Nicole Bolton '21 | Fairfax, VA
Major | Computer Science
Minor | Applied Mathematics, Entrepreneurship
Throughout my life, I have constantly compared myself to those around me. Common anxieties and self-doubts like: Am I doing the right thing? Am I making the necessary steps to ensure success in the future? Should I be doing more?
What I have seen through LSV is that it is all relative. There is no one track to success because we are all unique individuals with our own definition of what it means to be “successful”. After listening to the guests, I have seen that there is no use in comparing ourselves to those around us because we are all at different stages in our lives. While some of us may know what we want to do, others of us may not know exactly.
So, rather than living in constant comparison it is important for us to recognize our differences and focus time on finding a greater purpose or “why?”. The Lehigh@NasdaqCenter team presented this challenge to us by asking us to find our own “deeper why?”. That is, what is it that motivates us internally. We are all inspired on a deeper level, for me, it is finding inner harmony to love others and myself.
Along with this idea of each of us having our own unique path is the realization that it probably won’t be linear. There will definitely be roadblocks and challenges along the way that we will have to navigate around. It is important for us to realize that it is not the failures that define us, but what we do in the face of them.
I have had a hard time accepting failure. Something I want to continue working on is to not shy away from opportunities because of my fear of failure or rejection. To do this, I think the best thing I can do is focus on the now and set daily, weekly, and yearly goals that push myself out of my own comfort zone.
I am extremely thankful for the anecdotes and life lessons that were presented to us by our speakers. I aspire to continue to discover my own “deeper why?” in order to live a fulfilling and meaningful life.