Inspiration can come from anywhere
Being a competitive young woman, I always look towards others’ successes and try to learn from them. In a society emphasizing individuality though, this comes with some challenges. I find that I always try to be “just as successful” as someone, but also cultivate my point of differentiability, my brand. How can I be different but just as successful?
The answer dawned upon me when I met Jen, a Grade 10 student at the time. Even though Jen was two years younger than I was, her enthusiasm and commitment inspired me. No, she was not a successful businessperson, nor was she the next famous Canadian political authority, she was just a girl looking to make a difference in her school community. Jen was committed to one thing and one thing only – environmental change. Her focus on this one issue led to her working with many community organizations, but she never spread herself thin. In retrospect, this is the most important lesson I have learned and am still struggling to strive towards.
I believe that her focus was possible because she was passionate about what she was doing – the process, not the result. Her apparent success was only a byproduct, not the goal of her work. This enabled her to be satisfied in working on one initiative instead of, as we so often encounter, individuals being involved in several organizations with different aims and doing the minimal required in every job.
Even though my mindset of being successful is still ingrained, I realize that being focused on one initiative at a time comes with many advantages. It forces me to choose, to decide what I really care about. It allows me to build my brand and tell others that this is what I’m all about. And most importantly, it enables me to focus my energies towards tangible results.