I have always been stubborn in the sense that I don't always do what I'm asked. Sounds rebellious and fun, right? Yeah, it was when I was 13-years-old. Now it sometimes feels stupid to think about the attitude I maintained. But is it something I would like to change? Definitely not. It has made me who I am today and has made me appreciate how sometimes getting out of your comfort zone can actually be fun.

Let’s look at the negative aspects of being stubborn. I have often stopped myself from learning new things in life just because I was too stubborn to even try. I have distanced myself from many adventures because my mind is always too fixed on the already imprinted stereotypes in my mind. I will not do anything related to computer programming because I fail every time (I made up my mind after trying it only once). I will not go hiking in a wild area because I fear an animal will come and eat me up (too far-fetched, I know) or worse, pee on me.

I could give many examples in which I have restricted myself from growing intellectually and physically, simply because I am too stubborn. I won’t say that it has harmed me in every area, but it has in a few. If we consider academics, where it is very necessary to be open-minded and learn as much as possible, I have restricted myself too much, which, in my opinion, is not good. But, when it comes to hiking, well, I still don’t want to go!

Is being stubborn even a little bit helpful? Well, as for myself, it is what has kept me going for 23 years. Cliché alert. How many times have people told you that you can’t do something and you've immediately given up? It happens every day, I suppose. But, often I have been deaf, impervious to the negative things people say. “Don’t you think doing that is way out of your league?” Well, maybe. But isn't that the reason I want to try it? "I don't think you're capable. I couldn't do it. This is one of the lamest reasons to not try something, but one that we often fall prey to.

Obviously, just because someone is trying doesn’t guarantee they will succeed. But, at least they tried and failed. When I fail and go to sleep at night, I know that I gave my best. What's more is that I can sleep peacefully without that one small phrase running through my head: “Should I have tried harder?"