Being successful in life has always been a priority of mine.
I am extremely self-motivated and have a strong inner drive that makes me
competitive. I want to succeed. I will never be simply average. I have always
had high standards, picky taste, and high expectations of myself. I enjoy
pushing myself to my limits just to see how strong I am. I came to Cape Town
this summer knowing all of this already. However what has really made me learn
more and grow more as a person is the question that was given to us at the
beginning of our class.
Kevin Chaplin, a very inspirational leader, we had the first
week of class, asked us the question “Which is more important, leading a life
of success or a life of significance?” This question has been in engraved into
my head and constantly on my mind throughout this entire trip.
Of course my instant answer to the question is “success”.
Who wouldn’t want to be successful? That is what I have hard wired myself with
the desire to be. To be the best, to land the job with the good salary, to
continue to live the kind of lifestyle my parents have blessed me with, to
always be on top or working my way there. But is all that significant to me? Is
that what I will solely focus on? No,
that’s not the kind of person I am either. I have always been a firm believer
in never stepping on the toes of those who got you to where you are today. I am a people pleaser as well. Making someone
else feel important, worthy, or simply boosting their self-esteem makes my
heart smile. Someone else’s happiness makes me happy. That’s a big reason why
working with under privileged kids has always been a passion of mine. During
service week, making the children of Sir Lowery’s pass feel important was what
made me “come alive” within my own self. It was the significance that my inner
self was searching for. It was the significance that I crave for in my own
life.
The fork in the road that I face is balancing the two out. I
will always have the competitive drive along with the big heart. I love the
person that I am and the woman that I am becoming and do not want to change
things about myself. This trip has been a personal quest for me to learn more
about myself and my purpose. Mr. Chaplin’s question is a question that I will
forever ask myself when faced with a choice or before I make an important
decision. The life I lead is a mirror reflection of the person that I am.
I can now say that this once in a life time experience, this
amazing country and Global Lead has made me realized who I truly am and the
direction I want to live my life. I know what I stand for, the morals I have
and the strengths I was blessed with. The bottom line of this entire experience
and to wrap up what five meager weeks has taught me is that, I know who I am, I
know where I am from and I know where I am going.
My Vision Statement for my Life:
[Ten years from today…] I am a successful business woman
marketing for a professional sports team or product while working on the side
as a spokes person for underprivileged or abused children. I am deeply committed to my
family, husband, kid(s), and friends and maintain an active and healthy
lifestyle. I give back to my community by serving as a mentor to teens at my
local church. I have gained personal insight from traveling all over and am
able to use that experience along with my strengths (relater, responsibility,
arranger, includer, positivity) to bring happiness into other’s lives. I live
in a place that inspires my passions and enables me to keep an open mind while
continuing to introduce me to new and exciting people.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come
alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come
alive.” – Howard Thurman
No comments:
Post a Comment