As a high school athlete, there are many things that I learned from my coaches and teammates but one of the best lessons I learned in life was from my father, and it was to always check your PACE. Everyone moves at a different PACE of life. Their PACE can be slow, mediocre or on fire.
Passion. Attitude. Courage. Energy.
Passion - First and most importantly you need to find your passion in life. What makes you excited? What do you think about when you need the drive to succeed?
When I talk to people about their passions I can see the fire burning in their eyes. An authentic passion makes future employers, future recommendation letter writers, and all other people you’re around excited. Passion is contagious. Passion can change the world. Find your passion in college and its true what they say, you will never work a day in your life (after college -- you will work like heck to get there). My advice is for you to remind yourself daily to check passion. Check it as you sit in the monotonous class setting. Check your passion as you study all night. Above all, check your passion when you feel like giving up. Continually remind yourself of what your passion is, and where it can take you if you finish strong.
Attitude - While coasting through life discovering your passions, you need to keep the right attitude. Believe me; trying to make good grades so that I can go to occupational therapy school is stressful. Some days you don’t go to class, and that’s OK every now and then. Some days you feel defeated when you don’t get the grade you wanted, and that is OK, too. But don’t plant yourself in a defeated state of mind in front of your Apple TV watching Netflix. Well, at least don’t binge watch it for more than a week, but try to save that for summer vacation or spring break. Make sure you remember to shower, there is nothing worst then realizing that smell has to be you because no one else is around. Remember eight hours of "Grey's Anatomy" does not make you a surgeon, and it does not help a defeated attitude. Check your attitude daily. Remind yourself to remain positive and to notice the little things that keep you focused. Positive things are happening all around you, and taking the time to notice them will help maintain an effective attitude.
Courage - This is what you need when you are buried up to your neck in homework projects and papers for school. You need it to be a good member in your sorority. You need it when you decide to take on an executive position (because why not, two hours of sleep a week is for the weak -- I can do one). Courage is knowing that there is a chance of failure and doing it anyway. Courage is doing the extra work to build your resume and to be somebody other than a student. Set yourself apart and show that you are capable of anything on no sleep. Be courageous enough to learn from your failures. Be courageous enough to confront the barriers that limit your ability to be significant to your college, friends, family and sisters.
Energy - Now I know what you are thinking. “How am I supposed to have energy when I get one or two hours of sleep?” I will tell you how - coffee, eating a balanced meal, staying hydrated and maintaining the fire in your eyes. A positive passion, attitude and courage are also key ingredients to keeping your energy up. When you feel your flame dying, remember why you are passionate in the first place. Often times the younger members in a sorority are on fire to do volunteer in community service, mixers and philanthropy, while the older members are lucky to make it to chapter once a week. Older members sometimes forget why they joined and all the good times they had at the beginning. The older members who are happy are still involved and still on fire as they were in the beginning.
The advice for success I can give you is to check your PACE. Are you on fire?
