A Letter to My Younger Self
Arik Smith
Dear 17-year-old Arik,
Enjoy life as it is right now and learn everything you can. Sometimes you move too fast mentally and miss the messages in the circumstances you face.
Your ability to understand the greater meaning of what is happening around you in the good times, the bad times, and in between will be vital to your success in the future.
You are so driven that sometimes you miss the fact that this world is about helping others just as much as it is about helping yourself.
While you’re at that, make sure you invest in others. You are so driven that sometimes you miss the fact that this world is about helping others just as much as it is about helping yourself. Whether it comes in the form of a “thank you,” a hug, giving advice, or giving an unexpected call to a loved one, invest in those around you and show them you care.
When it comes to football, remember what your dad told you, “just play football” and seek to enjoy every moment of it that you can. I know you want to make sure every angle is right, and every technique is perfect, but I can tell you that there is much success and a sort of beauty in having confidence in your preparation and then playing instinctually.
Lastly, I want you to internalize the message of “never give up.” Success can sometimes be like that one math problem that you just can’t figure out, but you just keep working at it without necessarily seeing how you are going to arrive at the answer until you do.
This is called having faith, and this will be what carries you through to your destiny. Speaking of faith, keep the faith. Invest in spending time in the word of God and praying. Christ is speaking all the time, giving great wisdom and understanding to those that understand what his voice sounds like.
With that being said, drive on young man, and don’t look back…
- Arik Smith, West Point Class of 2022