Someone told me the other day that I was way behind schedule. What is this concept? Schedule. If you searched for its definition you would find the following:
sched·ule (ˈskejəl/) – a plan for carrying out a process or procedure, giving lists of intended events and times.
Immediately, I wonder how would anyone else know my plan? We are changing entities, constantly evolving, and this allows us to be as unique as we want to be. Life is a bundle of opportunities. Depending on our ultimate goals, some opportunities fit us better than others. This is why today I want to share with you some crucial advice when thinking about your professional and educational development.
1. Don’t feel tied to a timeline
You’ll find timelines everywhere around you. Your bachelors degree curriculum might be the best example of this. Some are created by institutions and others are imaginary limitations we impose in ourselves. For example, you’ve probably heard of this statement:
Everyone should finish their degree in 4 years, 5 if it’s in engineering.
By 25 you should have your full time job.
Regardless who created the timeline you feel tempted to look at, don’t feel obliged to follow it through.Sometimes timelines no longer meet our expectations because they don’t offer us all the opportunities we need to succeed. For example, your curriculum is missing this one class you know would set you apart in the future when you graduate. Or there is a certification that goes in line with what you wish to accomplish with your degree. Don’t feel like you shouldn’t consider them because they are not in that piece of paper that shows you the classes you should take to graduate. On the other hand, maybe you started a curricular sequence and you realize it doesn’t meet your expectations. No one says you have to finish it. Knowing that you have the ability to customize your experiences makes you more committed to the decisions you make. So, instead of rushing through, take a step back and ask yourself: would there be something else that adds value to where I am at right now? Likewise, ask yourself: am I still in line with where I want to be? And once you have the answer, take action.
2. Don’t feel the need to be ‘all figured out’
College and life in general is already complicated enough with the responsibilities we have to get taken care of in a daily basis. If you add to this the task of figuring out a complete “life plan” right now the stress would be unbearable. Instead of obsessing with having all the answers, make habit of asking yourself at least these three questions:
What am I trying to achieve at this moment?
Why do I want to achieve this?
How am I going to get closer to that goal today?
As long as you can vaguely answer the first one, you know you have a direction. Then, if you can answer the second one you have a driving force. Finally, the third keeps you constantly walking. I promise that this will be easier than trying to come up with a lifelong 500 step plan on how to become the greatest xyz there ever was. By doing this you are also accepting your evolving nature and embracing it, while balancing it with the drive to create and achieve goals. Remember that your path may change at any moment. New opportunities or passions might arise that are in truth more suited to who you are. So don’t be afraid of trusting your gut and going towards what makes your heart beat.
3. Don’t compare yourself
You are bound to find another person on your same path. And maybe they are as old as you, from the same school… maybe they even have your name! But no matter how similar
they are not you.
Don’t feel bad if your timelines don’t add up. Maybe they decided to go faster or maybe they have way more experience under the belt. Whatever the difference might be your uniqueness is what adds value to your persona. In the end the people that will hire you, the people you’ll inspire, or the things you’ll create will only be possible if you are true to yourself, to your passions and aspirations. Therefore, if you find a person similar to you, welcome the exchange of ideas, and be open to seeing their approach to the same path. But by no means feel that there is a “correct way” to accomplish something. Everyone makes their own way according their skill set.
4. Ignore the negativity
Someone will always find fault to what you are doing. This is why it’s important that you are happy and sure with the choices you make. And I cannot stress how important it is that you are the one making those choices. Every choice has its one set of pros and cons that you will have to face once you make it. Being the person behind those decisions you make will make it easier to deal with both, the good and the bad. If you entrust your decisions to others you will most likely spend time blaming them for choosing wrong instead of rising up to the situations that you must face. Therefore, don’t underestimate the importance for being the person behind the choices you make.
I know it’s scary to slow down. Sometimes it feels like adding time only increases our chances of messing up. But you’ll lose countless opportunities by jumping into the next step without appreciating where you are right now. So go out there. Be weird. Try new things. But most importantly,
take time.