I have always adored my older sisters. Whether it was the way they did their hair, the outfits they wore or even the activities they were involved in, I often found myself wanting to be just like them. So, when sixth grade rolled around and I had the opportunity to join band, I knew I had to because my older sister, Lainey, was in band, too.

In my school’s band program, I had the opportunity to try out several different instruments. After going through the process, I decided I wanted to play the French Horn. During the first few weeks of instruction, however, I quickly discovered it was going to be a learning curve. Between learning which fingerings produced certain notes and figuring out the correct embouchure for each one, I started to wonder if maybe this was not the instrument for me.

When seventh grade rolled around, I made the decision to switch my main instrument to the clarinet. Little did I know, that decision would lead to many experiences that would teach me about perseverance.

When I first picked up the clarinet and prepared to play, I squeaked more times than I would like to admit and had to make multiple attempts just to produce a clear sound. Throughout my journey as a musician, I found myself facing similar plateaus to the one I experienced that very first day. Whether it was the beginning of eighth grade when I struggled to “break the scale,” or my sophomore year when I had difficulty adjusting to a higher-strength reed, there were plenty of moments when progress did not come easily.

Despite those struggles, I always found myself trying again. I knew my sister had experienced challenges of her own, and if she could overcome them, I believed I could too.

Life is full of similar moments. We will experience failures, plateaus and, hopefully, plenty of successes. However, to reach success, we often have to work through failure first. Perseverance is what helps us push through the “squeaks” life throws our way.

One thing I love to remind myself when things get difficult is to strive for progress, not perfection.

As we move throughout our FFA careers, it is important to remember it is not about whether you get knocked down. It is about how you choose to get back up.

Think about the role models in your life who have experienced some of the same struggles you are facing, and lean on them when you need to. For you, it may be a brother, sister, friend, teacher or FFA advisor. Their experiences and encouragement can help you recognize the progress you are making and push you toward goals you may not have even realized you had.

Strong support systems help us become better versions of ourselves. And someday, when someone around us begins facing their own struggles and setbacks, we have the opportunity to pay support forward.

So, when life gets a little squeaky, keep going. Progress may not always sound perfect at first, but with perseverance, it can become something beautiful.