As this school semester has reached its end, I currently hold a spirit of reflection. As I reflect on the catalogue of my personal series of unique experiences during my first year at Morehouse College, I feel that I am now in a position to take on the challenges with the resilience and flexibility that I have cultivated within this year's time. The triumph, failure, gain, and loss that I have experienced has granted me a new perspective in the face of adversity and a new set of resources to now combat the obstacles I anticipate along the path that I have opted to pursue my PhD. As I continue to push through barriers and achieve the breakthroughs that shape will shape the future of my experiential education, two words have been my beacon of light, carrying me through this year with a spirit of optimism and progression: "move on." Connecting my personal experiences with my outside research with content resources such as Harvard Business Review, i have compiled a solid list of the areas that I have engaged with to develop a life of continuity throughout this academic school year.
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As this school semester has reached its end, I currently hold a spirit of reflection. Reflecting on a catalogue of my personal series of unique experiences during my first year at Morehouse College, I feel that I am now in a position to take on the challenges with the resilience and flexibility that I have cultivated within this years’ time.
The triumph, failure, gain, and loss that I have experienced has granted me a new perspective in the face of adversity and a new set of resources to now combat the obstacles I anticipate along the path that I have opted to pursue my PhD. As I continue to push through barriers and achieve the breakthroughs that shape the future of my experiential education, two words have been my beacon of light, carrying me through this year with a spirit of optimism and progression: "move on."
Connecting my personal experiences with my outside research with content resources such as Harvard Business Review, i have compiled a solid list of the areas that I have engaged with to develop a life of continuity throughout this academic school year.
Adopting Continuity
I picked up this philosophy of continuity after reading an interesting piece on Harvard Business Review regarding the concept of feeling obsolete in the workplace and how that reality of a "Fear Of Missing Out," also known as FOMO, manifests itself in our daily lives as working students and apprentices in our prospective fields.
As a student with a focus in Business Administration, I've learned how to integrate my studies of organizational development and build meaningful interpersonal relationships that demonstrate my mastery of concepts that enhance and further the path I am pursuing. Understanding continuity and the benefit of being able to move on, has ultimately assisted me in this journey, providing a point reference that governs my priorities and fosters my continued development. These are several areas of reconciliation to consider in adopting a life of continuity and embracing the power of "moving on."
Pack Light
In the past year, I have learned a significant lesson about baggage and the role it plays in furthering or hindering your success. Navigating through impeding priorities has ultimately shifted my perspective in handling conflict.
After identifying the areas that I have considered as baggage, which were things I was connected to that didn't contribute to the overall vision of what I am seeking to obtain, I had to make solid, concrete decisions on what I needed to do to address these conflicts and continue on my path. Although the idea of identifying and removing baggage is not the only step to take in the process of moving on, being relieved of the distractions of baggage has its benefits in helping you become transparent with yourself and transparent with others in your intentions and professional/personal relationships.
Objects In Motion
One of my favorite facets of attending a Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCU) such as Morehouse College has been the opportunity to have been exposed to other millennials of color who are projected to be the industry leaders of their fields.
From the eloquence of competitive political science students, to the analytical and solution-oriented gab of engineering dual-degree students, I have learned a significant thing or two from these people on the universal concept of adopting continuity.
One of my favorite concepts has been the implementation of Newton's Law of Motion, known widely as "objects at rest stay at rest, and objects in motion stay in motion." Applying this concept into a life of continuity has added perspective that has alleviated the unhealthy habit of procrastination. In addition to the effects of applying this concept to my life in a general sense, I now hold a mentality that more clearly establishes priorities and that juxtaposes these priorities with time management.
Time Is a Resource
As a business student with direct experience in project management, I've learned the invaluable power in understanding the influence of concepts such as time, cost-effectiveness, and deliverability.
As I have gone through the experience of prioritizing and managing in these specific areas, I have learned that time management is as invaluable of a skill as money management. Understanding how to manage time wisely is much more than breaking down projects into manageable pieces or having a calendar with all of your priorities and appointments.
Optimum time management involves the psychology of benefits and the application of strategies that increase productivity. Being smart with time in this regard, has proven to show success in the satisfaction of the quality of my work. Understanding how to frontload work when necessary and understanding which situational sacrifices are of best benefit to my overall mission has ultimately opened up a new perspective when handling the sometimes inevitable failure that can come with taking risks that help you manage your time appropriately.
Embrace Failure
One final nugget that I have found in adopting a life of continuity has been embracing the use of the "F word." Embracing failure has ultimately done its part in exposing myself to opportunities of continued education.
At a young age, we have been programmed to be adverse from failure and to avoid it at all costs. In this harmful pedagogy of failure, the value of learning from mistakes and the value of recovery are ultimately diminished by a culture of perfectionism that ultimately does more harm than help.
While it could be easy to get wrapped up in "trying your best," argument, it should be very clear that sometimes, trying your best, just might not always get the job done. When these type of situations arise, leaning into the foundations of a life of continuity can provide a sense peace that allows you to focus on the bigger picture. In almost every situation if failure is the outcome, an attempt is typically the minimum level of success that can be obtained.
