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A Person That Has Influenced My Life, Essay Example

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Throughout my life I had met hundreds of people who had somehow influenced me either physically or emotionally. However, there was only one person who had a substantial impact on my inner world and changed my understanding of life drastically.

His name was Frank Carpenter and he was a pastor in a local church. This man, though occupying a rather high rank in the church, was never obsessed with cynicism and was always ready to give any person a hand in a difficult situation. His friendly and inviting smile was probably the main thing, which magnetized me to come to the church again and again. One day I was brave enough to make a confession. I have long desired to open my soul and cleanse it from the earthly dirt of negative emotions and anger, and finally accomplished my goal. I talked for almost half an hour and when I finally stopped, the priest behind the curtain commenced to give me a feedback. This was the moment when I realized that the priest to whom I confessed was Frank Carpenter, the minister himself. To my astonishment, the man answered all my questions concerning life, sin, future, family, school, and other things that bothered my mind. His speech was long and educative and covered the aspects of my life, which I have never even thought of before. His attitude to the modern world was filled with love and tenderness, despite all the fears, dangers, and misunderstandings. He loved people and they, in most cases, responded in the exact same manner. He never lied, and people seldom lied to him. He truly did to others, as he wanted them to do to him.

This person became my hero and my teacher. He changed my way of thinking and my attitude to human beings. I am forever grateful that I was destined to meet this person.

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Study Paragraphs

A Person Who Has Influenced My Life Essay For Students

Hey there! I’m [Your Name], and I’m a [your class] grader. Today, I want to tell you about someone super special in my life. This person isn’t a superhero from a comic book, but they’re my hero in real life. Get ready to hear all about the person who has influenced my life in amazing ways!

Table of Contents

A Person Who Has Influenced My Life – Meet My Hero

A Family Bond – My Grandma

The person who has influenced my life the most is my grandma. She’s like the sunshine on a rainy day, always there to brighten up my world.

Wisdom and Stories – Grandma’s Tales

My grandma is full of wisdom, and she loves to tell stories. Every evening, we sit on her porch, and she shares stories from her own childhood. I learned so much from her experiences.

Baking Magic – Grandma’s Cookies

Grandma is a baking magician! Her cookies are legendary. She taught me how to make them, and now baking together is our special tradition.

Patience and Kindness – Life Lessons

One thing I admire most about my grandma is her patience and kindness. She’s always there to listen and offer advice when I’m feeling down.

Adventures in Nature – Grand Outdoor Escapes

Grandma and I love going on outdoor adventures. We’ve hiked in the woods, explored gardens, and even had a picnic by the river. She taught me to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Crafty Creations – Arts and Crafts

We’re both craft enthusiasts. Grandma has taught me how to knit, crochet, and create beautiful things with my hands. She’s like my crafting mentor.

The Power of Reading – Bookworm Buddies

Grandma and I share a love for reading. We’ve spent countless afternoons curled up with our favorite books. She’s shown me how reading can open up new worlds.

Facing Challenges – Grandma’s Strength

My grandma has faced tough times, and she’s shown me the importance of resilience. She’s like a superhero because she never gives up.

Laughter and Joy – Grandma’s Humor

One of the best things about my grandma is her sense of humor. She can make anyone laugh, even on the gloomiest days.

Unconditional Love – Grandma’s Hug

No matter what happens, I know my grandma loves me unconditionally. Her hugs are like a warm blanket on a chilly night.

Role Model for Life – Following Her Footsteps

I look up to my grandma so much that I want to be just like her when I grow up. She’s my role model in every way.

Conclusion – My Forever Hero

In conclusion, my grandma is not just a person who has influenced my life; she’s my hero. She’s taught me important life lessons, filled my days with laughter, and shown me what it means to be kind and strong. I’m grateful to have her in my life, and I know she’ll always be my forever hero.

Thanks for reading about my amazing grandma, the person who has influenced my life in the best possible way. She’s my hero, and I’m lucky to have her by my side.

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‘Someone Who Has Made an Impact On Your Life’ Essay Sample

EssayEdge > Blog > ‘Someone Who Has Made an Impact On Your Life’ Essay Sample

“Describe a person who has influenced you” is the opening phrase of several personal statement prompts that go on to ask that you provide details of what that influence was. The major mistake made in these personal statement essays is that candidates make the essay about the individual and that individual’s achievements and character, which is all fine, but not if it is at the expense of detailing how that person has influenced you. The other mistake candidates make in response to this prompt is that they answer with the intuitive “first response,” which is usually a parent. And there is nothing wrong with offering a parent as the influential person – but only if in so doing, you can show that it was your parent who provided you with the abilities and interests that set you apart and can contribute to the target program.

As is the case with most personal statement essays, the success of your essay is determined before you begin writing – by what you decide to offer as content. In this essay there are many approaches to use – parents, siblings, teachers, coaches, friends, political leaders, celebrities – all of these categories can be tapped when it comes to the choice of who it was that influenced you. Let’s discuss how to write an essay about someone who influenced you and avoid the most typical mistakes.

The Trap to Avoid in Your “Who Has Influenced You the Most in Your Life” Essay

The trap to avoid is the trap of selecting a person without thinking through what you can offer as the influence. What is the strongest aspect of your candidacy? Your creativity? Your communication skills? Your technical background? Your professional background? The answer to this question – “What is the strongest aspect of your candidacy?” – is what should determine your subject matter for personal statement essays about a person who influenced you.

If your strength, say, is your background in a particular field, in your personal statement about a person who influenced you, identify the person who steered you in the direction of that field.

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By doing this, you will use your essay about a person who influenced your life not only as a means to describe someone with positive traits you would like to emulate, but someone whose influence in your life was critical in letting you develop those skills that most set you apart as a candidate.

  • Writing a Great Personal Statement
  • Describe a significant experience or achievement
  • Discuss an issue that is important to you
  • Why is our school right for you?

You certainly had someone who changed your life, even if you feel it difficult to remember who it was. This essay topic is fantastic because it lets you look at yourself from a different angle, so try to analyze your life and express it in writing. Our experts edit essays 24/7 , so if you need professional guidance and advice, you’re welcome.

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essay person influenced my life

Sample Essays: Influential Person

essay person influenced my life

Please select from the following sample application essays:

Essay 1: Wellesley | Essay 2: Harvard | Essay 3: Harvard

Note: The following essays were not edited by EssayEdge Editors. They appear as they were initially reviewed by admissions officers.

Sample Essay 1

Wellesley, Influence of mother

It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has been on my life. She's the kind of person who has thoughtful discussions about which artist she would most want to have her portrait painted by (Sargent), the kind of mother who always has time for her four children, and the kind of community leader who has a seat on the board of every major project to assist Washington's impoverished citizens. Growing up with such a strong role model, I developed many of her enthusiasms. I not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of knowing something new, but I also came to understand the idea of giving back to the community in exchange for a new sense of life, love, and spirit.

My mother's enthusiasm for learning is most apparent in travel. I was nine years old when my family visited Greece. Every night for three weeks before the trip, my older brother Peter and I sat with my mother on her bed reading Greek myths and taking notes on the Greek Gods. Despite the fact that we were traveling with fourteen-month-old twins, we managed to be at each ruin when the site opened at sunrise. I vividly remember standing in an empty ampitheatre pretending to be an ancient tragedian, picking out my favorite sculpture in the Acropolis museum, and inserting our family into modified tales of the battle at Troy. Eight years and half a dozen passport stamps later I have come to value what I have learned on these journeys about global history, politics and culture, as well as my family and myself.

While I treasure the various worlds my mother has opened to me abroad, my life has been equally transformed by what she has shown me just two miles from my house. As a ten year old, I often accompanied my mother to (name deleted), a local soup kitchen and children's center. While she attended meetings, I helped with the Summer Program by chasing children around the building and performing magic tricks. Having finally perfected the "floating paintbrush" trick, I began work as a full time volunteer with the five and six year old children last June. It is here that I met Jane Doe, an exceptionally strong girl with a vigor that is contagious. At the end of the summer, I decided to continue my work at (name deleted) as Jane's tutor. Although the position is often difficult, the personal rewards are beyond articulation. In the seven years since I first walked through the doors of (name deleted), I have learned not only the idea of giving to others, but also of deriving from them a sense of spirit.

Everything that my mother has ever done has been overshadowed by the thought behind it. While the raw experiences I have had at home and abroad have been spectacular, I have learned to truly value them by watching my mother. She has enriched my life with her passion for learning, and changed it with her devotion to humanity. In her endless love of everything and everyone she is touched by, I have seen a hope and life that is truly exceptional. Next year, I will find a new home miles away. However, my mother will always be by my side.

The topic of this essay is the writer's mother. However, the writer definitely focuses on herself, which makes this essay so strong. She manages to impress the reader with her travel experience, volunteer and community experience, and commitment to learning without ever sounding boastful or full of herself. The essay is also very well organized.

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Sample Essay 2

Harvard, Favorite fictional character

Of all the characters that I've "met" through books and movies, two stand out as people that I most want to emulate. They are Attacus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird and Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham from Field of Dreams. They appeal to me because they embody what I strive to be. They are influential people in small towns who have a direct positive effect on those around them. I, too, plan to live in a small town after graduating from college, and that positive effect is something I must give in order to be satisfied with my life.

Both Mr. Finch and Dr. Graham are strong supporting characters in wonderful stories. They symbolize good, honesty, and wisdom. When the story of my town is written I want to symbolize those things. The base has been formed for me to live a productive, helpful life. As an Eagle Scout I represent those things that Mr. Finch and Dr. Graham represent. In the child/adolescent world I am Mr. Finch and Dr. Graham, but soon I'll be entering the adult world, a world in which I'm not yet prepared to lead.

I'm quite sure that as teenagers Attacus Finch and Moonlight Graham often wondered what they could do to help others. They probably emulated someone who they had seen live a successful life. They saw someone like my grandfather, 40-year president of our hometown bank, enjoy a lifetime of leading, sharing, and giving. I have seen him spend his Christmas Eves taking gifts of food and joy to indigent families. Often when his bank could not justify a loan to someone in need, my grandfather made the loan from his own pocket. He is a real-life Moonlight Graham, a man who has shown me that characters like Dr. Graham and Mr. Finch do much much more than elicit tears and smiles from readers and movie watchers. Through him and others in my family I feel I have acquired the values and the burning desire to benefit others that will form the foundation for a great life. I also feel that that foundation is not enough. I do not yet have the sophistication, knowledge, and wisdom necessary to succeed as I want to in the adult world. I feel that Harvard, above all others, can guide me toward the life of greatness that will make me the Attacus Finch of my town.

This essay is a great example of how to answer this question well. This applicant chose characters who demonstrated specific traits that reflect on his own personality. We believe that he is sincere about his choices because his reasons are personal (being from a small town, and so forth). He managed to tell us a good deal about himself, his values, and his goals while maintaining a strong focus throughout.

Sample Essay 3

Harvard, Family illness: Mother's fight with cancer

I am learning, both through observations and first-hand experiences, that there are many mishaps in life which seem to be unexplainable and unfair, and yet have devastating consequences. Disease fits into this category. Its atrocity does not stem from the fact that it is a rare or uncommon occurrence, since illness and disease pervade our lives as we hear numerous stories of sick people and come into contact with them each day. However, there is a marked difference between reading in the newspaper that a famous rock star or sports icon has tested H.I.V. positive and discovering that your own mother has been diagnosed with cancer.

Undoubtedly, the most influential people in my life have been my mother and father. It is to them that I credit many of my accomplishments and successes--both inside and outside of school. Throughout my childhood, my parents have always fostered and encouraged me in all my endeavors. At all my sporting events, spelling bees, concerts, and countless other activities, they have always been front row and center. My parents, in conjunction with twelve years of Catholic training, have also instilled in me a sound belief in a loving, caring God, which I have come to firmly believe. It therefore should not come as a surprise that the news of my mothers sickness would greatly alter my entire outlook on life. Where was my God?

My mother, in fact, had been aware of her condition in the spring of my junior year in high school. She deliberately did not inform my sister or me of her illness because she did not want to distract us from our studies. Instead, my mother waited for the completion of her radiation therapy treatments. At this time, she brought me into her room, sat me down on the same wooden rocking chair from which she used to read me bedtime stories, and began to relate her story. I did not weep, I did not flinch. In fact, I hardly even moved, but from that point onward, I vowed that I would do anything and everything to please my mother and make her proud of me.

Every subsequent award won and every honor bestowed upon me has been inspired by the recollection of my mother's plight. I look to her as a driving force of motivation. In her I see the firm, enduring qualities of courage, strength, hope, and especially love. Whenever I feel discouraged or dispirited, I remember the example set by my mother and soon become reinvigorated. Instead of groveling in my sorrow, I think of all the pain and suffering that my mother had to endure and am revived with new energy after realizing the triviality of my own predicament. For instance, last year, when I was playing in a championship soccer game, my leg became entangled with a forwards leg on the other team, and I wound up tearing my medial cruciate ligament. I was very upset for having injured myself in such a seemingly inane manner. Completely absorbed in my own anguish, I would not talk to anyone and instead lamented on the sidelines. But then I remembered something that my mother used to say to me whenever something like this happened: If this is the worst thing that ever happens to you, I'll be very happy, and you'll be very lucky. Instantly, many thoughts race through my mind. I pictured my mother as a young thirteen-year-old walking to the hospital every day after school to visit her sick father. She had always told me how extremely painful it had been to watch his body become emaciated as the cancer advanced day by day and finally took its toll. I then pictured my mother in the hospital, thirty years later, undergoing all the physically and mentally debilitating tests, and having to worry about her husband and her children at the same time. I suddenly felt incredibly ashamed at how immature I had been acting over my own affliction. I gathered my thoughts and instead of sulking or complaining, helped coach my team to victory.

I am very happy to say that my mother is now feeling much better and her periodic checkups and C.A.T. scans have indicated that she is doing very well. Nevertheless, her strength and courage will remain a constant source of inspiration to me. I feel confident to greet the future with a resolute sense of hope and optimism.

The majority of the suggestions for this essay highlight the danger inherent in relying on an overly poignant topic, in this case the writer's mother's bout with cancer. Part of why the reactions to this piece are so passionate (and why there are so many of them) is because had the applicant just taken a slightly different approach, he could have had a powerful and touching composition on his hands. It is always frustrating when a piece with so much potential misses the mark. In this case, the material and emotion are all there. Had he spent more time and written with more sincerity, this essay might have been a real winner.

I wish this kid had started the essay with his mom sitting him down in the rocking chair. That would have been a powerful beginning. In general, using the introduction of the essay to paint a scene or mood can be very effective.

He should begin with the most simple and striking sentence possible, such as "On January 5, 1995, my mother learned that she had cancer." Use real times and exact places. Let the most dramatic point go where it belongs, at the end of the sentence--also known as the stress point.

Because this topic is so personal, I yearn to know more about the student's reaction to his mom's cancer, how he and his family dealt with it over time. As written, things just seem a bit too tidy.

The author describes a valuable life lesson, but I find the writing style to be artificial and a bit maudlin. I imagine he resorted to the thesaurus more than once.

The writer tells us a sad story about his mother with cancer and how he has strived to do his best because of what his mother has been through. The topic can be a tear jerker, but this essay lacked the depth and richness that other essays with similar topics possess.

The experience obviously impacted the student very much. But what students do not realize is that they do not have to share such personal issues within the confines of a college essay.

I don't believe the "epiphany" in the conclusion as it's described. It's too easy and convenient to be believable. He begins his description with "For instance," which negates almost everything that follows. When he sees his mother in his mind, he "instantly" thinks this and "suddenly" does that, and finally "helped coach his team to victory." He "coached" the team. "Cheered" maybe. "Coached?" No way.

This essay smells of contrivance. Yes, his mother's bout with cancer affected him. Just not in the way he wants me to believe. This is the "lasting sanctifying effect" essay. Look at what the writer is actually saying (using his own words): I used to be "absorbed in my own anguish" and "lament" my bouts with adversity. But, "instantly" or "suddenly" (take your pick), I became a young man "confident to greet the future with a resolute sense of hope and optimism." Why not say, "I used to be a thoughtless, immature teenager. My mother got cancer. I'm now a thoughtful, mature adult. You should admit me to _____." His essay is no less subtle.

Return to: Lesson One: College Essay Questions

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An Essay about Someone Who Has Made an Impact on Your Life

Who has made a significant impact in your life and why? Essay on the topic might be challenging to write. One is usually asked to write such a text as a college admission essay.

A topic for this paper can be of your choice or pre-established by the institution. Either way, you may have to describe a person who influenced your life.

Here, we’ll tell you how to write about someone who had a huge impact on your life:

  • Learn story-telling techniques.
  • Choose the right person that affected you significantly.
  • Describe the representative situation in an engaging way.
  • Focus on yourself and the meaning of your journey.

However, it may not be enough to write about someone who had a great impact on your life. You should know some other peculiarities which we are going to discuss right now. Don’t forget that you can always find help here with any academic task.

📃 Writing about a Person Who Influenced You

Writing your essay about someone who has made an impact on your life starts with learning a few techniques. One of the main things you should know is that you will have to create a captivating story. Thus, you should know how to write personal narrative essays , some basic rules of story-telling.

Here is what you should keep in mind:

  • Tell a story. A great way to engage your audience is to say something in the form of a story. Human brain processes information better that way. With words and sensory details, you can create a mental image of the person you are describing.
  • Be personal. It can resemble composing an autobiography or memoir as you have to talk about your actual experience. There is nothing more moving than an individual story, so do not be afraid to open up in the reflective essay. Talk about the change you’ve experienced after meeting the person that influenced you.
  • Don’t be predictable. A good story needs some level of suspense. There are many ways in which it can be done. You can try to tell the story chronologically or go back in time and include flashbacks. Try to surprise your readers with an intriguing essay title.
  • Create a three-dimensional character. The focus of the story is not the sequence of events. It’s the character. Provide enough details and explain to the reader what makes that unusual.
  • Show instead of telling. It’s a core idea of good story-telling. By doing that, you invite the readers to the scene. For starters, try using dialogue instead of narration.
  • End on a positive note. Even if you had to face challenges, tell about a positive influence in your life. The biggest impact might be harmful, but it helped you grow nonetheless. Help the readers to see a piece of wisdom or a lesson you have learned.

Besides, we have listed some quick hints. With them, you’ll complete your essay on someone who has made a significant impact on your life and why successfully:

  • Someone’s impact that you can describe may be either positive or negative. A vast majority of essays written about influential persons speak positively about them. However, do not try to overidealize. It’s fair to talk about negative as much as about positive. A person that influenced you does not have to be likable or perfect. It is enough to recognize the positive qualities that made an impact on you. It will help the commission to see you as a thinking and just person.
  • Be as specific as possible. Describe a particular incident that explains this person’s impact on you. You have to describe the qualities of the person through the actual events that took place and the overall environment. However, remember that the story is also about you and how the person influenced you. Be specific about your growth and journey. The essay is the best way to demonstrate your thoughts and personality.
  • The main character of your essay might be someone you do not know personally. Stay truthful and honest to yourself. If someone who has made an impact on your life is a person you have never met, write about it. You could talk about your grandparent whose story you’ve heard or an author of your favorite book. Describe how a person that you’ve met on social media and the friendship with them changed you.

Whoever it is that inspired you, remember that the essay is also about you. It is not the best practice to talk about celebrities, though. You might appear as a fan and not as a thinker.

🎯 College Application Essay

Why are you writing paragraph after paragraph about the person who has made an impact on your life? If this essay is for some contest or is a part of the college application package, be careful.

We’ve gathered some tips on writing an application essay:

  • Construct a story. Every story should have a good beginning, a middle, and an end. The first paragraph should serve as an introduction to your information. At the same time, leave the last section for the conclusion. The middle part is where you describe the events in your account.
  • Outline it. To make every paragraph count, you should create an outline. It will help you to understand what you want to say in each particular moment in your story. As well as stay on track and coherently describe the incident in your essay.
  • Provide examples. They can help you prove your point and demonstrate your role model’s qualities. Instead of saying my father is a generous person, you can find an example in which he showed generosity. These parts should always lead back to you. The goal here is to show how their good conduct influenced your life decisions.
  • Be honest. Staying true to who you are is essential. Read successful college essay examples if you’re not sure about it. After all, the paper is not about the role model, but it is about the influence. Try to write something that will be creative and unique. Honesty is the key to reach your reader’s heart.
  • Ask someone to read it. Once you finish, ask a friend or a relative for their honest feedback. They can evaluate the content, the grammar, the readability, and the style. An independent reader can help you to improve all of these points.
  • Don’t include the prompt. Remember that the admissions committee will receive hundreds of essays on this subject. Do not repeat standard templates and writing prompts. Your goal is to stand out from the crowd, and the only way to do it is by writing something meaningful and personal.

Most importantly:

You will have a particular word limit. It means you need to be very precise and clear when writing your essay on the person who has had the greatest impact on your life. You should be able to express the main idea and explain the effects in 200 or even fewer words.

Tips on how to prepare “remembering a person” essays can also be useful for your task. Look up successful someone who has impacted your life essay examples as well.

Who Has Made a Significant Impact in Your Life & Why: Essay Example

Every person has a unique character that is formed under the impact of various factors. These include the environment, social status, financial status, and many other elements that play a vital role in the life of any individual. However, being social creatures, people are most of all impacted by other people as they since the first minutes of their lives, up to the last ones, they live in society and interact with its representatives.

People Who Influenced You: Essay Topics

  • Teacher’s influence on my personality .
  • Discuss how your teacher’s attitude influenced your desire to study.
  • Describe a teacher who had a negative impact on your zeal to learn the subject.
  • How the example of Henri Cartier-Bresson influenced my desire to become a photographer.
  • Parental influence on my life outcomes. 
  • Explain how a conversation with happy spouses changed your views on marriage.
  • How James Brown influenced my dancing style.
  • Effect of an online friend on my life.
  • Analyze how the example and behavior of your parents influenced your character.
  • School bullies and their impact on my life.
  • Discuss the impact Disney cartoon characters had on your perception of gender roles.
  • Narrate how Maria Montessori work impacted your desire to become a teacher.
  • Describe how your vegetarian friend influenced you to change your eating habits .
  • Examine the role of your coach in your decision to take up football.
  • Role of influencers in American society. 
  • How your Italian relatives impacted your view on family and your cultural values.
  • Discuss the way Aristotle’s understanding of ethics influences your ethical values. 
  • Analyze the impact if your father’s beliefs on your career choice .
  • How meeting my best friend affected my life.
  • Teacher’s impact on my choice of career .
  • Why I think George Washington is a true hero: the impact of his personality on my life.
  • Describe how life and example of Florence Nightingale inspired you to become a nurse.
  • A fictional character that influenced my worldview.
  • My mother’s influence on my ideals of beauty .
  • Hayao Miyazaki and his influence on me. 
  • How my uncle helped me to overcome my fear of riding a bicycle .
  • Write about a celebrity you consider a role model .
  • Why Steve Jobs’ story inspires me.
  • Discuss how your physical education teacher motivated you to take up a healthy lifestyle.
  • Describe the way Jane Austen influenced your love for reading.  
  • Teacher’s impact on my personal life .
  • Analyze how the example of Greta Tunberg inspired you to become an environmental activist.  
  • My friend helped me to overcome my fear and it changed my life.
  • Influence of Martin Luther King on my beliefs.
  • Why Roberto Clemente is my hero.  
  • How superheroes affect modern society.
  • Examine how your favorite K-pop group influenced your personal style.
  • The role of my grandparents in building up my identity.  
  • Impact of my parents on my self-confidence.
  • Explain how your mother’s example influenced your desire to enter a college.
  • The way Mother Theresa’s life and example changed my worldview.
  • A person who inspired my interest in Indian art .
  • Jay-Z’s biography and influence on me .
  • The role of my family in my decision to lead a healthy lifestyle .
  • Discuss how Jane Addams legacy influenced your resolution to become a social worker.
  • Why Helen Keller is a person I would like to resemble.
  • Analyze the role of Edgar Allan Poe in shaping your literature taste.  
  • How the activities of Eleanor Roosevelt motivate me and a lot of other Americans.
  • Abraham Lincoln and his impact on my life .
  • Impact of my coach on my professional development and success.  

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How to Write a Descriptive Essay on an Influential Person in Your Life

How to Write a Speech About Someone I Admire

How to Write a Speech About Someone I Admire

A descriptive essay on an influential person can be about someone who has had a positive or negative impact on your life. This person can be a teacher, a coach, a family member, a friend, an employer, a political figure, a historical figure or even a fictional character. The key element of writing this type of essay is to reflect on how and why the person has influenced you.

Focus Your Essay

As in any essay, when writing about an influential person in your life you should include a thesis statement. In this case, the thesis statement declares how or why this person has influenced you life. For example, if writing about your soccer coach, you may write, "Through his advice and the example of his character, my soccer coach has inspired me to never be lazy, to get back up after a fall, and to be a confident leader." The thesis statement gives you, the writer, a focus and direction so that you are not only describing a person, but exploring the causes and effects of that person's impact on you.

Start With an Anecdote

Instead of starting the essay with an explicit physical or personal description of the person, you can more meaningfully reveal who the individual is by sharing a personal story. For example, if you are writing about your sibling, you can begin the essay with a specific memory of a moment or experience you shared in which your relationship or your sibling's strengths and weaknesses are revealed through actions. This is an engaging way to entertain the reader while imparting valuable information about the person you are describing.

Describe the Person

At some point in the descriptive essay, you need to describe the influential person. This description -- which can include physical attributes, biographical information and personality traits -- should be related with concrete language. The description should paint a vivid picture of all that matters about the person. The writer needs to be judicious in which descriptive material she selects for inclusion in the essay; the information should be determined by the overall point being made in the essay. For example, if your thesis statement is about how Abraham Lincoln is your hero because of all his accomplishments relative to the social and political conditions of the time, descriptions of his favorite hobbies or hair color may not be pertinent. The description serves to give a deeper and more vivid portrait of the influential person, but should ultimately serve the higher cause of the thesis statement and the effect of the person on the writer.

Describe Your Relationship

When writing about an influential person, you have to talk not just about the person, but also about the reason the person has made an impact on your life; this means you have to talk about yourself, what specific things you have learned from this person, and how those lessons affect you today. An important strategy for successfully describing the relationship between the person and the writer is to give specific examples. For example, don't just say, "my grandmother is generous"; give specific examples of her generosity: "she always makes sure everyone is fed before eating," or "she sold her jewelry to help pay for a car so that I could drive to work." These specific examples are more powerful and evoke more empathy than general descriptive words such as "kind" or "generous."

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Essay Samples on Someone Who Inspires Me

At its core, inspiration is a powerful force that ignites passion, propels dreams, and molds individuals into extraordinary beings. It is the vibrant pulse that surges through our veins, pushing us to achieve greatness even in the face of adversity. Crafting an essay about someone who inspires you allows you to shine a spotlight on the transformative power of such individuals.

How to Write an Essay on Someone Who Inspires Me

Here are some useful example you shpuld consider when writing a college essay about someone who inspires you:

  • Consider beginning with a heartfelt introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and sets the stage for the awe-inspiring journey to come.
  • Share a personal anecdote or a defining moment that sparked the connection between you and your inspirational figure, allowing the reader to empathize with your experience.
  • Delve into the qualities and actions that make this individual so inspiring. Explore their accomplishments, perseverance, and unwavering determination. Showcase how their words and deeds have impacted your life, shaping your values and aspirations. Be vivid and descriptive, illustrating the profound influence they have had on your personal growth and development.
  • Weave in personal reflections throughout your essay. Share introspective thoughts and revelations, highlighting the lessons you have learned and the ways in which your perspective has evolved. By doing so, you invite the reader to embark on a transformative journey alongside you, creating a powerful emotional connection.

To aid you in your writing process, we provide a sample essay about someone who inspires you. It serves as a guiding light, illustrating the structure, tone, and depth needed to craft an outstanding piece. Drawing inspiration from this sample, embrace your unique voice, infuse your essay with passion, and let your words leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the readers.

A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

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Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

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Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

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Best topics on Someone Who Inspires Me

1. A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

2. A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

3. A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

4. My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

5. My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

6. Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

7. Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

8. St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

9. Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

10. Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

11. Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

12. Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

13. Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

14. The People Who Shaped Me

15. Three People Who Influenced Me Throughout My Life

  • Perseverance
  • Career Goals
  • Personality
  • Personal Experience
  • Overcoming Obstacles

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Tips for the College Interview Question "Who Has Most Influenced You?"

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Interview questions about influential people can come in many variations: Who is your hero? Who deserves the most credit for your success? Who is your role model? In short, the question is asking you to discuss someone you admire.

Interview Tips: Who Has Most Influenced you?

  • You don't have to be creative with this question. Just be honest and thoughtful. Family members, teachers, and friends are all fine answers.
  • Be careful with polarizing political figures since it can a challenge for your interviewer to be entirely unbiased.
  • Don't try to impress your interviewer with historical figures like Abraham Lincoln or Mother Theresa.
  • Focus on a human, not a pet.

Good Interview Answers About an Influential Person

So, who should you name as a hero or influential person? Speak from the heart here. There is no right answer other than a sincere answer. Also, realize that unlike a "hero," an influential person isn't always a positive example. You may have grown and changed as a result of someone whose mistakes or inappropriate behavior taught you what  not  to do with your life. Answers to the question can draw from lots of different options:

  • A Family Member— For most of us, parents and siblings have a huge impact on our lives. Answering with a family member is fairly predictable but also perfectly appropriate. Just make sure you can articulate the specific ways in which the family member influenced you.
  • A Teacher— Is there a particular teacher who got you excited about learning, a subject area, or continuing your education? Since you're interviewing in an effort to continue your education, focusing on an educator can be an excellent choice.
  • A Friend— For good or bad, your close friends have a huge influence on your decisions and behavior. Do you have a close friend who has helped you succeed in high school? Or, depending on how the question is worded, do you have a friend who influenced you in a negative way?
  • A Coach— Coaches often teach us leadership, responsibility and teamwork. As long as your response doesn't reveal that you value athletics more than academics, a coach can be a great choice. Try to articulate how your coach has helped you succeed in areas other than sports.
  • A Community Member— Do you have a mentor in the church or some other community organization? Community members often teach us to think outside of the narrow sphere of our families.

Bad Interview Answers

This question about an influential person, like many common interview questions , is not difficult, but you do want to think about it for a few minutes before your interview. A few answers can fall flat, so think twice before giving responses such as these:

  • Myself— In truth, you probably are the person who is most responsible for your success. You may, in fact, be self-reliant with no real heroes. However, if you answer this question with yourself you will sound self-absorbed and selfish. Colleges want to admit students who help each other out and work as a community. They don't want solitary egotists.
  • Gandhi or Abe Lincoln— If you have great respect for an admirable historical figure, that's wonderful. Such answers, however, can come across sounding like you're trying to make a good impression, not like you're answering the question sincerely. In your day-to-day life of classes, extracurricular activities , tests, and relationships, is Abe Lincoln really influencing your behavior? If he is, fine. If not, rethink your answer and work to speak from the heart.
  • Donald Trump or Barack Obama— Here, as with the example above, is the president (or Senator, Governor, etc.) really influencing and guiding you in your day-to-day life? This question has an added danger. Your interviewer will do his or her best to be unbiased, but interviewers are human. If you name a Democrat and your interviewer is a staunch Republican, your response could create a subconscious strike against you in the interviewer's mind. Both Trump and Obama can be polarizing figures, so be aware of the inherent risks before choosing a prominent political figure for your response.
  • God— At a college with a religious affiliation, God could be a fine answer. At many colleges, however, the answer is a crap shoot. The admissions officer may admire your faith. Some interviewers, however, will be skeptical of students who attribute their successes to prayer and divine guidance rather than commitment and hard work. That said, you certainly don't need to shy away from your faith in your interview, and a priest or rabbi can be an excellent choice for this interview question.
  • My Dog— Fido may be a great pet who has taught you responsibility and unconditional love, but keep your answer in the world of humans. Colleges are made up of humans.

A Final Word

Whatever your answer, bring the influential person to life for your interviewer. Avoid vague generalities. As with an admissions essay on an influential person , you'll want to provide colorful, entertaining, and specific examples of how the person has influenced you. Also, keep in mind that a strong answer provides a window into your life and personality, not just the admirable qualities of the influential person. The ultimate goal of the interviewer is to get to know you better, not the person you admire.

Finally, make sure you dress appropriately and avoid common interview mistakes . College interviews are generally congenial exchanges of information, so try to relax and have a good time chatting with the college representative.

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The Impact of Socialization on My Life Essay

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Introduction

My initial socialization, secondary, developmental, anticipatory and occupational socialization, re-socialization, social agents, the impacts of my socialization.

Socialization is a process of acquiring other people’s Ideas and norms providing a person with necessary abilities for building him/herself and for societal participatory. On the other hand socialization may not be normative as “it also describes processes which may or may not affect the reflexive agents, and which may or may not lead to desirable or moral outcomes. Individual views on certain issues, such as race may again be socialized within a society” (Mathews, 2002).

Socialization also prepares an individual for the roles he/she is to play, providing him with the necessary repertoire of habits, beliefs, and values, the appropriate patterns of emotional response and the modes of perception, requisite skills and knowledge. It also provides persistence and culture (Chinoy, 1961).

Conformity to socialization is the way a person tends to have the same behaviors of a group of people he or she is attached to. Conformity and obedience to authority in socialization is responsible in shaping or bringing up a morally upright person. The impacts of this can have diverse influences on a individuals in the ways of his/her living. Therefore this paper is going to discuss on the issues of the impact that my socialization in conformity and obedience to authority and how has affected my life. The paper will also show how these issues influenced my attitudes towards the general ways of life, choice of occupation, and other important aspects in my life. The paper will then conclude by highlighting on how socialization affects individuals.

My first socialization came about when I was still a little kid. I started learning the outlooks, values, and measures needed off me as a member of my family and community. An example of this is when my mother used to guide me in treating other kids as equals and not to show any discriminatory remarks or any other immoral behaviors towards them. These aspects mould me into knowing that it was acceptable and in order to treat the people around me as brothers and sisters. Socialization also taught me to learn from them as they learn from me. In addition these aspects have been permanently put into my conscience as I still have these opinions to date.

My next step in socialization was in relatives, friends in the neighborhoods, friends at school and people who I interacted with directly. This stage comprised of schooling and learning to get conversant to the important behaviors as an individual in a small group of a bigger community.

In growing development wise my socialization comprised of ways of learning behavior in the several organizations and institution I went through that taught me how to develop my skills socially.

My anticipatory socialization on the other hand covered my social rehearsals for the future occupations that I intended to pursue and the societal relationships that would accompany them.

The choice of occupation in regards to socialization has been positive because I have passed through knowledge-based communities which have influenced the right choice of occupation and modeled my occupational requirements as well. In this capacity, and taking into consideration personal preference about profession and occupations there has been an evident enveloping social effects. “Thus, it is necessary to expand the standard view about the process of occupation choice by adding non pecuniary factors, influence of social networks and the role of information and guidance policies” (Chinoy, 1961). My choice of occupation therefore has been affected by socialization which includes family, friends, the society and economic aspects.

This process has had a major impact in my life as it has been responsible for the change of my social status. Re-socialization helped me to shade my previous ways of behaviors and come up with new ones to cope up with the ever changing world. “This again occurs throughout a human beings life cycle. Re-socialization can be an intense experience, with the individual experiencing a sharp break with their past making him or her need to learn and be exposed to radically different norms and values” (Schaefer & Lamm, 1992).

“Agents of socialization are the people and groups that influence our self-concept, emotions, attitudes, and behavior” (Chinoy, 1961). My family and friends have been on the fore front of determining my attitudes in regards to responsibility, choice of religion and determining my occupational goals. They did this through my education which is an important agent responsible for socializing people in specific values and skills in the community. This is also responsible for my choice of occupation as it shapes an individual towards that direction. They also influenced my choice of religion that is an important aspect in socialization as it makes people obedient to authority when they follow certain rules and principles of religion. My friends have also been very influential; this was brought out through peer groupings when we used to contribute to our social characteristics in the process influencing each other. It is also evident that socialization plays a major role in influencing emotions which comprise of romance and lust. These emotions are in turn responsible for marriage especially when love strikes in a social setting. In the event of such marriages the sustenance and child rearing will be based on the instilled social norms which were shaped by socializing.

Socialization has evidently influenced my life in the sense that it helped me conform to authority by being shaped towards the right direction from a young age. This brought me up as a morally upright person and also helped me in the selection of an occupation of choice. The realization of this was brought about by socializing with the right people who instill the right characters in individuals. On the other hand socialization can instill the wrong characters in individuals particularly when they socialize with bad characters. This is highlighted by Zimbardo (2007) who says that a good person can be changed by socialization if he/she is not in conformity with social norms. The author gives an example of “Palestine and Iraq, where young men and women become suicide bombers who were initially good people, (Zimbardo, 2007).

Therefore as shown in this paper, new inspirations are brought about by social influence which are instilled in an individual particularly when they are consistent from a young age. It is also true that social influence does not only support moral uprightness but can also produce bad social habits.

  • Chinoy, M. (1961). Socialization. New York NY: Oxford University Press.
  • Mathews, W. (2002). Society and socialization. Journal for socialization community development 24 (2), 62-69.
  • Schaefer, D., & Lamm, T (1992). Re-socialization. Brisbane, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd.
  • Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect : Understanding how good people turn evil. New York: Random House.
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Essay on My Mother Influenced My Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Mother Influenced My Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on My Mother Influenced My Life

Introduction.

My mother has been the greatest influence in my life. Her love, care, and teachings have shaped me into the person I am today. She has always been my guiding star, leading me on the right path.

My mother taught me the importance of hard work and determination. She always said, “Hard work is the key to success.” This teaching has helped me to strive for excellence in everything I do.

She instilled in me the values of honesty, kindness, and respect for others. These values have helped me to be a better person and to treat others with kindness and respect.

My mother has always been my biggest supporter. She believes in me and encourages me to follow my dreams. Her support gives me the strength to face any challenges that come my way.

250 Words Essay on My Mother Influenced My Life

My mother has been the most important person in my life. She has shaped me into the person I am today. Her love and guidance have been a constant source of strength and inspiration.

Teaching Values

My mother taught me the importance of honesty, kindness, and respect. She always said that these values are more important than any material possession. This teaching has helped me build strong relationships and earn respect from others.

Importance of Education

She always stressed the value of education. She would often say, “Knowledge is power.” Because of her, I have always worked hard in school and have developed a love for learning.

Strength and Resilience

My mother is a strong woman. She has faced many challenges in life but has never let them bring her down. Her resilience has taught me to be strong and never give up, no matter how hard things get.

Love for Others

My mother has a big heart. She always goes out of her way to help others. Her kindness has taught me to be compassionate and caring.

500 Words Essay on My Mother Influenced My Life

My mother is the most important person in my life. Her influence over my life is something I can’t express in words. She has shaped my personality, my beliefs, and my values. She is my hero, my inspiration, and my best friend. This essay is a tribute to her and the significant influence she has had on my life.

Teaching Me Values

My mother is the first teacher in my life. She taught me how to be kind, honest, and respectful to others. She always said that our actions speak louder than words. By watching her, I learned to treat everyone with kindness and respect. She always showed compassion, even to strangers. This quality of hers has influenced me greatly. I try to be kind and helpful to everyone I meet, just like her.

Guiding Me Through Life

Instilling confidence.

Confidence is one of the most important traits that my mother instilled in me. She always believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. She said that with hard work and determination, I could achieve anything. Her faith in me boosted my self-confidence. It gave me the courage to face challenges and strive for success.

Teaching Me The Importance Of Education

My mother always emphasized the importance of education. She said that knowledge is power. She encouraged me to study hard and do well in school. She helped me with my homework, and always made sure I understood everything. Her support and encouragement have played a significant role in my academic success.

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The person who has made a great impact in my life essay

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How to Influence People—And Make Friends

The key to persuasion is not beating people over the head with your better ideas—it’s listening sincerely to what they have to say.

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T ertullian , a second-century North African theologian, is often called the “father of Latin Christianity.” A prolific author, he was the writer credited with first using the Latin term trinity for the belief in the oneness of God, Jesus, and the holy spirit. He also chronicled the everyday lives of ordinary Christians in the Roman empire, critically commenting on how their powerful pagan overlords regarded them:

It is mainly the deeds of a love so noble that lead many [Romans] to put a brand upon us [Christians]. See , they say, how they love one another , for [they] themselves are animated by mutual hatred; and how they are ready even to die for one another, for they themselves will sooner put [others] to death.

Tertullian’s fellow Christians didn’t just love one another, of course. They followed the teachings of Jesus, who had enjoined them to love their enemies as well.

This love was seen as stupid and weak by many Romans at the time, but it eventually won out: The once-fledgling faith gradually drew converts from all over the empire and in the end became the official religion of Rome. If those early Christians had been violent and hate-filled, the faith would probably have come and gone like any number of cults over the centuries.

No matter what your religious views, if you want to persuade others to consider a better way through the strong disagreements of these tumultuous times, you can take a valuable lesson from these early Christians. Amid a contentious election, unrest on campuses and in cities, and a world full of conflict, you may find that if left to your instincts, lashing out is all too easy.

If you succumb to rage, you are likely to end up wielding your most sincerely held values as a weapon. Doing so will influence no one who doesn’t already agree with you. Worse, it will provoke equal-but-opposite angry dogmatism. If, however, you fight such reflexive inclinations and learn instead to offer your values as a gift , others might actually change their mind and follow your lead.

From the May 1892 issue: Private life in Ancient Rome

H umans have a need to share their beliefs and values with other people. When you feel strongly about something, positively or negatively, it’s hard not to talk about it; opinions feel as though they were made for sharing. This has a solid logic: Sharing emotions and opinions can lead to imitation, which can in turn create coalitions and reinforce relationships. When you share a feeling about something and someone agrees in both their behavior and expression, social psychologists have found , you may become more emotionally attuned to one another and have more positive social interactions.

The emotions and opinions we share with others to build a relationship are as likely to be negative or critical as not. Think of a conversation you had with a work colleague when you complained about your idiot boss—how your colleague sympathetically adopted your attitude of bitter disdain and how that exchange reinforced the bond between you. Researchers have shown that gossip is a common way to promote trust among members of an in-group, even if it involves reckless calumnies about others.

Positive emotions, though, may be better at eliciting mimicry than negative emotions. In one 2007 experiment, people were shown videos of people laughing, yawning, frowning, or maintaining a neutral expression. They found that viewers were 83 percent more likely to emulate laughter than frowning (and they were even more likely to mimic yawns). Similarly, in 2015, psychologists writing in the journal Emotion found that people tend to imitate the behavioral mannerisms of people who intentionally helped them.

Arthur C. Brooks: Why it’s nice to know you

Besides creating a bond, another reason you might want to induce someone to model themselves on your feelings is to get them to modify their views. To achieve that result, you can usually choose whether to frame your views positively or negatively. So you might tell someone either that you’re voting for a particular presidential candidate because you believe this person will make the country stronger and fairer and you want that better future, or that the other candidate will ruin democracy forever and anyone who disagrees is a fool.

The angle you choose is important, and that choice will depend on your goal and your interlocutor’s disposition. If the intended audience—say, your carefully curated silo of social-media followers—already agrees with you, then your negativity can raise the intensity of their views. In particular, as the psychologist Ronald W. Rogers demonstrated in the 1970s with his influential “protection motivation theory,” people can be very effectively influenced when an appeal focuses on the noxiousness of a threat, the probability that it will occur, and the potential efficacy of a response. For example, you might try to fire people up by saying, “If we don’t all work for Candidate X, this will probably be the last democratic election in U.S. history,” or, “If we don’t turn out to vote for Candidate Y, immigrants will bring crime to our town and take our jobs.”

Of course, this kind of negative framing won’t work for someone who isn’t already inclined to think the way you do. If I don’t think the opposing candidate actually is a threat to democracy, I will simply judge your statement to be hyperbolic and biased—and you won’t get me to mimic you at all.

To an even greater degree, if I disagree with you and your views contain hatred and anger toward opponents, what you say will harden my values against yours. This is the so-called boomerang effect, demonstrated in the 1960s by two psychologists who showed that when people are insulted over the opinions they hold, they are much more likely to dig into their position against that of the insulter.

Arthur C. Brooks: A gentler, better way to change minds

T he boomerang effect can be hard to observe when we’re dealing with a complex social interaction involving such abstractions as opinions and feelings. To give a more concrete instance: Imagine I came to your house with a beautiful bunch of flowers to share with you, but when you opened the door, I hit you with the bouquet. Obviously, the gesture would hardly make me a persuasive person or recommend my views to you; all you’d want is to get me off your porch. This is essentially what happens when you use your values as a weapon, not as a gift.

If you suspect you’ve been inflicting your views and feelings on others as though you were walloping them with what you wanted to share, that imaginary scenario may be worth reflecting on. On a larger scale, this kind of behavior may be why every debate in America today seems to go straight to DEFCON 1, a level of alarm and vigilance on the brink of outright war. So, if you want to be more persuasive, consider a few new ways to understand and manage your own feelings, and share them more positively—in other words, turn them back into a gift, rather than wielding them as a weapon.

1. Focus on what we agree on. Agreement in beliefs can be quite hard to come by when all that you and those around you have been focusing on is your disagreements. But this can be done. Consider the words of President Barack Obama. After his hard-fought reelection victory in 2012, a campaign that was at times bitter and vituperative, he could have reinforced the ideological differences he had with Republicans and said that their views were inferior, dangerous, and rejected by all right-thinking people. But that would have simply boomeranged the losing side in that election even more into greater bitterness.

Instead, Obama focused on unity, on “the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth 
 love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great.” Even more impressive, perhaps, in their magnanimity were the words of concession from Mitt Romney, the defeated candidate. After congratulating Obama on his victory, Romney exhorted the country to unite behind the president. “We look to Democrats and Republicans in government at all levels to put the people before the politics,” he said. “I believe in the people of America.”

2. Stop talking. The easiest way to turn your values from a weapon to a gift is to close your mouth and listen when someone disagrees with you. This was the fundamental conclusion from two scholars in 2016 writing in the journal Science . The scholars were seeking to understand how people might change their views on sensitive topics, such as minority rights. What they found was that it did not involve forceful arguments, righteous anger, or overwhelming data. In fact, people were most likely to shift their sympathies when they were prompted toward “perspective taking”: Canvassers asked respondents to talk about a time when they felt judged negatively for being different, and then, after listening to the respondents’ answers carefully, the canvassers encouraged them to apply that experience to how they might think about other people considered different. True listening is a gift—and people find it very persuasive.

3. Refuse to be used. I have my own version of the old saying “If you’re playing poker and don’t know who the sucker is, it’s you.” Here’s mine: “When you hate for ideological reasons, someone is profiting—and it isn’t you.” In today’s controversies, many people are eager to conscript you into a culture war in order to gin up political support, increase their power, build television viewership, gain greater social-media following, or boost their ego. This year, declare your independence from the Outrage Industrial Complex in politics, in media, and on campus by offering your views as a source of hope and love.

George Goehl: How we got Trump voters to change their mind

I f weaponized values are not effective in persuading others, why do we persist in using them this way? The answer is simple: It feels satisfying, like scratching an itch. But the ultimate effect is more like scratching a poison-ivy exposure: It’s devilishly hard to resist and momentarily feels wonderful, but the result gets worse and worse as the itch turns into a festering wound.

We can realize far greater happiness in the long run when we resist that immediate urge. In the Apologeticus , Tertullian makes this point when he speaks of “the joy of the people in our trouble.” Such a cheerful display of love and acceptance in the face of persecution seemed “utterly reasonless” to non-Christians, but Tertullian’s fellow believers were making a gift of their faith in a way that eventually overcame the hostility.

Similarly, if you decide to share your values as a loving gift and turn your back on hate, you will probably, at first, hear harsh words from some former allies that your new outlook is reasonless. Smile, listen, and answer them with kindness and more listening.

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I Used to Pride Myself on Being an Extrovert. Now Things Are Different.

I’m not the only person whose personality seems to have shifted a little bit..

For almost all my life, I identified as being extroverted. I loved being around people, and absorbed energy from hanging out. Looking forward to weekend social activities kept me going through hard work weeks, especially in my psychiatry residency training. My friends even used to joke that I had an address book of names—I’d say Filofax but that dates me—and I’d just go down the list asking people to do something with me until someone said yes. To feel recharged , I just needed to do something , with someone .

That’s how it used to be. Now, I am perfectly content being home and alone. I no longer need to make plans to hang out with friends to motivate me to make it to Friday. When I do go out, it’s not very long before I feel spent. I even left a wedding recently before most of the reception because I’d “had enough socializing.”

This version of me feels—different, uncomfortable even. Like my personality changed entirely. There might be a loneliness crisis going on right now , but I find that, for me personally, I just like being alone so much more than I used to, and often I even prefer it. Talking with friends, other mental health experts, and even some of my own patients, I know I’m not alone. “I actually see this in a lot of people,” says Nikki Lacherza-Drew, a therapist who runs a practice called Vici Psychological Care. There’s no hard data that I could find on the phenomenon, but it seems that some of us are just more introverted now.

Part of it is that we have emerged from a pandemic, which provided us with so very much time to be alone. “Some people may have not only become more accustomed to it—they may have realized they actually enjoy solitary time, developing an appreciation for its benefits they didn’t previously have a chance to explore,” says Nikhita Singhal, a child and adolescent psychiatry subspecialty resident at the University of Toronto. Becoming more introverted during that time also could have been a bit of a protective measure: In a study of college students , more extroversion was related to lower mood as the pandemic progressed. Sessions with my therapist necessarily focused on how I could sustain my own mental health without the help of others. Maybe realizing I could enjoy being by myself happened because I had to be by myself. I ended up liking my own company more than I could have imagined.

Something also has happened in the past five years to me and my friends: As much as I wish time had simply stopped during the COVID years, we have, in fact, gotten older. I have often heard that people become more introverted over time and have seen some hypotheses that this has to do with evolution and no longer needing to be out and about and talking to people to “find a mate.” (And of course, if you’re coupled up and have family responsibilities, you’ll probably be going out less whether you like it or not.) While the evolutionary explanation feels slightly oversimplistic, there is some data showing the trend is at least generally true: There is a linear decrease over time in extroversion as a trait. One study found that while scores measuring extroversion dropped after age 30 and continued to drop to age 90, the drop was most profound after the mid-50s. I started the pandemic at 32, and am now 36. So maybe age is a contributing factor, too.

And then there’s the fact that my vision of myself as “an extrovert” was probably too simplistic in the first place. Psychologists have long described introversion and extroversion as extremes, with most of us falling somewhere in the middle. Indeed, the vast majority of people are ambiverts, according to an article that ran in Scientific American this spring , with their preferences varying from situation to situation, even if they tend to lean in one direction or the other. And it’s possible to very purposefully shift where you fall, too, as writer Olga Khazan described in the Atlantic in 2022 , and Glen Powell’s fictional character in the movie Hit Man demonstrated more recently. In those cases, though, Khazan and Powell’s Gary Johnson made themselves become more extroverted.

I do feel a little self-conscious about my turn inward. When I say no to plans, I wonder if I am now “less fun,” or even “boring.” I am curious if my friends will notice that I’m spending more time alone and if they will wonder if something is wrong with me—particularly as isolation or change of behavior can be signs of depression. (I hang out with a lot of mental health types.) In many ways, society favors extroversion. “Descriptors such as ‘outgoing’ and ‘sociable’ may be perceived as having a more positive connotation than terms we use to describe introversion,” Singhal tells me. Both introverted and extroverted tendencies can come with upsides and challenges—that doesn’t really mean one is “better” than the other, says Lacherza-Drew. “I think social media for a person who is more extroverted can be a slippery slope,” she points out. Just like isolating, spending too much time chasing socialization in the form of engagement online can be difficult for mental health, too.

Still, a part of me wants to just force myself to return to my pre-pandemic extroverted self again. It feels on some level like it would be positive to go back to being a social butterfly. But I know I should embrace my new self-awareness, as well as listen to my body and its energy supply. To find the balance, even. That is, of course, what I would tell any patient of mine to do if they were worried about a shift toward introversion in themselves.

I’m not done shifting, though. “It takes intention and experimentation to figure out the right routine,” Kasley Killam, the author of The Art and Science of Connection , tells me. She suggests journaling at the end of a day or week, and in writing, asking myself about different interactions throughout my day, my energy level after them, and the amount and depth of my socializing throughout. The answers will be individualized to me, and maybe even that day or week, but actively paying attention to my interactions and how I feel can help me find the right balance. “It can be beneficial to focus on quality over quantity,” Killam adds, “to prioritize the relationships that are most important to you, such as with close friends and family, rather than socializing for the sake of it. It can also be valuable to dedicate time to connecting with yourself.”

Imagine that: actually allowing time to connect to myself. To ask myself how I am feeling and what those feelings mean. To be a little bored , even in the busy world of work and a social life. Instead of extroverted, or introverted, perhaps now I’ll strive to simply be intentional.

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A role model of perseverance, the power of empathy and compassion, lifelong learning and intellectual curiosity, legacy and moving forward.

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A ‘Life Review’ Can Be Powerful, at Any Age

Reflecting on the past, through writing or conversation, can help us better appreciate where we are — and where we’re going.

An illustration of two people looking at a series of panels depicting various life events — a mother and her child, friends hanging out, a graduate, two people with their arms around each other, and a person and a baby.

By Emily Laber-Warren

Jodi Wellman was devastated when her mother died of a heart attack at age 58. Cleaning out her apartment made her feel even worse. Drawers and closets overflowed with abandoned projects: unpublished manuscripts and business cards for ventures that had never gotten started.

“My mom was a wake-up call for me,” Ms. Wellman said. “She had these dreams that she didn’t act on.”

At the time, Ms. Wellman was in her early 30s, living in Chicago and working her way up the corporate rungs at a fitness club chain. But, over the course of five years, that work began to feel empty.

Determined not to stagnate like her mother, Ms. Wellman quit her job to become an executive coach, eventually entering a master’s degree program in positive psychology. There, she developed a strategy for living fully: Think about death, a lot.

Now also a speaker and the author of “You Only Die Once,” Ms. Wellman, 48, believes that focusing on how short life is makes you less likely to squander it. To help her clients figure out how to spend their limited time, she asks them dozens of questions, organized by life phase — things like what activities made them happiest as a child, and what they would change about their 40s and 50s.

Her approach is a twist on something called “life review,” where people systematically reflect on their past, through conversations or in writing, to identify character strengths and develop self-awareness and acceptance. The process can occur both with a partner or in small groups, and it typically unfolds in six to 10 weekly sessions.

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  5. A person who has had a great influence in my life Essay Example

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  1. Essay on A Person Who Has Influenced My Life

    Conclusion. In conclusion, the person who has influenced my life the most is my grandmother. Her resilience, wisdom, and unconditional love have shaped my character, values, and perspective on life. She has taught me to embrace challenges, value wisdom, and love unconditionally. These lessons have not only influenced my personal growth but also ...

  2. Who Influenced My Life: [Essay Example], 789 words GradesFixer

    Who Influenced My Life. Throughout our lives, we are influenced by a myriad of people, experiences, and circumstances that shape our character and our outlook on life. These influences can come from family, friends, teachers, mentors, and even strangers we encounter along the way. In my own life, I have been fortunate to have been influenced by ...

  3. Person Who Has Influenced Me: [Essay Example], 475 words

    Person Who Has Influenced Me. When it comes to reflecting upon the people who have had a profound impact on one's life, it is difficult not to think of those who have contributed to our personal growth, values, and aspirations. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have many people who have influenced me in various ways.

  4. A Person That Has Influenced My Life, Essay Example

    A Person That Has Influenced My Life, Essay Example. HIRE A WRITER! You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work. Throughout my life I had met hundreds of people who had somehow influenced me either physically or emotionally. However, there was only one person who had a substantial impact on my inner world and changed ...

  5. Describing a Person Who Influenced You: Personal Experience. Essay

    In everyone's life there is a person who is considered to be the closest one in the whole world. For me this person is my mother. My mother influences every step of my life: how I live and interact with other people. She is an inspiration for my achievements and guidance into the successful future. She has always helped me to overcome any ...

  6. A Person Who Has Influenced My Life Essay For Students

    In conclusion, my grandma is not just a person who has influenced my life; she's my hero. She's taught me important life lessons, filled my days with laughter, and shown me what it means to be kind and strong. I'm grateful to have her in my life, and I know she'll always be my forever hero. Thanks for reading about my amazing grandma ...

  7. 'Someone Who Has Made an Impact On Your Life' Essay Sample

    EssayEdge > Blog > 'Someone Who Has Made an Impact On Your Life' Essay Sample. "Describe a person who has influenced you" is the opening phrase of several personal statement prompts that go on to ask that you provide details of what that influence was. The major mistake made in these personal statement essays is that candidates make the ...

  8. Sample Essays: Influential Person

    Sample Essay 1 Wellesley, Influence of mother. It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has been on my life. She's the kind of person who has thoughtful discussions about which artist she would most want to have her portrait painted by (Sargent), the kind of mother who always has time for her four children ...

  9. An Essay about Someone Who Has Made an Impact on Your Life

    Parental influence on my life outcomes. Explain how a conversation with happy spouses changed your views on marriage. How James Brown influenced my dancing style. Effect of an online friend on my life. Analyze how the example and behavior of your parents influenced your character. School bullies and their impact on my life.

  10. How to Write a Descriptive Essay on an Influential Person in Your Life

    Focus Your Essay. As in any essay, when writing about an influential person in your life you should include a thesis statement. In this case, the thesis statement declares how or why this person has influenced you life. For example, if writing about your soccer coach, you may write, "Through his advice and the example of his character, my ...

  11. Essay Samples on Someone Who Inspires Me

    To aid you in your writing process, we provide a sample essay about someone who inspires you. It serves as a guiding light, illustrating the structure, tone, and depth needed to craft an outstanding piece. Drawing inspiration from this sample, embrace your unique voice, infuse your essay with passion, and let your words leave an indelible mark ...

  12. Who is The Most Influential Person in Your Life

    They influence us by the way they live their lives. For many, the question arises, "who is the most influential person in your life?" For me, there are many people who can be role models, but one of them stands out the most: my stepfather. Him I admire most of all. He helped me in lots of situations, and I became the person I wanted because of him.

  13. Tips for an Admissions Essay on an Influential Person

    Keep in mind that a person can have a significant influence without having an entirely "positive" influence. Jill's essay, for example, focuses on a woman with only a few positive qualities. You could even write about someone who is abusive or hateful. Evil can have as much "influence" on us as good. 06.

  14. Answering the Question "Who Has Most Influenced You?"

    Whatever your answer, bring the influential person to life for your interviewer. Avoid vague generalities. As with an admissions essay on an influential person, you'll want to provide colorful, entertaining, and specific examples of how the person has influenced you. Also, keep in mind that a strong answer provides a window into your life and ...

  15. The Person Who Influenced Me The Most (Free Essay Examples)

    A Person Who Has Influenced My Life Essay. Being human is to be alive and in connection with something or someone. The things that surround us influence us in the most novel ways. Earlier in my life, I did not believe in that. I thought I was resilient to stimulus and no one or nothing could induce change in me. Turns out, I found the person ...

  16. The Impact of Socialization on My Life Essay

    The impacts of my socialization. Socialization has evidently influenced my life in the sense that it helped me conform to authority by being shaped towards the right direction from a young age. This brought me up as a morally upright person and also helped me in the selection of an occupation of choice.

  17. The People Who Have Influenced Me Essay example

    The People Who Have Influenced Me Essay example. Decent Essays. 585 Words. 3 Pages. Open Document. My grandfather ! This is the first thing coming up to my mind when being asked about the one who is the most important to me! From time to time, the caring and educating professionally of my beloved granddad grew me up.

  18. The Greatest Influence In My Life: Free Essay Example

    21743. There have been many people that have influenced me into who I am today. These people have affected my character and the moral values that I own. However I do think that the person who deeply influenced me is my father. He always hold a strong willed character, trying to guide and nurture me into a great person for a better tomorrow.

  19. Essay on My Mother Influenced My Life

    My mother is the most important person in my life. Her influence over my life is something I can't express in words. She has shaped my personality, my beliefs, and my values. She is my hero, my inspiration, and my best friend. This essay is a tribute to her and the significant influence she has had on my life.

  20. Most Influential Person In My Life Essay

    ORAL PRESENTATIOn Someone Who Has Influenced My LifeI am writing an essay for my English class and keep getting an E what am i doin wrong? In life you have many people who influence you. Some aare good influences and some are bad influences. Although, the one person who influenced my life most would have to be my father. My

  21. Impactful Person in My Life: [Essay Example], 906 words

    Impactful Person in My Life. I have always interacted with a lot of people who possess various characters and personalities. These interactions had various impacts on me on different degrees and with different impacts. The person who has made a huge impact on me was my uncle who was largely a protagonist. He has a tall towering figure with dark ...

  22. The person who has made a great impact in my life

    5985. There have been a lot of people who have made an impact in my life but the one person who has significantly influenced my values, beliefs, and my over-all growth as a person is my father, Jide Ayo-Vaughan. I have learned valuable lessons in life from my father, in particular, his hard working nature, intelligence and, most of all ...

  23. How to Influence People—And Make Friends

    From the May 1892 issue: Private life in Ancient Rome. H umans have a need to share their beliefs and values with other people. When you feel strongly about something, positively or negatively, it ...

  24. Personality shift: I'm more introverted now. I notice it in my patients

    For almost all my life, I identified as being extroverted. I loved being around people, and absorbed energy from hanging out. Looking forward to weekend social activities kept me going through ...

  25. How My Father Has Influenced Me The Most in My Life

    The Power of Empathy and Compassion. One of the most impactful aspects of my father's influence is his embodiment of empathy and compassion. He has always been attentive to the needs and feelings of others, offering a listening ear and a supportive presence. His ability to connect with people on a genuine level has demonstrated the power of ...

  26. A 'Life Review' Can Be Powerful, at Any Age

    Life review has since been studied in many contexts, such as in people diagnosed with cancer or facing terminal illness, as well as with older people in adult day care facilities or nursing homes.

  27. Kolkata doctor's rape case: Parents remember daughter who was ...

    The crime took place on the night of 9 August, when the woman, who was a junior doctor at the city's RG Kar Medical College, had gone to a seminar room to rest after a gruelling 36-hour shift.