Fencing is a challenging sport. It might look easy — and honestly, when I first joined, it was. In about a week I was able to beat every kid in the beginner class. But it only stayed easy for a little while. The difficult thing about fencing is the mental demand. I had to learn so many moves, constantly had to keep my posture in check, to guess my opponent’s next moves, and correspond accordingly. What made the mental and physical exertion worse was, at one point, every person surrounding me while fencing seemed better than me. They were fast, their posture was perfect, and they could do multiple things at once.

I was on the verge of quitting. I couldn’t beat any kid in the advanced class, and I was too embarrassed to fence them. But one day I decided to just watch them. I should have been considering how much they actually practiced. The students weren’t born pro fencers — they put in effort every day. They never slacked off. I saw that the only way to overcome a challenge is to have the mindset to do so. Now it’s been two years since I joined fencing. Every day, I try. I practice to the best of my abilities. I was able to fence and defeat my first advanced opponent, and I was invited to the advanced class.

Fencing has taught me that challenges can appear anywhere, and you can’t just give up. The only way to reach your goal is to face it. Don’t quit because you can’t do it; try harder and overcome it. Thanks to fencing, I’ve learned that I’m the only person who can control my life.

— Misheel Tamir