No one thought I should be there. But despite some of the hellish days I endured at the NYPD Academy, I noticed something interesting start to happen—I began to fear the consequences of quitting more than the hardship that every day of training had in store for me. I had this glimpse into my new future—one in which I was strong, powerful, capable of helping people in a meaningful way. The clearer this picture became, the more I couldn’t bear to let go of it.
So I kept moving forward.
I stopped thinking about the totality of what I was doing. Eight more months of this. Of instructors yelling. My parents ignoring me. Of my body hurting. Of me struggling to survive in a world I knew absolutely nothing about.

Instead, I began to live minute by minute. Hour by hour. I focused on the present. I harnessed my fear of quitting, of the regret I would feel if I didn’t give it my all. As my body got stronger, my mind grew tougher, more resolute and resilient. What my family thought started to weigh less heavily on me. My own insecurities got quieter as I proved my ability class after class, day after day. The weakness in my mind and body faded as I built a foundation on which I could continue to strengthen and push myself, which led me to take an even bigger risk than I ever had before.
The Next Challenge…….