powerful force that fuels creativity, innovation, and personal growth. It is a transformative process that begins with an external stimulus and culminates in the creation of something new and meaningful. By remaining open to inspiration in all its forms, we can harness this powerful force to enrich our lives, contribute to our communities, and help shape a better world.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Industrialization
• Essay on Industrial Safety
• Essay on Industrial Design

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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217 Motivational & Inspirational Essay Topics

Sometimes you just wish there was a marketplace with vendors shouting, “Topics for argument essays! Who wants inspirational topics to write about?” Well, you are lucky enough: you’ll find plenty of inspiring things here! Coming up with some argument essay topics is quite easy! In this article, you’ll find some of the brightest examples of motivational essay topics prepared by the experts of Custom-writing.org . There are also great tips that will help you make your essay or speech truly exciting.

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🔝 Top 10 Inspirational Topics to Write About

• 🎉 Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

💪 Top 10 Motivational Topics to Write About

• 🎓 Topics for College Students
• 🏫 Topics for High School Students
• 🚸 Topics for Kids
• 🧔 Personal Essay Topics
• 🚀 Other Motivational Topics
• Can hard work beat talent?
• What can failure teach us?
• A life lesson learned at school
• The biggest mistake you’ve made
• The importance of positive thinking
• Is being grateful the key to happiness?
• How to be successful at teamwork
• The person who has changed your life
• Is goal-setting effective for success?
• Meditation and work-life balance

🎉 Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: The Best Way to Inspire by Your Essay or Speech

The purpose of any motivational essay or speech is to convince the audience that they need to improve themselves and their surroundings. The ability to inspire people is essential in personal and professional life, especially in managerial positions.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence will help you carry the day whenever you intend to persuade your listener in some statement or prompt them to change their behavior.

The method is based on scientifically justified cognitive processes. Notably, the majority of people strive for a balance, and if they face a problem, it causes discomfort. So they are ready to take any action to eliminate this dissonance. Bearing this in mind will make the following five steps more clear:

• Grab the attention. Aristotle said that to persuade the speaker needs to establish credibility, i.e., to sound like an expert. Tell them why they should trust you: are you an expert, or are you in the same situation as the listeners? Otherwise, such simpler hooks as humor, rhetorical questions, and motivational quotes would do as well.
• Find out the need. No problem can be resolved from the point where the problem was created. Illustrate the urgency of the subject field and make the audience engaged with it. Shocking statistics about life and society will help you do so.
• Satisfy the need. Now you are supposed to provide a solution to the problem. Give your audience a plan of action with some interesting argumentative grounding. True-to-life examples and viable data are valuable here.
• Explain the consequences. You can do it for one or several probable scenarios, one of which should be the maintaining of the status quo. Put in detail what disadvantages the current situation is bearing and what benefits could be drawn from the required changes.
• Call to action. Put it simple and actionable. Make a summary of what you said in paragraph 3 and restate the best outcome achievable.
• Can art help fight stress?
• Is charity a moral obligation?
• How your background shapes you
• Is every experience a good experience?
• Self-care as a way to deal with trauma
• Your experience of overcoming fears
• How to be responsible for your feelings
• Can humility make you a good leader?
• The importance of good communication skills
• Physical change as a way to get out of comfort zone

🎓 Inspiring Argumentative Essay Topics for College Students

College life is rebellious and eventful. Step by step, students enter adult life. At the same time, they start asking themselves hard questions. Giving them inspirational essay topics will raise their spirits and instill confidence in their strength. Very soon they will face such problems as employment and choice of lifestyle. It is better to think before the bell rings for the last time.

• Persistence is the crucial factor in starting your own business . Do you think that at some point, it can be reasonable to give up your business? What could be done to turn the failure into a benefit?
• Long-term success requires daily effort. Think about how to find inspiration in life. Do you agree with the theory of 10,000 hours? What does success mean to you?
• Which skills does a college graduate need to keep pace with the rapidly changing job market? Technologies change our lives dramatically every next decade. Does the educational system evolve as fast? How could a student get ready for the requirements that are not covered by the curriculum?
• What does constant learning and self-development comprise? Is it only about reading, or does it include more practical things? How could people make personal improvement an everyday practice, and should they?
• Time management can fulfill your dreams. If you lack time to become what you would like, you will always be discontented with what you are. What time management methods work effectively?
• It takes much effort to recover from a failure , but it pays off a hundredfold.
• A startup is better than being an employee at a big company.
• Jobs in medicine are a perfect opportunity for extraverted people to use their social skills.
• Small businesses are better at surviving hard times.
• If you master emerging technologies , you will have no rival.
• Education for students of colleges and universities should be free .
• Should an adult person change their job if it does not make them happy?
• Higher education teaches us to find the necessary information rather than specialized skills and knowledge.
• How important is teamwork in a startup ?
• Criticism is crucial for building adequate self-image.
• All businesses would benefit from a transparent economy.
• What could the last three generations of women empowerment teach us?
• Being a role model for your children : key factors.
• The most important fruit of your efforts is your personality .
• If I love, I give; I am not a bystander .
• Joy and sorrow are the inevitable realities of life, and we should be grateful for them.
• Unmade choices can rob your happiness .
• Self-motivation is the most important skill for youth.
• The person that does not want to create intends to destroy.
• Time has more value than money.
• Do Computers Rule Our World?
• Efficiency and Annoyance of E-Marketing .
• Domestic Violence : Victims Must Fight Back.
• Sex Education as a Necessity … and a Very Delicate Issue .
• Animal Experimentation: A Cruel Way to Cure Humankind .
• Sentenced to Death: Capital Punishment . Right the Wrongs Radically .
• Euthanasia: Murder out of Mercy or… Shortcut to Inheritance?
• Advertisements Manipulate People! Restricting the Ads.

🏫 Inspirational Essay Topics for High School Students

They do not expect you to to be too academic at high school, so your creativity can have no limits! Philosophical writing will make you look profound in the reader’s eyes. Still, real-life motivational speech topics would also be a great chance for your self-expression. Try to make your essay informative, avoiding shallow phrases.

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• How could keeping your room clean help your studies ? Does order at home influence our mental state? Why do people study at a library, in impeccable order?
• The only purpose of life is to be truly alive. What does being alive mean to you? Is it about extreme activities and adrenaline, about love and feelings, or about achieving something significant?
• Are rituals important when one prepares for an important event? Do you consider routines as something superstitious? Do you practice similar actions before giving a public speech or asking someone to go out with you?
• Are we what we think of ourselves, or are we what others think about us? Is another person’s opinion important for you? Does it define you anyhow? How significant is your self-esteem in your life?
• Money can’t make you happy . If your soul knows no peace, no material benefits will remedy it. The most satisfied people are content with what they have.
• Life is short, and every day too valuable to procrastinate .
• What is worse: to be fat or to be mean?
• Funny moments make life more colorful.
• Happiness is not God’s gift. It is a result of hard work.
• Empathy makes us more humane.
• Dreams are not enough. You need to act.
• Is your life environmentally friendly ?
• When should students make their career choice ?
• The homeless and the poor : whose responsibility is this?
• The environment could be saved even by small changes in everyone’s life.
• Drones are the new era of delivery and surveillance.
• Negative thinking is the shortest way to turn one’s life into horror.
• What does make up a life: big days or ordinary days?
• Never forget who you are and what is essential for you.
• Overthinking about life distracts you from it.
• Biographies of famous people contain lots of inspiring ideas.
• Now or never: live your life today.
• You know your heart more than anybody else. So better trust it.
• If you are different , it means you have enough courage to be yourself.
• What is the motivation of people who wish to be the best in everything?
• Exam Nights : Why It Is Bad to Stay Up All Night Studying
• How to Behave If You Witness Bullying
• Why I (And More People Should) Prefer iPhone to Android
• The Latest Transformers Movie Is the Best One in the Series
• Education Pressures Can Be Reduced by Getting Rid of Grades

🚸 Motivational Essay Topics for Kids

Most kids adore speaking about important things: friends, parents, favorite protagonists, school, and games. The only thing you need it to pose the correct question. Thus the task will not just be educational but also engaging. Education for children is just another game, don’t forget it.

• Kids should grow up next to nature. Do you like to spend time in the woods or parks? What games could you play there? How does it change you?
• The best event that happened to me last summer. Where did you spend last summer? Did you make new friends ? What was the most exciting moment?
• How do I know that I am a good son or daughter? Does helping your parents with domestic chores make you a good child? What is good and bad behavior ?
• A pill of good mood : my recipe. How do you improve your mood? Would you prefer sweet goodies, dancing, a good joke, or something else? How often are you in a good mood?
• How do you choose your friends? What traits of character are important for you in another person? Do you appreciate the friends that are kind, polite, well-bred, funny, helpful, or caring?
• Music should sound in school corridors during breaks.
• My grandparents are my best teachers.
• The traditions of my family bring us closer.
• Think about how to find inspiration in life if misfortune has happened to you?
• If you could change the ending of a fairy tale , what would it be?
• Be nice to the others if you want them to treat you nicely too.
• What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
• What is the best holiday for you?
• Tell three things you would like your parents to stop doing.
• Should we give animals more rights?
• Kangaroos are the best mothers in the animal world.
• What was your most significant birthday wish?
• Which country would you like to visit, and why?
• Is expressing yourself in English easier than in other languages?
• Which superhero power do you consider the most useful?
• Would you rather be rich and famous, or modest and free?
• What does a “ comfort zone ” mean for you?
• Sorting out trash helps the environment .
• What is the coolest profession ?
• How do you struggle with your fears ?
• Me and School: I Can Get Along with New People .
• My Favorite Sport : It Truly Makes People Happy.
• My Pet : Reasons to Keep It.
• My Pastime: Why I Think It Is Useful.
• The Person I Admire : Why Following His/Her Example.
• Praying Is Good—It Will Help You.
• Why Keeping Zoos Is Not Cruel.
• My Mom Works , and That Is Alright.

🧔 Personal Inspirational Topics to Write About

Your personality is unique. That is what makes us so interesting to each other. Find what distinguishes you from other people, and what makes you similar to them. Explore the effect of these features on your life. What habits and ways of doing things are expository of you? Going into these details will make your essay engaging and even touching.

• How could meditation make us more self-aware? What kinds of meditation do you know? Are they equally beneficial for the mind and body?
• Can you master your emotions in stressful situations? What was the strongest feeling you have ever experienced? Could you overcome it, and how?
• Are you introverted or extroverted ? How does it influence your lifestyle and relationships? What complications does it cause? Would you prefer to be different?
• How much do your friends and relatives define your personality ? Can we choose the people we would like to surround ourselves with, or does life make it for us?
• List the things that motivate you . Group them into categories. Why do they inspire you? Are they universal for everyone or personal to you?
• Can crying ease the sorrow?
• What were the biggest challenges in your life?
• How do you overcome stress and anxiety ?
• What means a “comfort zone” for you?
• Which controversial issues do you like discussing the most?
• Is keeping your house in order important for you?
• What was your role model in childhood?
• Are there things in your life you are grateful for?
• Do you have specific eating habits ?
• Is there any problem you cannot resolve for many years?
• Do you think bullying could be eliminated at schools?
• Could you call yourself a feminist ?
• What could your generation teach older people?
• What are the treasures of your family?
• What were the milestones in your life?
• Do you have a personal credo?
• If we were given points for being humane, how many would you earn?
• What would a stranger say about your character after a 5-minute conversation?
• Are you a believer ?
• What question would you ask a celebrity if you had a chance?
• Why I Ride A Bike Instead of Using Public Transport
• Is Makeup Appropriate for School?
• Why Playing the Original Half-Life Is Still Better than the Sequels
• Why I Do Not Wear Watches
• Why I Decided to Have a Makeover

6. 🚀 Other Motivational Topics to Write About

• Vegetarian Diet : Animals’ Lives vs. Your Health ;
• Commercials on the Internet: More than Annoyances;
• Sacrificing Animals for the Sake of People: Experimentations ;
• Who and Why Plays Lottery: Big Chances, Small Wins.

• A Call Worth People’s Lives : Cell Phones as a Threat;
• How to Cope with Boredom … and Whether It Is any Use to Do So;
• Religion, Wars and Religious Wars: Can You See the Pattern?
• The Change of Male Roles: Men in Women’s Clothing.
• Female Roles Shifting: From Housewife to Breadwinner.
• Pregnant Teenagers and Society : Temper, Patience, Tactfulness.
• Climate Change Is Hand-Made. The Impact People Have on Earth .

History Topics

Yes, there is, just like any other field of knowledge. History is not only about dates and events—it is also about interpreting and evaluating the connections and impacts of those past happenings.

History will give you lots of argumentative topics, and here are some examples:

• Why World War I Was Inevitable : What Led to the Inevitability of War
• The Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bombings Could Have Been Avoided: What the Allies Should Have Done
• Baby Boomers Were the Main Driving Force of the Sexual Revolution
• Among All Women’s Rights , the Right to Vote Was the Most Important

Writing about history can be challenging because you need to do a lot of research, but just look into any historical topic, and you’ll see how many creative opportunities for argumentative writing it’ll give you!

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Social Media: The Topical Topic

Social media is an important part of many people’s lives today, and lots of argument essay topics can be dedicated to the various social media platforms. Think about tips for social media users, and also consider social media as a phenomenon. An example of a good essay could have one of these titles:

• Fewer Friends on Facebook Is Better
• Tweeting Too Much Annoys Your Audience
• How to Be Creative in Your Social Media Posts
• Do Not Spend More than Two Hours Daily on Social Media

For example, is there something you dislike about social media in general or perhaps about the way the people you follow behave online? Come up with arguments about why you dislike it!

Health and Medicine

In health care and the medical field, the number of argument essay topics is immense. There is a wide range of topics available, from arguments on how to manage your own health to arguments on how the entire health care system should be improved.

• Nursing Is More About Providing Comfort than Treatment
• Is Abortion Acceptable for First Pregnancies?
• Children with Mental Illness Should Go to Regular Schools

Your topic can be more personal if you want—for example, argue why running is good for your health or why giving up sweets altogether would not be a good health decision.

Pop Culture

Simply look around, and you will see an incredible variety of topics about what people see on TV, on the Internet, and in movies. If you’re into pop culture yourself, you surely have things you’d like to argue for or against.

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• Why One Direction Should Never Come Back from Their Hiatus
• Lady Gaga’s Performance Was the Weakest Halftime Show in Years
• Should Children Be Exposed to Pop Culture ?
• Hollywood Blockbusters Are Channels of American Cultural Influence

Notice that your topics can be both about pop culture events or people and about pop culture as a whole.

Social Issues

If you want to turn to important topics that affect the whole of society, social issues are truly an inexhaustible field. Consider these topics:

• Legalizing Weed Is Inevitable
• Why Law Enforcement Authorities Should Be More Aggressive During Mass Protests
• Police Brutality : Are Mass Protests the Answer ?
• Domestic Violence : Why Every Victim Should Report
• Should Basic Income Be Guaranteed?

For any social issue, you will easily find many proponents and opponents with various arguments, so take a stance of your own and start writing!

Leadership is something people talk a lot about in business, education, health care, and many other spheres. Whether you want to discuss leadership in the context of interpersonal relationships or in the context of public administration and governance of countries, you’ll find plenty of topics!

• Why You Should Try to Be a Leader in Your Class
• Leadership in the Workplace: How to and What for
• Instead of Preserving Their Own Power and Influence, Country Leaders Should Teach Others about Leadership
• What Are the Ways for Leaders to Build a Followership?
• Talk Like a Leader: The Adoption of Verbal Leadership Techniques

To start, try to pick a leadership topic that you’ve come across in your life—for example, argue for or against being a leader among friends or classmates. Also, check out common leadership essay requirements on our website!

Global Issues

Globalization poses a big question: Is it good or bad? By thinking about different aspects of the process, you can try to take a position and defend it.

• The Global Market Is a New and Better Level of International Trade
• Why Anti-Globalists Are Wrong
• Globalization Is a Threat to Indigenous Cultures
• Going Global : Why Adjusting Your Business to Cultural Differences Is a Poor Globalization Strategy
• How McDonald’s Is Killing Local Food Traditions

Also, try to think about particular global issues, such as global terrorism—propose a strategy of how it can be fought and argue why this strategy is the most effective one.

Climate Change

Since there are people who do not believe that climate change is happening, you can find many interesting topics to argue that it is—or, on the contrary, to support their position.

• Is Global Warming Real?
• What Prompts People to Personally Contribute to the CO2 Emissions Reduction Efforts?
• Why Fossil Fuel Producers Are Responsible for the Decrease in Biodiversity
• Carbon Taxes or Mitigation Strategies: What Should Governments Do?
• Why an Increase in the Sea Level Will Be a Disaster

Remember that there are many subtopics related to global warming: the greenhouse effect, water management, evidence of climate change, and many more.

Environment and Sustainability

This is closely related to the previous group of topics: think about pollution, environmental friendliness, and sustainable development.

• Turn off the Water when You Brush: Why You Should Try to Contribute to Sustainable Development in Everyday Life
• How Should Governments Prevent Pollution ?
• Waste Management Profits: Waste Should Be Used to Produce Energy
• Hybrid Cars Are Better than Regular Ones
• Reasons to Choose Eco-Friendly Packaging

Go on and explore the many related topics—for example, deforestation, desertification, or renewable energy.

Gender Issues

Gender studies grew out of sociology long ago, and it is now a separate academic discipline that is controversial and can propose diverse topics for arguing. See for yourself!

• Gay Marriage Should Be Legalized Globally
• Men’s Feminism : By Definition, Can Only Women Be Feminists?
• Reporting Harassment Is the Best Strategy to Eradicate Gender Discrimination in the Workplace
• Rethinking Gender Roles in Western Civilization: Paternity Leave and Maternity Leave Should Have Equal Legal Statuses
• Attributes of Masculinity: Can Men Wear Women’s Clothes ?

When looking for topics to write about in the business sphere, pay attention to these examples:

• Reasons to Start a Business Instead of Being Hired
• Businesses Should Engage in Corporate Social Responsibility to Build a Favorable Image
• A Balanced Scorecard Is the Best Way to Know if Your Company is Doing Well
• Rising above the Competition: How to Address Uncontested Demand
• Business Research: What is the Best Way to Know What Your Customers Need ?

You may also want to turn to specific examples. Pick a business (either a well-known company or a store around the corner) and think about how it could be a topic for an argument essay: its strategies, its positioning, or its choice of communication practices—there are so many aspects to choose from!

Communications

Communication is a wide-ranging notion: It is both about texting a friend to tell a funny story and emailing an HR manager when looking for a job. According to a famous article from The New York Times, the goal for any type of communication is the same: effectiveness. So consider these examples of arguing how communication can be more effective:

• Why You Should Avoid Sarcasm In Your Speech
• Body Language: How to Look Confident and Trustworthy
• In English, Why You Should Avoid Saying “Not”
• Email or Personal Conversation: Which Is Better?
• Giving Children a Choice: Why Prohibitions Are Ineffective

Also, perhaps you can speculate on different types of media and argue, say, that books are more (or less) emotionally appealing to people than movies.

Essay Writing

If you’ve made it this far, you’re obviously motivated to find a good topic for your argument essay. Well, funny as it may sound, the answer has been right in front of you! Write an essay on writing an essay itself. For example:

• Why You Should Always Make an Outline Before Writing a Paper
• Is a Personal Story the Best Hook in Narrative Essays?
• Compare Contrast Essays: Why a Point-by-Point Structure Is Better than a Block Structure
• Essay Types Classification: Should You Consider Different Types before Starting an Essay?
• How to Write an Essay Faster: Never Start Writing from the Introduction Paragraph

Remember that you want to write an argument essay, so do not merely give your readers tips—instead, argue that a certain approach to composing an essay is the wisest.

This might be interesting for you:

• Top Ideas for Argumentative or Persuasive Essay Topics
• Best Argumentative Research Paper Topics
• Great Persuasive & Argumentative Essay on Divorce
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🤔 Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas: FAQ

This type of essay represents two and more views on a problem or reality. The author is supposed to make it clear which opinion is the correct one compared to the others. The principal methods in this piece of writing are logical argumentation, stating cold facts and reasoning.

• Cloning and genetic engineering
• Global warming: causes and consequences
• Men and women, their rights and obligations.
• Educational systems
• Methods of raising children
• Successful economic models
• Industrialization VS harmony with nature
• Money and means of earning
• Leadership methods
• Social media VS real life
• Home and family VS career
• Technologies are changing our lives.
• Good relationships require much time.
• Sports competitions are beneficial for the economy.
• Pets can make us more caring.
• What are the most important jobs for a society?
• Failures make us stronger.
• Computers are all around us.
• Is vegetarianism healthy or not?
• News is too selective and subjective to give us a real picture.
• Legalization of guns and drugs
• Rights of minorities
• Homebirth VS hospital birth
• Differences between men and women
• Globalization VS nationalization
• Corporal punishment
• Fur production
• Market economy or planning
• Obesity and dieting
• Military service: obligation or choice
• Choice of disciplines at school
• Databases for Research & Education: Gale
• A CS Research Topic Generator
• 200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing: The New York Times
• 50 Argumentative Essay Topics: Thought Co.
• Choosing a Research Problem: USC Libraries
• Selecting a Research Topic: Overview (MIT Libraries)
• How do I choose a research topic? UW Libraries
• Social Media & Health Research Topics: UW Milwaukee
• Climate Change Topics: USDA
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Are you searching for original, thought-provoking, and really controversial debate topics? Here they are! Selecting any of these 25 controversial topics for debate from Custom-writing.org, you can guarantee a heated dispute in class or exciting polemics with your friends. But first, let’s figure it out, what is debate and how you should pick up great...

Perhaps, each person has unforgettable memories of school life. It might be their first day when everything seemed to be exciting and unknown. Or it might be some picnic or trip when they spent a great day outside with their classmates. Writing a high school experience essay requires you to...

We came up with this guide to make school essay writing easy for you. Need some creative writing topics for grade 8? Or recommendations for the 11th-grade expository paper? We’ve got you! Helpful tips and essay topics for grades 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12— our Custom-writing.org team has advice for everyone. Here, you’ll find: 205 great essay ideas; tips on how to write argumentative and persuasive papers. In fact, our recommendations will be...

Have you ever thought about the importance of transportation? Every day we see cars, trucks, planes, and ships and never wonder what exactly they are doing. In fact, these vehicles not only transport people from one place to another. They also form a vast system that plays a vital role...

In a few words, family values can be defined as principles, some ideals, and beliefs within a family that are passed from generation to generation. You should keep in mind that family values might change with time. Besides, they may differ from culture to culture.

India gained its independence on August 15, 1947. Before that, it was a British colony. Since 1947, India has changed a lot, and this is what you will have to discuss in your essay on India after 60 Years of Independence.

Throughout history, people have dreamed of a world without violence, where harmony and justice reign. This dream of world peace has inspired poets, philosophers, and politicians for centuries. But is it possible to achieve peace globally? Writing a world peace essay will help you find the answer to this question...

So, there are a few days left before Halloween, one of the favorite American holidays both for kids and adults. Most probably, your teacher will ask to prepare a Halloween essay. And most probably, it is not the first Halloween essay that you need to prepare. We are sure that...

An investigative essay is a piece of writing based on the information you gather by investigating the topic. Unlike regular research or term paper, this assignment requires you to conduct interviews, study archival records, or visit relevant locations—in a word, inspect things personally. If you’re a fan of detective stories,...

A nationalism essay is focused on the idea of devotion and loyalty to one’s country and its sovereignty. In your paper, you can elaborate on its various aspects. For example, you might want to describe the phenomenon’s meaning or compare the types of nationalism. You might also be interested in...

“People for sale” is a phrase that describes exactly what human trafficking is. It also makes for an attention-grabbing title for an essay on this subject. You are going to talk about a severe problem, so it’s crucial to hook the reader from the get-go. A human trafficking essay is...

Is globalization a beneficial process? What are the pros and cons of a religious upbringing? Do the drawbacks of immigration outweigh the benefits? These questions can become a foundation for your advantages and disadvantages essay. And we have even more ideas to offer! There is nothing complicated about writing this...

Essay on Life for Students and Children

500+ words essay on life.

First of all, Life refers to an aspect of existence. This aspect processes acts, evaluates, and evolves through growth. Life is what distinguishes humans from inorganic matter. Some individuals certainly enjoy free will in Life. Others like slaves and prisoners don’t have that privilege. However, Life isn’t just about living independently in society. It is certainly much more than that. Hence, quality of Life carries huge importance. Above all, the ultimate purpose should be to live a meaningful life. A meaningful life is one which allows us to connect with our deeper self.

Why is Life Important?

One important aspect of Life is that it keeps going forward. This means nothing is permanent. Hence, there should be a reason to stay in dejection. A happy occasion will come to pass, just like a sad one. Above all, one must be optimistic no matter how bad things get. This is because nothing will stay forever. Every situation, occasion, and event shall pass. This is certainly a beauty of Life.

Many people become very sad because of failures . However, these people certainly fail to see the bright side. The bright side is that there is a reason for every failure. Therefore, every failure teaches us a valuable lesson. This means every failure builds experience. This experience is what improves the skills and efficiency of humans.

Probably a huge number of individuals complain that Life is a pain. Many people believe that the word pain is a synonym for Life. However, it is pain that makes us stronger. Pain is certainly an excellent way of increasing mental resilience. Above all, pain enriches the mind.

The uncertainty of death is what makes life so precious. No one knows the hour of one’s death. This probably is the most important reason to live life to the fullest. Staying in depression or being a workaholic is an utter wastage of Life. One must certainly enjoy the beautiful blessings of Life before death overtakes.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Improve Quality of Life?

Most noteworthy, optimism is the ultimate way of enriching life. Optimism increases job performance, self-confidence, creativity, and skills. An optimistic person certainly can overcome huge hurdles.

Meditation is another useful way of improving Life quality. Meditation probably allows a person to dwell upon his past. This way one can avoid past mistakes. It also gives peace of mind to an individual. Furthermore, meditation reduces stress and tension.

Pursuing a hobby is a perfect way to bring meaning to life. Without a passion or interest, an individual’s life would probably be dull. Following a hobby certainly brings new energy to life. It provides new hope to live and experience Life.

In conclusion, Life is not something that one should take for granted. It’s certainly a shame to see individuals waste away their lives. We should be very thankful for experiencing our lives. Above all, everyone should try to make their life more meaningful.

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Have a story for Inspired Life? Here’s how to submit.

The Washington Post reports every day on uplifting stories from across the country. We highlight topical, random acts of kindness and tales of people performing selfless deeds in their communities.

Do you know of an inspiring story? Tell us here. We appreciate any quick tips from your neighborhood or town. A reporter may contact you with additional questions about your submission.

How do I submit an uplifting news story?

Freelance reporters are welcome to submit articles they’ve reported and written. We are interested in stories about people making a difference. The act could be small or large but it should display the best in humanity. We especially value stories that are timely and are connected to news events.

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• Be sure the story has not already been told by other national publications.
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We only accept pitches that are exclusive to The Washington Post. If we would like to use your submission, an editor will email you within 10 days. The email may include edits or questions regarding the reporting. We are not able to reply to every submitted piece and ask that you only submit an article once due to the number of submissions we receive.

Want to submit an article? Please email [email protected] .

What if I want to submit a personal essay?

Inspired Life also welcomes personal essays about interesting or unusual true stories from writers’ own lives. Here are some examples:

Amy Schumer was honest about her husband’s autism, and I’m crying

The video of my dad appeared unexpectedly from a kind stranger. It gave me chills.

Here’s what happened when I quit drinking a year ago

If you’re submitting an essay:

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• Please send the entire piece in the range of 1,000-1,200 words.

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To submit an essay, please email [email protected] .

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60 life quotes that’ll inspire you to find the good in every day

Ah, life: You can't appreciate the good days without the bad.

In moments of deep frustration, sadness or stress, turn to these life quotes for that very reminder. Although our individual journeys come with unique trials and tribulations, these quotes focus on the one thing we all have in common: the unwavering desire for a happy, healthy life.

Whether you're going through a rough patch, struggling to make a hard decision or about to embark on a life-changing adventure, these wise words from Hoda Kotb , Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey and other thought leaders offer much-needed perspective on the importance of embracing every moment — even the most difficult ones — with gratitude and love.

Below, find positive affirmations about self-love , happy quotes that'll motivate you to look on the bright side and other beautiful messages about embracing life's inevitable curveballs.

Our advice: Keep this list handy, so you can take a peek whenever you need a pick-me-up (or, well, an inspiring Instagram caption).

• "Every man dies. Not every man really lives." — William Wallace
• "Life is a song — sing it. Life is a game — play it. Life is a challenge — meet it. Life is a dream — realize it. Life is a sacrifice — offer it. Life is love — enjoy it." — Sathya Sai Baba
• "Growth is the only evidence of life." — John Henry Newman
• "A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life." — Charles Darwin
• "The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge." — Bertrand Russell
• "We can't plan life. All we can do is be available for it." — Lauryn Hill
• "Life is a lot like jazz ... it's best when you improvise." — George Gershwin
• "Life is a succession of moments, to live each one is to succeed." — Corita Kent
• "I have a simple philosophy: Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. Scratch where it itches." — Alice Roosevelt-Longworth
• "We are here to add what we can to life, not to what we can get from life." — William Osler
• "My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can." — Cary Grant
• "Nobody got where they are today by living for tomorrow." — Tom Wilson
• "Do not ignore your intuition. There is an infinite intelligence within you; let it be your guiding light." — Cleo Wade, "Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for a Better Life"
• "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." — Mae West
• "There is no failure except failure to serve one's purpose." — Henry Ford
• "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." — Oprah Winfrey
• "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, but just felt in the heart." — Helen Keller
• "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." — Maya Angelou
• "If you fall — and trust me, you will — make sure you fall on your back. Because if you fall on your back, you can see up. And if you can see up, you can get up. And you can keep going and going and going." — Hoda Kotb, "Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair and Kathie Lee"
• "There's power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice. And there's grace in being willing to know and hear others." — Michelle Obama, "Becoming"
• "To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone." — Reba McEntire
• "It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection." — Elizabeth Gilbert, "Eat Pray Love"
• "The middle is messy, but it is also where the magic happens." — Brené Brown
• "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." — Joseph Campbell
• "Whatever happens to you belongs to you. Make it yours. Feed it to yourself even if it feels impossible to swallow. Let it nurture you, because it will." — Cheryl Strayed, "Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar"
• "I make a point to appreciate all the little things in my life. I go out and smell the air after a good, hard rain. These small actions help remind me that there are so many great, glorious pieces of good in the world." — Dolly Parton, "Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You"
• "Gratitude is a celebration we are all invited to." — Cleo Wade, "Heart Talk"
• "Just to be alive is a grand thing." — Agatha Christie, "An Autobiography"
• "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." — Toni Morrison
• "Because you are alive, everything is possible." — Thich Nhat Hanh, "Living Buddha, Living Christ"
• "Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it." — James Baldwin, "Notes of a Native Son"
• "I'd rather regret the risks that didn't work out than the chances I didn't take at all." — Simone Biles
• "A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." — Harry S. Truman
• "The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves." — Victor Hugo
• "Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." — Mark Twain
• "I don't make plans because life is short and unpredictable — much like the weather!" — Al Roker
• "I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go." — Langston Hughes
• "The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." — Eleanor Roosevelt
• "There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints." — Rita Dove
• "Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their lives. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out." — Reese Witherspoon
• "Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me." — Carol Burnett
• "Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." — George Bernard Shaw
• "There is only one difference between a long life and a good dinner: that, in the dinner, the sweets come last." — Robert Louis Stevenson
• "Living is the art of getting used to what we didn’t expect." — Eleanor C. Wood
• "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears." — Les Brown
• "Do your thing and don't care if they like it." — Tina Fey, "Bossypants"
• "In life, all things come hard, but wisdom is the hardest to come by." — Lucille Ball
• "You and you alone are the only person that can live the life that writes the story that you were meant to tell. And the world needs your story because the world needs your voice." — Kerry Washington
• "I can live without money, but I cannot live without love." — Judy Garland
• "In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on." — Robert Frost
• "Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile." — Franklin P. Jones
• "Do what you can, with what you have, where you can." — Theodore Roosevelt
• "Life imposes things on you that you can’t control, but you still have the choice of how you’re going to live through this." — Celine Dion
• "Life is like a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you only spend it once." — Lillian Dickinson
• "Maybe that's what life is, a wink of the eye and winking stars." — Jack Kerourac
• "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage." — Anais Nin
• "I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom." — Rosa Parks
• "There’s something liberating about not pretending. Dare to embarrass yourself. Risk." — Drew Barrymore
• "Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday." — John Wayne
• "You only pass through this life once, you don’t come back for an encore." — Elvis Presley

Amazing love quotes to share with your person

Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle editor at TODAY.com, where she writes, edits and optimizes content in the lifestyle space. Previously, she covered home, holiday and gifts at Good Housekeeping. 

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Home Essay Samples Life

Essay Samples on Someone Who Inspires Me

At its core, inspiration is a powerful force that ignites passion, propels dreams, and molds individuals into extraordinary beings. It is the vibrant pulse that surges through our veins, pushing us to achieve greatness even in the face of adversity. Crafting an essay about someone who inspires you allows you to shine a spotlight on the transformative power of such individuals.

How to Write an Essay on Someone Who Inspires Me

Here are some useful example you shpuld consider when writing a college essay about someone who inspires you:

• Consider beginning with a heartfelt introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and sets the stage for the awe-inspiring journey to come.
• Share a personal anecdote or a defining moment that sparked the connection between you and your inspirational figure, allowing the reader to empathize with your experience.
• Delve into the qualities and actions that make this individual so inspiring. Explore their accomplishments, perseverance, and unwavering determination. Showcase how their words and deeds have impacted your life, shaping your values and aspirations. Be vivid and descriptive, illustrating the profound influence they have had on your personal growth and development.
• Weave in personal reflections throughout your essay. Share introspective thoughts and revelations, highlighting the lessons you have learned and the ways in which your perspective has evolved. By doing so, you invite the reader to embark on a transformative journey alongside you, creating a powerful emotional connection.

To aid you in your writing process, we provide a sample essay about someone who inspires you. It serves as a guiding light, illustrating the structure, tone, and depth needed to craft an outstanding piece. Drawing inspiration from this sample, embrace your unique voice, infuse your essay with passion, and let your words leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the readers.

A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

There are moments in life when we cross paths with someone who transforms our world in inexplicable ways. For me, that person is someone special who has walked alongside me, sharing laughter, tears, and countless memories. Our relationship is a testament to the beauty of...

• Someone Who Inspires Me

A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

Amidst the myriad of individuals who have crossed the path of my life, there is one who stands as a beacon of inspiration, illuminating the way with her unwavering determination, boundless compassion, and unyielding spirit. Her name is Emma, and her presence in my life...

A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

Throughout our lives, we encounter countless individuals who leave a lasting impact on us. Among them, there is always that one person who stands out — a person whose presence, actions, and words etch a permanent mark in our memories. In this essay, I will...

• Influential Person

My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

The identities of Americans are diversified. One’s identity is made up of a person's culture, heritage, personality, and how they strive to succeed. The identity of a person is created, through the hardships faced and their history, whether it is that one is born in...

• Grandmother
• Grandparent

My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

Heroes can have a massive superb have an effect on on your life. My heroes are my mother and my dad. They are heroes to me each day and I have continually seemed up to them. I have always wanted to be just like my...

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Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

When I think of an individual who I look up to and aspire to emulate, the first person that comes to mind is Audrey Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn’s career in both entertainment and humanitarian work is a path I know I will follow because it is...

• Audrey Hepburn

Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

Oprah Winfrey was born in Mississippi on January 29,1954. Her parents were not married and broke up soon after she was born. Oprah Winfrey’s grandmother was strict and gave her plenty of discipline as she grew up on an isolated farm. Her grandmother taught her...

• Oprah Winfrey

St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

The qualities that St. Bernadette of Soubirous has that I admire are; being humble, being modest, being obedient, and loving. I admire these qualities because they make a person better. Saint Bernadette was modest and humble because, she didn’t brag about seeing Mother Mary, and...

• Catholic Church

Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie-Bertrand de Beauvoir was a French writer, political activist, feminist thinker and existentialist philosopher. She had worked alongside other famous existentialist such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and Maurice Merleau-Ponty and was able to produce wonderful works such as She Came to Stay, Pyrrhus and...

• Existentialism
• Simone De Beauvoir

Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

Ned Kelly was a bushranger and was born in June 1855 at Beveridge, Victoria. His father was John Kelly and his mother was Ellen Kelly. Ned became the father of his family at a very young age because of his fathers early death. In 1869...

Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

Joan of Arc was one of the most heroic women in French history. She has claimed to hear voices that told her to lead France in the Hundred Years War leading France to some victories. Although some believe that the Joan of Arc heard the...

• Joan of Arc

Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

To me, nursing is a selfless job. You put the patients’ needs before yours to provide them with the care that they deserve. As a nurse, you are the healing hands. With the energy, compassion, and dedication you build with the patients, you make a...

• Life Changing Experience

Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

A question simply arises in my mind that how someone can be a great leader. I thought on this and then I came across various leadership qualities which leaders are having in them. Let me explain first about the leadership qualities. Leader is a word...

The People Who Shaped Me

At a young age of 7, I subconsciously started noticing my mom reminisce about her past and it made me see the way music connected her to her roots and in a way, made her human. It was waking up and witnessing a scene that...

Three People Who Influenced Me Throughout My Life

My parents are undeniably the people who gave me the most profound influence. I would not talk about them separately because they are truly in one flesh. My parents met each other at bible college, and after they married, they served in church and drug...

• Personal Life

Life Lessons in the Diary of Anne Frank

Anne Frank was a 13-year-old Jewish that has made a big impact on people around the world. Making us realize the crimes we create are destroying all of humanity just because some of us have different views and beliefs are certain things. If you don't...

• The Diary of Anne Frank

The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich: An Inspiration to All  

How would one respond to the most miserable and unpromising situation? In The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, the main character, Anne Frank, is deprived of her freedom and forced to hide in a secret annex. As a Jewish girl...

Tara Curb, Her Acts of Kindness Association, and Her Unique Vision of Kindness

It is a late-afternoon, November 7, 2019, on a freezing thirty-five degree and gloomy Thursday at the University of Oklahoma Bizzell Memorial Library. In one of the conference rooms held a Acts of Kindness Association meeting. Running the organization meeting was a smart young woman,...

Biography of Jackie Robinson - National Hero

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” (Jackie Robinson). In the United States in the 1940s, segregation was the way of life. You probably know Jackie Robinson as number 42; the first black man to play major league...

• Jackie Robinson

Life And Art Of Andy Warhol

I remember the first time I saw Andy Warhol’s artworks was about ten years ago at an exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan. At that time, I was not a big fan of Andy Warhol and I didn’t understand why all the works that only show some...

• Andy Warhol

Best topics on Someone Who Inspires Me

1. A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

2. A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

3. A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

4. My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

5. My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

6. Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

7. Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

8. St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

9. Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

10. Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

11. Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

12. Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

13. Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

14. The People Who Shaped Me

15. Three People Who Influenced Me Throughout My Life

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• Career Goals
• Personal Experience

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Motivation Essay. What Drives Your Life?

The essence of most essays on motivation is that people’s behavior is determined by their needs.  

Motivation is an engine of our life. It’s a power that pushes us towards our dreams and targets. Our acts are dedicated by external factors and inner power. But the most reliable and effective type of motivation is a self-motivation. If you don’t have enough motivation in your life check out this story. You will see that our academic writers wanted to make you think about some kind of power that drives your actions and behavior. Also, our team provides all variety of writing services online including specific types of papers.

Contemporary motivation theories essays. Have you ever wondered about them?

If you never read such stories before just try to look through at least one of them. These theories are very useful for understanding people’s behavior. They give us the theoretical background of this process explaining the nature and types of motivation. There are more than 50 main theories.

The most well-known among them is the carrot and the stick method. It is often used while animals training. This theory is supposed to be very primitive in our modern world, as it takes into account only basic instincts. You must have seen a picture with a sad donkey, sweet carrot and a stick that describes this method. Its simplified point means that a man wants to eat and not to be beaten. So it ignores other human needs like communication, relationships, need in respect, aesthetic needs, etc. But unfortunately some parents use it for kids and some employers implement it for their staff. As for our company we never use this approach. That’s why our team provides the best writing services for you , it has enough inspiration and motivation.

The most objective theory is probably Maslow’s pyramid. It covers seven types of human needs. In most cases, we rarely think about the first stage of needs. We take it for granted that we breathe and have enough food. But still, it’s very difficult to love someone or reach high results at work being always hungry or thirsty. The second stage is connected with safety. It’s obvious that we need confidence in security for today and for future. The third stage is probably the most spiritual one. It’s connected with our soul and involves such needs as love, friendship and belonging to a certain group of community. Everyone wants to feel needed, to love and to be loved, to get friends’ support. The fourth stage of this theory is about success and appreciation in society. After this stage, people want to investigate and widen their knowledge. They open new horizons of philosophy and science, become more intelligent. Do you remember Sheldon from “The Big Bang Theory” and his desire to systematize everything? It’s the sixth stage of the pyramid which contains aesthetic and harmony needs too. The last stage is the stage for very special people. Only 2 % of people reach the top of the pyramid and realize all their potentials.

This pyramid is only the basis of needs for motivation. And sometimes people just skip some stages on their way to the top of it. It’s very important to understand that Maslow’s pyramid is not a dogma. Its levels can change their order. For example, dedicated musicians, painters or writers can work even without any food for a whole day just to finish their masterpiece. They want to get success in their art first. Nevertheless, almost all contemporary theories are based on these two classical approaches.

Different needs grow at different speeds. Nowadays some people even put “internet” in the first place in this pyramid. Of course, it’s a joke, but this fact is still a reflection of modern trends. For example, students use global web to pass their exams. They can order some writing services online .

Why do we need knowledge about motivation? Understanding the basis of motivation and needs can help you lead any group of people.  But still, the most important thing about motivation is that it should start with your own self-motivation.

Your own self motivation essay. What would you write there?

Do you need any help to write an essay on this topic? If you already have one you can hire experienced essay editor to check your work. In this case, you will get the most literate variant. But do you have any examples from your own experience for it? Our modern world is quite cruel and self-motivation is a necessary feature for a person to get success. Everyone is responsible for his acts, deeds and the whole life. There is no sense to accuse other people, government or circumstances of your own failures. You should be self-motivated. There is a joke: “How to motivate oneself? Just do nothing and stay in that place where you are now”.

You can read more amusing stories on our blog:

• 30 Laws Of Life: How To Make Universe Help You
• Immigration Essay: East Or West, Home Is Best?
• Joy Division's Success Story

Self-motivation is an essential condition for your personal progress. It gives you the energy to reach your goals and success in the whole life despite any external factors. Here are some tips on self-motivation.

• Comprehend the sense and philosophy of your life. Don’t choose only one thing like wealth. Let it be a healthy happy family for example.
• Think about the worst things that will happen if you don’t act. Imagine the darkest and the lightest pages of your life. Choose the one you want and do everything you can to reach it.
• Take an example from people who live in harder situations and conditions than you. Many people survived wars, disasters, diseases and didn’t give up. 
• Determine some steps on how to reach your goal. Think about different variants and back up plans. Solve priority problems first. If you don’t have enough time ask someone’s help. If you are a student, use online services https://livecustomwriting.com/blog/best-essay-writing-services to make your home tasks.
• Act. Don’t think too much about your wishes, go ahead.
• Get energy and inspiration. Study something new and useful for your life. Communicate with positive interesting people.

Check out some other useful advice from our authors:

• It Is Easy To Find 24 Hour Essay Writing Services
• Use Essays Editing For Cheap
• Take A Break: Use English Proofreading Service
• Best Proofreading Work Companies In USA
• Buy Custom Term Paper On Our Website
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• Do You Know The Website That Fixes Grammar?

If you ever need to write an employee motivation essay ask our team

Your request “ do my essay for me ” will be approved by the talented authors of our company. They will prove that a well-motivated team is a key to the successful business. Knowing wishes of each employee helps an employer manage his staff. People whose needs are not satisfied won’t do their work properly. They will quit in a long-term perspective. And on the contrary, people who are well-motivated will have enough vital force and inspiration for doing their tasks. Our authors who are writing cool academic essays for you now are a case in point. They take their place of work like an essential part of their life associating it with their wish fulfillment.

The main sense of employee motivation is to reveal workers’ needs and to give an honest opportunity to satisfy them. It’s not only about money or any material things. Some people want to become good specialists in their professional spheres or have an appropriate schedule to spend enough time with their families. 

Here are some modern perks, which are used by companies to motivate their employees:

• free professional conferences, meetings, and workshops;
• fresh coffee in the morning;
• business trips abroad;

Self–motivation is a feature of adult independent people. Life without it looks like a car without an engine. Just compare blinding Bugatti racing on the road and overtaking other cars and a wagon just going down the mountain. Which one would you prefer? Always choose the best decision like our clients do https://livecustomwriting.com/blog/student-essay-writing-service-best-decision . Don’t let things slide, just pull yourself together and try your best to reach the best results. Don’t ignore motivation and don’t miss opportunities to reach success. Let your self-motivation drive your life.

Our dear customers! We are happy to introduce our new design. We tried our best to make it as user-friendly and comfortable to use as possible! If you have any comments or ideas, we would be delighted to hear them! Thank you in advance.

50 positive life quotes to inspire, and lift your spirit each day

" Life's a climb. But the view is great ." There are times when things seemingly go to plan, and there are other moments when nothing works out.

During those instances, you might feel lost. But words of encouragement can help. Certain quotes can inspire and remind you to live life to the fullest and persevere through whatever challenges come your way.

If you're looking for more, here is a list of quotes about life throughout the decades:

50 quotes about life

• "You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated." – Maya Angelou , "And Still I Rise"
• "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on." –  Robert Frost
• "Life is a long lesson in humility." – J.M. Barrie , "The Little Minister"
• "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." – Oscar Wilde
• "The most important thing is to enjoy your life–to be happy–it's all that matters." – Audrey Hepburn
• "To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone." – Reba McEntire
• "We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." – Joseph Campbell
• "Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
• "Love the life you live. Live the life you love." – Bob Marley
• "I was taught that the way of progress was neither swift nor easy." – Marie Curie
• "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." –  Friedrich Nietzsche
• "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." – Mae West
• "The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one's destiny to do, and then do it." – Henry Ford
• "In order to write about life first you must live it." – Ernest Hemingway
• "Life has no limitations, except the ones you make." – Les Brown
• "It's your outlook on life that counts. If you take yourself lightly and don't take yourself too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives. And sometimes it can be a lifesaver." – Betty White
• "Live for each second without hesitation." – Elton John
• "The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." – E. E. Cummings
• "Start each day with a positive thought and a grateful heart." – Roy Bennett
• "All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure." – Mark Twain
• "I believe that if you'll just stand up and go, life will open up for you. Something just motivates you to keep moving." – Tina Turner
• "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." – Thomas Edison
• "I have very strong feelings about how you lead your life. You always look ahead, you never look back." – Ann Richards
• "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." – Albert Einstein
• "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." – Anais Nin
• "You do not find the happy life. You make it." – Camilla Eyring Kimball
• "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." – Jackie Robinson
• "The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." – Eleanor Roosevelt
• "The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams." – Oprah Winfrey
• "If you own this story you get to write the ending." – Brené Brown
• "Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once." – Lillian Dickinson
• "Life is about making an impact, not making an income." – Kevin Kruse
• "There are no regrets in life, just lessons." – Jennifer Aniston
• "Accept no one's definition of your life, define yourself." – Harvey Fierstein
• "The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes." – Frank Lloyd Wright
• "If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of." – Bruce Lee
• "Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts." – Nikki Giovanni
• "Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced." – Soren Kierkegaard
• "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." – Steve Jobs
• "If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow." – Beyoncé
• "If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living." – Gail Sheehy
• "I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." – Booker T. Washington
• "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful." – Annette Funicello
• "The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything." – Frank Sinatra
• "I think I've discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it." – Charles Schulz
• "Life is very interesting... in the end, some of your greatest pains, become your greatest strengths." – Drew Barrymore
• "Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." – Joshua J. Marine
• "Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it's only good for wallowing in." – Katherine Mansfield
• "The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway." – Henry Boye
• "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." – George Bernard Shaw

Quotes about love: 50 love quotes to express how you feel: 'Where there is love there is life'

Inspirational quotes: 50 motivational motivational words to brighten your day.

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Critic’s Pick

‘Civil War’ Review: We Have Met the Enemy and It Is Us. Again.

In Alex Garland’s tough new movie, a group of journalists led by Kirsten Dunst, as a photographer, travels a United States at war with itself.

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‘Civil War’ | Anatomy of a Scene

The writer and director alex garland narrates a sequence from his film..

“My name is Alex Garland and I’m the writer director of ‘Civil War’. So this particular clip is roughly around the halfway point of the movie and it’s these four journalists and they’re trying to get, in a very circuitous route, from New York to DC, and encountering various obstacles on the way. And this is one of those obstacles. What they find themselves stuck in is a battle between two snipers. And they are close to one of the snipers and the other sniper is somewhere unseen, but presumably in a large house that sits over a field and a hill. It’s a surrealist exchange and it’s surrounded by some very surrealist imagery, which is they’re, in broad daylight in broad sunshine, there’s no indication that we’re anywhere near winter in the filming. In fact, you can kind of tell it’s summer. But they’re surrounded by Christmas decorations. And in some ways, the Christmas decorations speak of a country, which is in disrepair, however silly it sounds. If you haven’t put away your Christmas decorations, clearly something isn’t going right.” “What’s going on?” “Someone in that house, they’re stuck. We’re stuck.” “And there’s a bit of imagery. It felt like it hit the right note. But the interesting thing about that imagery was that it was not production designed. We didn’t create it. We actually literally found it. We were driving along and we saw all of these Christmas decorations, basically exactly as they are in the film. They were about 100 yards away, just piled up by the side of the road. And it turned out, it was a guy who’d put on a winter wonderland festival. People had not dug his winter wonderland festival, and he’d gone bankrupt. And he had decided just to leave everything just strewn around on a farmer’s field, who was then absolutely furious. So in a way, there’s a loose parallel, which is the same implication that exists within the film exists within real life.” “You don’t understand a word I say. Yo. What’s over there in that house?” “Someone shooting.” “It’s to do with the fact that when things get extreme, the reasons why things got extreme no longer become relevant and the knife edge of the problem is all that really remains relevant. So it doesn’t actually matter, as it were, in this context, what side they’re fighting for or what the other person’s fighting for. It’s just reduced to a survival.”

By Manohla Dargis

A blunt, gut-twisting work of speculative fiction, “Civil War” opens with the United States at war with itself — literally, not just rhetorically. In Washington, D.C., the president is holed up in the White House; in a spookily depopulated New York, desperate people wait for water rations. It’s the near-future, and rooftop snipers, suicide bombers and wild-eyed randos are in the fight while an opposition faction with a two-star flag called the Western Forces, comprising Texas and California — as I said, this is speculative fiction — is leading the charge against what remains of the federal government. If you’re feeling triggered, you aren’t alone.

It’s mourning again in America, and it’s mesmerizingly, horribly gripping. Filled with bullets, consuming fires and terrific actors like Kirsten Dunst running for cover, the movie is a what-if nightmare stoked by memories of Jan. 6. As in what if the visions of some rioters had been realized, what if the nation was again broken by Civil War, what if the democratic experiment called America had come undone? If that sounds harrowing, you’re right. It’s one thing when a movie taps into childish fears with monsters under the bed; you’re eager to see what happens because you know how it will end (until the sequel). Adult fears are another matter.

In “Civil War,” the British filmmaker Alex Garland explores the unbearable if not the unthinkable, something he likes to do. A pop cultural savant, he made a splashy zeitgeist-ready debut with his 1996 best seller “The Beach,” a novel about a paradise that proves deadly, an evergreen metaphor for life and the basis for a silly film . That things in the world are not what they seem, and are often far worse, is a theme that Garland has continued pursuing in other dark fantasies, first as a screenwriter (“ 28 Days Later ”), and then as a writer-director (“ Ex Machina ”). His résumé is populated with zombies, clones and aliens, though reliably it is his outwardly ordinary characters you need to keep a closer watch on.

By the time “Civil War” opens, the fight has been raging for an undisclosed period yet long enough to have hollowed out cities and people’s faces alike. It’s unclear as to why the war started or who fired the first shot. Garland does scatter some hints; in one ugly scene, a militia type played by a jolting, scarily effective Jesse Plemons asks captives “what kind of American” they are. Yet whatever divisions preceded the conflict are left to your imagination, at least partly because Garland assumes you’ve been paying attention to recent events. Instead, he presents an outwardly and largely post-ideological landscape in which debates over policies, politics and American exceptionalism have been rendered moot by war.

‘Civil War’ Is Designed to Disturb You

One thing that remains familiar amid these ruins is the movie’s old-fashioned faith in journalism. Dunst, who’s sensational, plays Lee, a war photographer who works for Reuters alongside her friend, a reporter, Joel (the charismatic Wagner Moura). They’re in New York when you meet them, milling through a crowd anxiously waiting for water rations next to a protected tanker. It’s a fraught scene; the restless crowd is edging into mob panic, and Lee, camera in hand, is on high alert. As Garland’s own camera and Joel skitter about, Lee carves a path through the chaos, as if she knows exactly where she needs to be — and then a bomb goes off. By the time it does, an aspiring photojournalist, Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), is also in the mix.

The streamlined, insistently intimate story takes shape once Lee, Joel, Jessie and a veteran reporter, Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), pile into a van and head to Washington. Joel and Lee are hoping to interview the president (Nick Offerman), and Sammy and Jessie are riding along largely so that Garland can make the trip more interesting. Sammy serves as a stabilizing force (Henderson fills the van with humanizing warmth), while Jessie plays the eager upstart Lee takes under her resentful wing. It’s a tidily balanced sampling that the actors, with Garland’s banter and via some cozy downtime, turn into flesh-and-blood personalities, people whose vulnerability feeds the escalating tension with each mile.

As the miles and hours pass, Garland adds diversions and hurdles, including a pair of playful colleagues, Tony and Bohai (Nelson Lee and Evan Lai), and some spooky dudes guarding a gas station. Garland shrewdly exploits the tense emptiness of the land, turning strangers into potential threats and pretty country roads into ominously ambiguous byways. Smartly, he also recurrently focuses on Lee’s face, a heartbreakingly hard mask that Dunst lets slip brilliantly. As the journey continues, Garland further sketches in the bigger picture — the dollar is near-worthless, the F.B.I. is gone — but for the most part, he focuses on his travelers and the engulfing violence, the smoke and the tracer fire that they often don’t notice until they do.

Despite some much-needed lulls (for you, for the narrative rhythm), “Civil War” is unremittingly brutal or at least it feels that way. Many contemporary thrillers are far more overtly gruesome than this one, partly because violence is one way unimaginative directors can put a distinctive spin on otherwise interchangeable material: Cue the artful fountains of arterial spray. Part of what makes the carnage here feel incessant and palpably realistic is that Garland, whose visual approach is generally unfussy, doesn’t embellish the violence, turning it into an ornament of his virtuosity. Instead, the violence is direct, at times shockingly casual and unsettling, so much so that its unpleasantness almost comes as a surprise.

If the violence feels more intense than in a typical genre shoot ’em up, it’s also because, I think, with “Civil War,” Garland has made the movie that’s long been workshopped in American political discourse and in mass culture, and which entered wider circulation on Jan. 6. The raw power of Garland’s vision unquestionably owes much to the vivid scenes that beamed across the world that day when rioters, some wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “ MAGA civil war ,” swarmed the Capitol. Even so, watching this movie, I also flashed on other times in which Americans have relitigated the Civil War directly and not, on the screen and in the streets.

Movies have played a role in that relitigation for more than a century, at times grotesquely. Two of the most famous films in history — D.W. Griffith’s 1915 racist epic “The Birth of a Nation” (which became a Ku Klux Klan recruitment tool) and the romantic 1939 melodrama “Gone With the Wind” — are monuments to white supremacy and the myth of the Southern Lost Cause. Both were critical and popular hits. In the decades since, filmmakers have returned to the Civil War era to tell other stories in films like “Glory,” “Lincoln” and “Django Unchained” that in addressing the American past inevitably engage with its present.

There are no lofty or reassuring speeches in “Civil War,” and the movie doesn’t speak to the better angels of our nature the way so many films try to. Hollywood’s longstanding, deeply American imperative for happy endings maintains an iron grip on movies, even in ostensibly independent productions. There’s no such possibility for that in “Civil War.” The very premise of Garland’s movie means that — no matter what happens when or if Lee and the rest reach Washington — a happy ending is impossible, which makes this very tough going. Rarely have I seen a movie that made me so acutely uncomfortable or watched an actor’s face that, like Dunst’s, expressed a nation’s soul-sickness so vividly that it felt like an X-ray.

Civil War Rated R for war violence and mass death. Running time: 1 hour 49 minutes. In theaters.

An earlier version of this review misidentified an organization in the Civil War in the movie. It is the Western Forces, not the Western Front.

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Manohla Dargis is the chief film critic for The Times. More about Manohla Dargis

Explore More in TV and Movies

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As “Sex and the City” became more widely available on Netflix, younger viewers have watched it with a critical eye . But its longtime millennial and Gen X fans can’t quit.

Hoa Xuande had only one Hollywood credit when he was chosen to lead “The Sympathizer,” the starry HBO adaptation of a prize-winning novel. He needed all the encouragement he could get .

Even before his new film “Civil War” was released, the writer-director Alex Garland faced controversy over his vision of a divided America  with Texas and California as allies.

Theda Hammel’s directorial debut, “Stress Positions,” a comedy about millennials weathering the early days of the pandemic , will ask audiences to return to a time that many people would rather forget.

If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings   on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime  and Hulu  to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

Sign up for our Watching newsletter  to get recommendations on the best films and TV shows to stream and watch, delivered to your inbox.

Hotseat heats up for NPR CEO Katherine Maher — and her life is the ultimate woke-elite bingo card

If woke-elite bingo was a game, Katherine Maher would take the top prize.

The controversial new CEO of NPR, who has only been on the job since March 25, is already at the center of a firestorm that began when veteran NPR reporter and editor Uri Berliner wrote a Free Press essay critical of the network’s increasingly hard-left bias.

Maher suspended Berliner without pay for five days; he responded by resigning Wednesday.

“We’re looking for a leader right now who’s going to be unifying and bring more people into the tent and have a broader perspective on, sort of, what America is all about,” Berliner told NPR correspondent David Folkenflik of Maher Tuesday. “And this seems to be the opposite of that.”

As a a result, Maher’s now on the hot seat herself, both for what she’s said in the past and for how much her life resembles an almost too-on-the-nose script from someone like Lena Dunham.

To begin with, she lives — where else — in progressive Park Slope in Brooklyn. Maher and her husband, lawyer Ashutosh Upreti, who wed in August 2023, bought the three-bedroom brownstone for $2.7 million last fall.

Maher’s LinkedIn ticks off every possible far-left box: stints at Wikimedia, the World Economic Forum, Stanford University, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Atlantic Council and UNICEF, as well as forays into high finance at HSBC and the World Bank, prior to joining NPR in January.

The Elizabeth Warren fan’s X account reveals references calling Donald Trump a “ deranged racist sociopath ” and a dream in which Maher and Vice-President Kamala Harris were “ sampling and comparing nuts and baklava on roadside stands .”

Maher’s meet-cute with her husband, as described in a New York Times “Vows” column after their wedding , happened at a friend’s “interdenominational seder” in San Francisco’s Mission District in April 2019.

The two later went out for drinks, with Maher mistakenly thinking that Upreti was angling for a job as counsel with Wikimedia. She peppered him with questions such as ““How do you think about organizational risk, and what does a strategic legal function look like?”

Maher grew up in blue-chip Wilton, Conn. — one of three children of a commodities operations man, Gordon Roberts Maher, who called himself a “spiritual Parisian.”

Maher’s grandfather worked for IBM and “family lore contends he may or may not have been a postwar spy,” according to Gordon Roberts Maher’s 2020 obituary .

Conservatives have had a field day unearthing Maher’s vast archive of over-the-top neo-Marxist tweets and a now infamous Ted Talk in which she said that a “reverence for the truth” is a “distraction.”

“Perhaps for our most tricky disagreements, seeking the truth and seeking to convince others of the truth might not be the right place to start,” Maher said during the TED Talk. “In fact, our reverence for the truth might be a distraction that’s getting in the way of finding common ground and getting things done.”

Conservative activist and commentator Christopher F. Rufo culled the X archive of Maher’s 29,400 tweets in an essay, “ Quotations from Chairman Maher ,” published on his Web site Wednesday.

“This archive is a collection of her statements, but at a deeper level, it provides a window into the soul of a uniquely American archetype: the affluent, white, female liberal — many of whom now sit atop our elite institutions,” Rufo wrote.

Many remaining NPR staffers, however, seem to think that Maher isn’t doing enough to ensure that NPR’s current way of doing journalism continues apace. Fifty employees signed a letter to Maher and top editor Edith Chapin that demanded, among other things, a public rebuke of the “factual inaccuracies and elisions” in Uri Berliner’s Free Press essay.

Berliner took some parting shots at Maher in the resignation letter he posted on X Wednesday.

“I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years,” Berliner wrote Wednesday. “I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism.”

Berliner added that he “cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay.”