Tell us about a time you took a risk, failed, and were able to pick up the pieces.

Telephones are one of the greatest inventions in the history of human kind. This seemingly unrealistic invention at the time, proved to be one of the greatest success stories ever. The telephone has allowed us to communicate with people from around the world in a matter of seconds without leaving the comfort of our house. But this invention did not come easy and without numerous setbacks that would drive many people to giving up.

Alexander Graham Bell worked continuously for 6 years without giving up on his hopes and dreams of inventing the telephone so that people could be able to talk to friends and family without having to leave their house. I thinking what contributed to Bell's success the most was the ability to look at the cup half full, not half empty. He even once said that...

"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us".

At the end of my junior year I was auditioning to become a Drum Major of Marching Band for the following year. After putting in hours on hours of conducting practice, learning songs, and writing a great essay, I was disappointed to find out that I did not make it. For a while I was devastated about the fact that I wouldn't be able to be the leader of the band. But as time went on, I began to look at the glass half full. I learned that we were having Tri-M President elections soon and I knew that this time around the decision did not depend on anyone but me and how the entire music department viewed me: a great friend and a responsible person. In the end, I was successfully elected as the new Tri-M President.

Looking back, like Bell said, if I focused too much on the door that was closed and let it upset me and made me give up, I would not have been able to get this awesome opportunity. This failure was probably one of the biggest successes I ever had. At first I learned that not always do I have to be a leader, but I can also be a follower or just a member, and that I do not need to win to prove to myself and others of my capabilities. Furthermore, it taught me that the closed door was just a distraction and that because of it I might have missed the opening of a new door. I now know that when faced with failure it is better to take it and own it, instead of letting it own you. In the end I learned and took away more from this failure than I would have if I succeeded at first.

Congrats on being President! I personally liked your essay a lot and how you managed to setup the reader for what was to come. But I find this passage to be distracting and doesn't really add much to your essay. I think Bell's quote is sufficient in regards to what your story is about.


I just found some grammatical errors and found ways to make your sentences more clear cut and to the point that I recommend you fix.


I believe that Bell's success has to do with his too look at the cup half full, not half empty.


At the end of my junior year, I was auditioning to become Drum Major for the following year.


I put a lot of effort into achieving my goal of becoming a drum major by conducting practice, learning songs, and writing a stellar essay. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to find out that I did not make it.


For a while, I was devastated after realizing that I would not be able to be the leader of the land. As time went on, I began to look at my failure in a more positive light.


I learned that we were having Tri-M Presidential elections soon and I knew that it was up to me and that I would be capable of making a decision. The entire music department viewed me as a great friend and a responsible person. Fortunately, my hard work and effort paid off and I was elected as Tri-M President.


In retrospect, if I had focused too much on failure to become drum major and spend to much time dreading that "closed door," I would not have been able to take advantage of such an awesome opportunity.


I realized that being a leader is a very difficult position to attain and that there are other ways to prove myself and others of my potential.


Furthermore, it taught me that the closed door was just a distraction that could have prevented me from realizing the opening of a new door.


I learned and took away more from this failure than I would have if I succeeded at first.

Hope I could help! Let me know what you think of my revisions. Cheers!