mentors is such an invaluable resource that can really help you navigate life ’ s course . Goes back to me wanting to quietly decline my acceptance to Harvard .
I remember being seated across my professor ’ s desk , staring incredulously at my list of graduate school applications . “ Why settle ?” my mentor asked .
“ You belong at these schools , yes it will be challenging but give yourself the opportunity ,” he continued . And this is one of the advantages of having great mentors – they believe in your potential even when it ’ s hard for you to believe . That ’ s why I strongly encourage students to find and nurture good mentoring relationships . I learned to keep things in perspective and to celebrate every milestone no matter how small . And this is how I treat everything in life . What ' s the worse that could happen I ask ."
Instead of cowering in a corner and letting it consume and cripple you , you proactively do something to help you . This is exemplary Whitney . What do you say to people who are afraid of following their dreams ?
" Firstly , ask yourself — what steps can I take to explore and determine if this is something that I am truly passionate about ? It can be simple as talking to others in a similar path , volunteering in that area and using the resources available online . As you go along that journey take some time to re-evaluate or reflect on your progress and interest .
Know that it is completely ok if you realize that your interest has evolved . I would also encourage one to always hold on to the source of their motivation . Lastly , I would say to be strategic in your execution .
For instance , if I know that I will be in a high stress environment , I would put certain infrastructures in place to help me acclimate to that environment so that all of my energy and productivity is geared towards the tasks at hand ."
There you have it folks . Being proactive and putting a plan in place to get over challenges is key to success . Would you say you ' re living your dream ?
" As a teenager , I dreamt of being able to go off to university and so I would say yes to that question . However , I am still trying to shape the dream of my adult self .
Hopefully my research will materialize into a meaningful contribution to the scientific community , that would be pretty awesome . I also want to make a tangible impact on my home country St Lucia , but I haven ' t figured out what exactly . Sometimes , I find myself asking ' what am I doing here ?' Whenever I think of how my life could have turned out , I begin to appreciate my accomplishments a bit more . This experience has taught me humility and gratitude . I will forever be in debt to many ."
" Sometimes , I find myself asking ' what am I doing here ?' Whenever I think of how my life could have turned out , I begin to appreciate my accomplishments a bit more . This experience has taught me humility and gratitude . I will forever be in debt to many ."