application mania :(

Please tell us about an achievement that you are especially proud of because it was difficult or demanding.
We are particularly interested in:
· What the objective was?
· Why it was important to you?
· How you achieved it and the obstacles that you had to overcome in order to do so?

Just last Sunday (5 Apr 09), I climbed to the highest peak of Shaanxi Province’s Hua Mountain, the South Peak, which is 2154.9m above sea level. At the top, looking down upon the other lower peaks and the plans below, I felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

To be entirely honest, scaling the South Peak of the Hua Mountain is not exactly a very difficult feat. After all, it is only a quarter of Mount Everest. However, while there were throngs of people at the foot at the mountain, there were only but a handful at the top. Scaling the mountain required both great determination and good physical fitness.

I am proud of my achievement because a year ago, I would not have been able to do it. I have never been a physically-inclined person. I never liked exercise and I loved food – the twin evils that caused my BMI to balloon along with my physical size. Although my blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol were at normal healthy levels, I was undeniably overweight. Strenuous exercise tired me out easily.

Last June, I made a decision to lose weight for the sake of my health. While my body could take the current state because I was young, I wanted to prevent any possible future ailment that I could prevent. I ruthlessly cut my food intake and mercilessly forced myself to exercise. I hit the gym almost every day, spending at least half an hour on the treadmill.

Since then, I have lost more than 15kg and six pants sizes. I feel better about myself and I know that I am healthier. It was my determination that made me lose all that weight. The same determination ensured that I reached the South Peak of Hua Mountain.

This very determination will help me solve any problem that comes my way in my life, be it in my studies or in my future career. It is because of my resolute determination that I can say with absolute certainty that I will make a very successful investment banker with XXXX (better keep the company secret...haha!!).