One of my proudest accomplishments is becoming a school treasurer in high school, not only because I overcame huge odds but also due to its educational value. The experience gave me huge self-confidence as well as taught me a lot about the art of competition.

When I first decided to run for the school treasurer, I hoped it would enhance my resume and also teach me a thing or two about finance. However, deciding to run for the position of school treasurer was the easy part because the hardest part is not setting goals but to formulate and execute a plan to achieve them. After all, I was not the only one eyeing the position of school treasurer as I was up against five other candidates. It soon became clear to me that this experience could be a valuable learning opportunity as well because I will be competing with other people for the rest of my life.

First, I tried to learn as much as possible about other candidates so that I have a better understanding of their individual strengths and weaknesses. Beating the competition requires not only understanding our own strengths and weaknesses but also the strengths and weaknesses of the competition. My research on the candidates turned out to be quite useful in the campaign because I used the research insights to differentiate myself from them.

I managed to become the school treasurer because I made significant efforts to reach out to fellow students and learn about their concerns. I listened to them when they spoke, and they could tell I was more interested in their thoughts than the fellow candidates for the position of school treasurer. I won the trust of my fellow students because I demonstrated to them I did not take their support for granted but instead wanted to earn it. This experience taught me we should be sincere in our dealings with other people because many people can tell when a person is authentic and when he is merely faking it.

I also asked my instructors for guidance as well as reached out to students who had previously served as a school treasurer. They gave me valuable advices and also helped me understand what it is like to perform the role of a school treasurer. The guidance helped me demonstrate to students that I knew what I would be required to do as a school treasurer and I have what it takes to perform my duties if the students put their trust in me. I had heard before that we should not be afraid to reach out for help when we need it. Running for the position of a school treasurer convinced me it is, indeed, wise to seek help when we need it because most people are willing to generously lend a helping hand.

I was quite happy when I won the campaign to become the school treasurer. The outcome increased my self-confidence. However, I treasure this event even more for its educational value. First, I learned about the importance of developing a plan and executing it in a disciplined finish to achieve a goal. I learned it is important to know your competition and not just your ownself. The experience also taught me to be sincere in our dealings with people even if our dealings are related to professional objectives because people admire authentic individuals. Similarly, we should not hesitate to ask for help and learn from other people because many people appreciate it when someone shows the desire to learn more and improve himself.