'a giant leap for mankind' - Stanford supplement: intellectual vitality

Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. This is my rough draft so please be honest. Any help would be great!

"That's one small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind" those were the exact words spoken by Neil Armstrong that inspired a whole planet as he became the first man to ever walk the surface of the moon. This triumph was not his alone. If not for the engineers, mechanics, and dreams made it all possible. The weight of his words set a spark inside me, reassuring me that impossible is only limited by my own imagination. The work of a generation was made real, and a myth of legends had finally come true. My imagination was then reset to new limits; limits that I was inspired to overcome, that will empower others to talk about me the same way they do about the lunar landing. This mere act of challenging destiny has inspired me to write my own.

What is stopping us from reaching even greater heights like reaching Mars or finding the cure for the common cold? This single small step that challenged destiny will only lead to hundreds of giant leaps. My mind is put to awe by this accomplishment but at the same time it is excited for the future. The innovation of reaching the moon will only enable me to think outside the box in ways never presented. This intriguing event inspires me to prove what others think is impossible is only potential; potential that I will chase and use to prove that impossible is just a word thrown around by individuals who do not want to explore their own potential. I will challenge society's current self-imposed limits pushing myself beyond my imagination's barrier of what is possible and what is not.

This is a very intriguing essay. :)
I do think the use of potential is weird in this part of the sentence
" This intriguing event inspires me to prove what others think is impossible is only potential; potential that I will chase and use to prove that impossible"

IDK maybe you should shoot for another word or reword the sentence. other than that the essay is great.

I think you should elaborate on this portion more as it is generic and in some parts vague.

the essay in quite forceful overall. I like the ending for it showcases your aspirations but you should elaborate on what you plan to do.

Otherwise, the essay is good to go.

I just want to mention that your Neil Armstrong quote is slightly wrong, his actual words were "Thats one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", misquoting is a horrible mistake in an essay, especially if that essay is going to be read by Stanford!