Following your passion will often come with obstacles and hesitation. But with the right support behind you and the right frame of mind and willingness to work hard, those goals will come into focus.
When you have big dreams, you have to swing for the fences. Whether it is big dreams centered around your education, your sports career or your life, betting on yourself and working hard to get the results is the way to go. In the case of many students who have received the Bright Futures Scholarship, those dreams tend to come true.
For Anthony Arguelles, a University of Miami Finance student from Miami, Florida, the dreams for the future are big. Aside from studying, Anthony has been a baseball player ever since he was little.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to play professionally, so I realized this is a very important, and I would say, quick time in my life, and it doesn’t last very long. I only get to play baseball at one point in my life, and it won’t last forever; so, I’m trying to take advantage of it while I’m at this age. I will try to play to the best of my ability for as long as I possibly can, and hopefully it ends up the way I want it to.”
Having those dreams has pushed Anthony towards excellence. He knows the value of hard work and the rewards it can bring, in sports and in life. So, for his educational journey, he sets the same high standards. Having the Bright Futures Scholarship helps him focus on the task at hand.
“It has helped me a lot because it’s made it affordable to be able to come to a prestigious school like Miami, so the scholarship has helped a lot with allowing my parents and me to not have to stress or worry with the tuition cost here. I was very happy and very appreciative to get the scholarship.”
So, what are the lessons baseball has taught him over the years which he not only applies to his everyday life, but also tries to pass on to younger generations?
“I try to be very in the present and not worrying about the past or the future. So, I just worry about the now and take it day by day, try to do my best.”
It is hard enough just to go through college, but Anthony has added pressure by playing a sport at a high level. Nonetheless, Anthony just focuses on what is in front of him and what he can control.
“I try not to worry about the things I can’t control because if you worry about those things, then you’ll never be able to focus on the things you can. So, if I’m always worrying about how outside factors are affecting me, then I won’t be able to take care of what I need to take care of to put me in the spot to be able to do the things I want to do.”
Anthony is not the most vocal guy on his team, but he believes in leading by example.
“The leadership values that you do learn in sports go a long way in life, and they do help in more things than just sports. I’m a leader of action more than of words, if that makes sense.” And whenever he can, he teaches young children those lessons on the field. “I try to help out the younger kids that I know that play baseball, I try to help them out a lot with their goals in pitching, give them pointers and tips that I’ve learned over the years that have helped me along the way.”
Having the security that the Bright Futures Scholarship brings has given Anthony Arguelles the push to go after his high education dreams, while allowing him to pursue a career in the sport he loves. It has been by dedication, training and studying hard that those dreams are very much on the way.
“If you want to achieve something or reach some goal, and you’re not quite there yet, and people are telling you things, I wouldn’t listen to anybody else but yourself. At the end of the day, if you want to do something, you’ve got to do it yourself. So, if you put your mind to it and think you’ll be able to, don’t give up on it easy. If you don’t give up at first and keep trying, then it will be worth it in the end.”
For more information, visit http://www.flalottery.com/brightfutures
The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $39 billion to education and sending more than 880,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 99 percent of its revenue back into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Lottery retailers, and transfers to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $72.5 billion in prizes and made nearly 3,000 people millionaires.
Above content provided by the Florida Lottery.
