Correspondence: Duke University, Letter from Collegiant

The Power of the 99

The Words and Voice from Duke University Student

“Dear Coach Johns,

I wanted to thank you again for taking your time to come to Duke, and speak about the subjects that you did yesterday.

Last semester, I dealt with depression for the first time in my life and it has been a fascinating experience. Luckily I was able to realize what was happening, acknowledge it, and start to solve it and get better. Now at the start of my Junior Spring I am feeling better, but it took about 3 months to feel stable and happy again (without medicine).

The biggest thing that I have taken away from this time in my life, is how accurate the 99% vs the 1% is. Who you are inside is truly the only thing that matters at the end of the day. The human mind is so incredibly powerful. It can either tear you apart, or let you thrive in any environment.

What was most fascinating to me, was how increasing my 99 was what turned me around. On days that I felt as though I didn’t have the energy to interact with other people, my score would be low, and I would feel heavy and sad.

On the days that I started to force myself to acknowledge people, to do little things to make others happy, and to generally be more aware of others, I began to get better. Having a higher score did not just impact other people’s happiness; it was the key to regaining my own happiness.

I wanted to share this so you continue to feel how relevant and important your words are. Thank you for sharing your message, and I will continue to give as much of my 99 as possible.

Best of luck, and thank you again.”