I have come to a point in life that many people have not.  I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams.  While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck.  I believe in taking hold of my destiny and carving out a future for myself based on the decisions that I make in life.  Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone.  This is why I have decided to apply at the National University Nursing Program to become a registered nurse. I have always wanted to help change the world.  As a child, I believed that if everyone did their own little part in taking that extra step to help others, the world would be a much better place for everyone.  The stark reality of it all hit me not long after that but it did not lessen my resolve.  I figured that if so many people I knew did not want to do their part in changing the world then I would probably have to do their share.  This is where my motivation to pursue nursing comes from; the drive to go the extra mile just to make a difference in this world. Early in life, I have always realized that my dream was to be able to help those less fortunate in life.  I have relentlessly pursued this dream and at present I am proud to say that I have had a lot of experience in the Nursing Field by acting as a private caregiver to the elderly in La Jolla.  I understand, however, that in order for me to turn these dreams into realities I need to get the training and proper experience necessary.  I see this as the first step in attaining my goals.  Eventually, I hope that my education with the National University over the next 2 years coupled with work in the neonatal intensive care unit as a registered nurse will allow me to live out my dreams. I see my goal in life as similar to that of Nurse Leader Mary Breckenridge in that I know that nursing plays a very important role in the world today.  There are few jobs and professions that are as rewarding as nursing.  While other jobs may get more publicity, the role that nurses play in the health care industry is highly valued and appreciated.  My motivation has to do with the fact that nursing is one of the ways by which I am able to do something that I really want to do in my life and that is to care and help other people.  More importantly, I greatly feel that by taking up nursing I can become a productive member of society. I remember vividly the first time that I had decided to become a registered nurse.  My Aunt had given birth prematurely and ended up losing her child.  She was only six months pregnant when this happened.  It was a traumatic and harrowing experience for all of us in the family.  Seeing her pain, I was determined to make sure that I would do all I could to help those in similar situations.  Much like my mother devoted her time to the less fortunate by completing her Masters in Special Education at the National University, I also plan to pattern my life after her example.  As such, I would also like to point out that I have continually improved my academic performance in school over the years. This was the factor that set the field of nursing apart from the other careers in the medical field.  The human involvement that is critical in nursing makes it the ideal profession for me.  The remunerations that one can receive from being a nurse are only secondary to the feeling of fulfillment from knowing that one was able to provide support to those in need.  These experiences that I took with me during my time in the hospital shaped my future and opened my eyes to the benefits that a career in nursing can provide. Pursuing my career in nursing is just the first step in my plan.  Much like Nurse Leader Mary Breckenridge has done, I too want to be just more than a nurse.  I would like to have the opportunity to take a bigger role in making the world a better place to live.  My main philosophy in life is to lead by setting an example. I cannot expect others to do what I myself would be willing to do but that does not mean that I cannot hope that others will see the example that I have shown them. This philosophy is one of the many forces that drive me to pursue my dream of pursuing a career in nursing and of becoming so much more in life.  The chance to help those who are less fortunate in life, the chance to help others, the opportunity to be of service to humanity; these are the reasons why I have selected nursing as the profession that I will pursue; for, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams…”