Monday #1 - Low Expectations

-

Hello World (as well as any and all Extraterrestrials or AI programs).

Welcome to one Monday at a time! I'm so excited to share my personal journey of figuring out the corporate world with you. I started this blog because I am taking a personal branding course at URI. This class is especially challenging, but not for the reasons you might think. Instead of long study hours or difficult material, this course has required me to take a step back from academics and evaluate who I am and who I want to be. To say the least, being asked to figure that out at 21 is a really challenging task. I know a lot about myself and my interests, but I don't really know who I am at my core. Am I an introvert? Extrovert? Why do I get along with the friends that I do and fake smiles with those I don't? Do I even want a job that has to do with my degree? Why do I always feel like whatever I do, I am not doing enough?

This is where low expectations come in.

Throughout this course, I want to provide a concrete definition of who I am, while leaving room in the "want to be" category to build upon the layers I've constructed as part of my identity. I've boiled down my low expectations to the "4 D's of my ID" to represent the cornerstones of my professional career. 

1. Drive. I believe that drive and motivation are the reasons why I should do what I do.

2. Design. I believe that design and creativity are the reasons why I should love what I do.

3. Diversity. I believe that without diversity of thought, I could not be unique in what I do.

4. Delivery. I believe that in all delivery of communication, others should be at the forefront of what I do.

The way in which I live these values will continue to change and shift as time goes on, but I think they allow a certain level of flexibility that allows me to continue in constructing my identity. Maybe in a couple years (or next week) I will look back and decide that the 4 D's of my ID have changed, or maybe I prioritize different things at a certain point of my career. Overall, I would hope that they provide the foundation on which I can begin to build my identity. Again, I'm super excited to start this journey! Thank you to anyone who is following along with me as I attempt to figure out my 21-year-old self. Until the next one...

one Monday at a time,

Ethan

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Monday #7 - New Beginnings

-
Hello all, It's been a while! Welcome back to one Monday at a time! I took the month of December off, as I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with exams and my internship. I am very excited to say that I have successfully completed my studies, earning Bachelor of Arts in both Public Relations and Communications Studies, with a focus in Public Communication and Persuasion. I walked on December 16, 2023, and was joined by my parents and many wonderful friends. I am going to walk again in the Spring (and hosting a party, which all of you are invited to, of course), but I wanted to walk in December because I've realized the importance of closing doors in order to start new beginnings.  Covid was rough. It was rough for everyone. I didn't have a "normal" graduation, and instead of walking across the stage with my friends and family cheering, we had a masked-up, drive-in graduation. It was as special as an apocalyptic graduation could be, but as I crossed the stage and made ...
Read more

Monday #6 - Foresight

-
Hello All, Welcome back to one Monday at a time! I am wrapping up the semester this week, and it's been a bit of chaotic with all the final presentations, exams, and papers I've had to write. I'm taking mostly 400 level courses this semester, and the workload has been nothing short of exhausting. I'm hoping to finish out the semester strong, though, and I can't wait to graduate next Saturday! Since I'm at a closing chapter of this stage in my life, I want to talk about planning for the future, and mention some of the actions that I've taken to sort out my next steps for life. I have so much to plan in the next couple months, like where I'm going to live, where I'm going to work, and where I want to go to grad school. Having foresight is such an important part of staying on track and developing plans for the future, as well as ensuring that you don't fall behind. It's a skill that's hard to develop, as it can get clouded by anxiety and los...
Read more