I must preface this section by stating my parents always emphasized hard work over intelligence. But I come from a very intelligent family. My mother was at the top of her class and my father in the top percentage of his. They both went to Stephen F. Austin State University and got a degree in Finance. I graduated sixth in my class and didn't really try that hard which is probably why college was such a rude awakening for me since it places so much more responsibility in the hands of the student.

I recall my fourth grade year in Georgia. I was in class just doing my work, finishing, and turning it in. The only weird thing was I would always be the first one to do so. I didn't think anything of it at the time, maybe I was just a faster writer. After all, I had no real notion of intelligence in the fourth grade, I was still under the impression that we were all equally smart. But one day after class, my mom and I went to talked to the teacher. Apparently, they were putting me in the "gifted and talented" program that was a class that met once a week to put our brains to the test. I remember thinking it was a bad thing, like I was somehow different from the others. I quickly realized that the kids in the class were just like me, normal kids who had no idea why they were in this class, but that it was fun and we got to play Oregon Trail a lot.

Throughout my school years, my parents never really had to stay on me about school work like they do with my brother. I was always good about doing homework and turning things in on time, which I think is from my younger days in the smart class, where I knew that since I was in this special class, I needed to keep up with the status quo or I might be demoted.

My dad always said "You don't get paid for what you know, but what you get done." This statement I'm finding more truth in everyday. People hire employees to do a task. You can be the smartest person in the world, but if you don't get the job done, you'll get fired. Sound advice from my dad, and it has always served me well and I know it will help me in the future.