What's My Secret Sauce?

One of the things that I had mentioned in my halfway reflection for this course was the idea that I feel I have improved in my own self-reflection. For a majority of my life,  I didn't really spend a lot of time really getting to know myself. As odd as that sounds, when it came time in a situation like an interview, I truly didn't know what my strengths and weaknesses are, and I hadn't reflected on how my experiences make me unique. This is something I feel I have improved on, and look to continue improving. For this particular post, I will highlight five traits/characteristics/experiences about myself that make me unique and gives me an edge.

• To start, I believe I have a knack for building relationships. No matter the situation or the person, I love to get to know people on a personal level, and connect with them. In my experiences, whether it be sports, school, or work, I have found that this strength of mine creates positive environments for teamwork, collaboration, and trust. 
• Another core strength of mine that I really pride myself over, is my dedication. Give me any task, and I am going to treat it meaningfully and with purpose. When my mind is put to something I am going to do it to the best of my ability, and won't be able to sleep at night if I know I did something at half-speed. 
• Next, I want to mention how I feel my experiences give me a unique edge over others. In just my short 20 years of life, I have had a variety of different work positions, ranging from working in a kitchen at a fast food restaurant, to customer service, to leadership, to logistics. I have made it a point to take something valuable away from each experience I have, and knowing how I can apply them in my current and future positions. 
• I also want to touch on the emotional part of myself and how I feel it makes me unique. I am a passionate person. This relates to my dedication, but there are many situations where I find myself truly passionate about something I am involved in, and it reflects in the work I do, and the relationships I create. I believe this is a trait that can rub off on others and positively affect a group or team environment. 
• Finally, I believe my competitive nature is a strength that can be utilized. I do not like to finish last. Heck, I don't even like to finish second. If there is something that I can do better than the person next to me, I am going to do what I can to make that happen. This stems from a lifetime of competing in team sports. It is the foundation of my childhood and has carried over with me into adulthood. 

https://youtu.be/doAamC6GVIE (Courtney's Recording)

This recording is from my sister Courtney. She is someone who has seen me at my best and most definitely at my worst, and in many different situations. Being just one year apart in age, and spending our whole lives together, I really value her opinion. 

https://youtu.be/Vne6Ttm9UCc (Dad's Recording) 

This recording is from my dad Mark. As you can tell, he has a lot of very kind things to say about me. I have to say, a lot of those traits come from him and have been instilled by both of my parents. He is a realist and very level-headed.

https://youtu.be/ycfk7xK-vVI (Lily's Recording) 

This recording is from my girlfriend Lily. She has been with me for about the last three years and has definitely seen me progress personally and professionally. I also think a lot of her endearing qualities have rubbed off on me since we have spent so much time together. 

https://youtu.be/KwNZslS69AA (Siana's Recording)

This recording is from my stepmom Siana. She is the one who I think has the most unbiased opinion of me, given that she came into my life at the beginning of my teenage years, and with kind of a fresh start. She has always been honest and I respect her opinion.

https://youtu.be/KwNZslS69AA (Mom's Recording)

This recording is from my mom Janet. She has always been my biggest critic and my biggest supporter. Her opinion means a lot to me and she has seen me develop throughout my whole life. 

After taking some time to reflect on the way I see myself, and hearing from those closest to me on how they see me, it was definitely an eye-opening experience. My friends and family said things to and about me that I would have never expected, things that I would not have described about myself. I also think the original list of reflections that I made is pretty accurate. For the most part I feel as if I assessed myself the way others see me, and it was reinforced with the words of those closest to me. I also was able to identify through this assignment, things I can work on as well. I know there are different qualities that a successful entrepreneur have, that I just don't quite possess. This was a great learning experience.