Focus.

I have always been an avid violin player. In 2009, I managed to qualify for provincials in Toronto, after I played extremely well in the local Windsor Kiwanis competition. While this was good news, it also meant fitting many hours of strenuous, dedicated practice time into my daily schedule. In addition, final exams in school were approaching quickly; the combination of the two delivered a crushing blow to my daily life. The three weeks prior to the provincial competition and final exams were brutal! My daily schedule would consist solely of schoolwork and violin. There was simply no time for breaks or leisure of any kind!

This busy lifestyle undoubtedly affected me negatively. My peers noted how I had completely transformed. My hair was always tangled and greasy, and my eyes had droopy bags underneath them dark enough to be infinite black holes. And above all, my disposition was horrible! A lack of sleep combined with overwhelming pressure truly created a monster. I was temperamental, like a tornado that obliterated anything in its path. Everyone who interacted with me would leave with a stormy cloud over their head. Eventually, even my closest friends gave up on me and let me be.

Becoming a recluse didn't exactly help me either with the student council elections that were approaching quickly. My extinct social lifestyle created distance between my friends, and hence, I did not receive as warm of a support as I did in previous years when I ran for council. My terrible attitude which arose from a hectic lifestyle ultimately caused me to lose the 2009 elections. Moreover, I didn't even win the provincial violin competition! Oh, woe was me! Those were some dark times.

***

The tale of Macbeth is not much different from my personal experience. By disregarding my friends at school and sacrificing my popularity to focus on other aspects of my life, I was essentially setting myself up for the same disaster as Macbeth's. Macbeth originated as a well-liked general who was respected by his peers. By focusing too much on his big goals however, he lost his established ties with influential Scottish noblemen Macduff, Lennox, and Ross, which were necessary to have in order for Macbeth to have become a successful king. Also, Macbeth's ruthless actions, such as the killing of Macduff's family, promoted his formerly loyal subjects to despise him. The loss of popularity became a considerable factor that led to Macbeth's downfall. The Scottish noblemen Macduff, Lennox, and Ross all chose to side with Malcolm in the final siege to crush Macbeth. If Macbeth had maintained his social connections, the allegiance of the three Scottish lords could have turned the tide of the war against Malcolm. My personal example and the example of Macbeth both exemplify how, by focusing too much on achieving our goals, we can lose sight of where we are and forget to interact with the important people around us.