Raul Martinez
Mrs.Boreson
Expository Writing, Period 4
Definition Essay
March 4, 2011
When one is given the opportunity to describe themself with one word it is important that they find the word that has brought them the most success in life. “Diligent” is the word that I can relate the most to myself. It is a quality favored by those who rely on a person to accomlish any given task. It is the difference between a 'good' job, and 'great' work. At some point in a person's life they may get a taste of what diligent work is. However, the ability to practice this skill everyday is what makes peers, teachers, supervisor, and any spectators most impressed.
The online dictionary defines diligent as 1. constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything. 2. Done or pursued with persevering attention (Dictionary.com). This definition agrees to the way that I understand the word. Diligence can be broken down into two parts that will show how this one word is the product of different skills and characteristics. For a person to be diligent, they will first need to already be trying to accomplish something. This shows that they are adding value to their life by challenging themselves. Accomplishing something must be governed by rules, and this means the way to be diligent is to attempt to accomplish something carefully. It is not enough to try to accomplish, but rather to put regulations on one's self to make sure that the reward (of whatever it is trying to be acccomplished) is of true satisfaction.
When it comes to characteristics of people, being a diligent worker cannot be completely understood when taught by someone else. It is one of those rare traits that can only be taught by one's self when they realize that this is the way society wants people to be. Having a sense of pride from the effort put in to the work will keep a person addicted to being at a certain standard in any work they do. From my experiences, there is no bigger pay off than to be rewarded for the carefully chosen work I have put in. Whether it is on school assignments, or general house labor, paying attention and being persistent will lead to success. There probability of long term success increases every time one puts their best efforts forward. Over time a raised expectation will turn in to a habit, and there is certainly nothing wrong with this habit.
Other words that fall in the same category are industrious, assiduous, sedulous, indefatigable, untiring, tireless, and unremitting. These all contain the central idea of working towards something, with a will from within. The complete opposites of being diligent are inactive, indifferent, languid, lazy, lethargic, and negligent. No one should want to be categorized as any of these because they are not positive, and will not do not lead to success. Seeing the opposite of what the word means will show what not to be, and for some, that is an easier way to comprehend why being diligent is appreciated. The history of the word helps understand the value of diligence in the past still directly ties to the way modern civilization views it today.It began in the thirteenth century as "diligentem", where it meant attentive, or assiduous(Dictionary.com). This is basically the same as the current definition.
Other words that fall in the same category are industrious, assiduous, sedulous, indefatigable, untiring, tireless, and unremitting. These all contain the central idea of working towards something, with a will from within. The complete opposites of being diligent are inactive, indifferent, languid, lazy, lethargic, and negligent. No one should want to be categorized as any of these because they are not positive, and will not do not lead to success. Seeing the opposite of what the word means will show what not to be, and for some, that is an easier way to comprehend why being diligent is appreciated. The history of the word helps understand the value of diligence in the past still directly ties to the way modern civilization views it today.It began in the thirteenth century as "diligentem", where it meant attentive, or assiduous(Dictionary.com). This is basically the same as the current definition.
“The hand of the diligent will rule, while the lazy will be put to forced labor.”-Author Unknown (Columbia World of Quotations). This quote has an easy concept to understand; anyone given a task should not stop trying to accomplish the challenges put before them, and someday they will become the creator of those challenges for others to work towards. The word, as well as the quote, apply directly to the quality of things done in school. At first,one spends a lot of time working all the way from elementary school to college. After combining all of the education they have gathered, they will get to choose what they want to be doing in life, rather than be forced to live a life unwanted due to a lack of education.
This word applies so well to my life, that it even describes the way I will have to work in my future career. My plan is to become an architect in life, and this requires a lot of skills combined. In fact, I believe it takes up all of the skills I have learned in life, and uses them to create unique works of large-scale art. Paying attention to detail is necessary to become successful in a project. In any given scenario, one must consider numerous things at the same time and keep moving forward to meet deadlines. New challenges are brought up constantly, and each one of those challenges adds up to create property for residential, commercial, and industrial property owners. There might not be a reward for attentiveness, but onlookers will appreciate that there are still people in this world who care about fine detail.
It is vital to be diligent in order to surpass the average, and go for advanced. I’ve found throughout my life that people usually appreciate diligent workers. Getting recognition for diligence is not nearly as important as staying at a level where everything you do is diligent work. I have found it necessary to apply this word to my life, because it has helped me in my past, and will be the reason for the success of my future.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. "Diligent | Define Diligent at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Free Online Dictionary for English Definitions. Random House, Inc. 2011. Web. 04 Mar. 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diligent>.
2. "The_hand_of_the_diligent_will_rule_while." Columbia World of Quotations. Columbia University Press, 1996. 03 Mar. 2011. <Dictionary.com http://quotes.dictionary.com/The_hand_of_the_diligent_will_rule_while >.
3."diligent." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 24 Mar. 2011. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diligent>.
