© 2024 NPR Illinois
The Capital's Community & News Service
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

No Regrets

Justin Castelli - Lovington High School
WUIS/Illinois Issues

I believe in perfection. Some say that absolute perfection is impossible. I agree. It is quite impossible to achieve absolute perfection, but that is not what I believe in. I believe in doing something until it is as perfect as I can get it.

It is quite impossible to achieve absolute perfection, but that is not what I believe in. I believe in doing something until it is as perfect as I can get it.

  When I do body work on cars, it takes me longer than most of the other students in my Auto Body class, because I will not put my name on a repair until I am satisfied that I have done my best to achieve a perfect fix. I am working on my 1957 Chevy Belair right now and I am struggling to fix it. More than once, people have told me to lower my standards to just get it done, but I refuse to do so. If I lower the bar, then how can I be proud of what I have done?

I try to be the best person that I can possibly be.  No one goes a day without making a mistake. It is what one learns from that mistake that makes them a better person. I take an honest look at what I did wrong and try to see what I could have done to prevent it. Then I try my best to not to make the same mistake again.

I also try to help others and volunteer whenever I can. If I see an opportunity to help, and I walk away, I’ll feel guilty later.

I know that hard work pays off, and believe that talent is over rated. Give 100 percent and when that is not enough, give an extra 10 or 20 percent.

During golf season, I would go out and play a round of golf early in the morning and when I got home, I would practice until dark. I gave all I had into golf, and after a few months, I cut 15 strokes off my game. In the world of golf, that is almost unheard of. 

The world we live in revolves around competition, so working hard is important. No matter what we do, the best place to be is on top. But in order for me to make it to the top, I have to work extremely hard. You get out of it what you put in to it. That little saying drives my life and gets me to do the best in everything I do.

This I Believe logo

Ultimately, I believe in regretting as little as possible when I die. And that means doing the best that I can and helping others when they need it. Everything I believe is connected and eventually will be tested in some way, shape, or form. But I welcome all challenges that this world has to offer and live without the fear of achieving. That is what I believe.

Related Stories