When one is given an opportunity to choose a word that they believe is significant in their life, it is important to find the word that has brought one’s self to where they currently are in life. “Diligent” is the word that I can relate the most to myself. It is through choosing this word that empowers the central feeling of being the word itself. The application of diligence to my life has opened windows of opportunity to move on to greater challenges. Many people may not understand what being diligent is, and may not do it all the time, but at some point in everyone’s life they experience it.
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 during the process, to make sure that the reward (of whatever it is a person is trying to accomplish) is of true satisfaction. The origin of the word
begins in the mid 14th century in France where it began as “attention, care". From there it moved on to "value highly, love, choose"(Dictionary.com). The history and transformation of this word hold on to the theme of attention, and that is the central idea of diligence.
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 from within after realizing that this is the way society wants people to be. Having a sense of pride from the effort one puts into their work will keep them 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’ve put in. Whether it is on school assignments, or general house labor, paying attention and being persistent will lead to success.
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 help a person get far in life. 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. I have never been forced by another person to be diligent. My parents have explained that nice lifestyle they have provided for me is just temporary, and I will have to recreate this for myself through the effort I put in. Basically what has happened is that viewing the rewards that I can achieve when I am older is a motivation to do the best work possible now. “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; no one should stop trying to accomplish the challenges put before them, and they will someday be the creator of those challenges for others to work towards. The word may also be applied, as well as the quote, to the way one has to be in school. At first, one will spend 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 do in life, rather than be forced to live a life you they don’t want 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 the career, 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 the final product. This is property for residential, commercial, and industrial property owners.
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. Anyone can become a diligent person by constantly staying at a standard of concentration with the work that they are doing. This is an import, yet rare, quality to have, and it can be the difference between ‘good’, and ‘great’.
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 >.
