Jasmine | Houston, TX
Leadership is... the ability to rise to the occasion. It’s about stepping up and doing whatever is necessary to see successful outcomes, in spite of any setbacks.
Leadership in Life... A time in my life where I had the most personal growth and rose to the occasion had to be post-bachelor's degree. I was a Magna Cum Laude graduate without any job prospects and COUNTLESS business school rejection letters. I had rarely been told "no," academically or professionally, so it was disheartening when things didn't fall into place. Reflecting on that time, it was a pit stop, a moment in my life where I just had to pause. Despite it being one of the more difficult times, I committed to showing up for my future self every day.
Once I took on this committed mindset, a lot of things happened. I moved cross-country for an internship where I learned the things I desired from a career. After the internship was complete, I decided to move back home with family to reassess my “why” even further. This led me to setting a “working schedule” where I would strategically apply to jobs and graduate school programs from 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM Monday-Friday. These efforts eventually led me to receiving a job offer, and although the pay wasn’t the greatest, I focused on the relevant experience the position afforded me.
My journey has been a very humbling one, but what I’ve learned is that time is always on our side. Despite our best efforts at making plans and the rush requests we subject our lives to, it takes TIME to accomplish goals. Through my year of perseverance, the “no” began to turn into “yes”. I was accepted into every graduate program I applied to, and received scholarship offers with every letter. It was truly a pivotal moment in my life.
Advice… Life has a funny way of slowing us down to make us stop and smell the roses. You can never prepare exactly for that moment, but when that time comes, make sure you’re able to muster the courage and patience to keep your head down, focus, and commit to the goals you’ve set. Even when it’s difficult, move in spite of. Don’t ever find yourself complacent in your current position.
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