If you become what you think, who do you think you are becoming?

The past few weeks have been the busiest, bittersweet, most awesome, weeks I have had in a long time.  All the details still are not completed, but enough that I can now talk about them.  But, before I relate the news...

When I graduated high school, which was the mid-80s (I know I’m breaking a Liz Taylor rule to never reveal your age) it was the idea of becoming a millionaire by the time we were 30 that had everyone my age going into business.  It was the age of the beginning of Donald Trump and movies like The Secret of My Success had us all believing it.  Well, long story short, I didn’t become a millionaire by the time I was 30, nor have I now.  I’m sure if you added up all my annual salaries, I still would be far short of the goal.  However, I did earn an associates degree in business and enjoy a 15-year career in the business world.  Then, my life changed again.

I have always loved history and would gravitate toward anything history related – tours, sites, books, TV, etc. – so when I got tired of the business world I took a long introspection of my life and decided that the best fork in the road to take was to take my love of history and passion for learning to the world of education.  That is exactly what I did and over the past 12-years I have loved every moment in the education world and instilling my passion for learning and history into my students.  I know I have been successful a few times, but only time will tell in the long run. 

Now, back to the past few weeks.  To say the least I have been completely floored and honored by what has been asked of me.  You see, I have a small complex.  A complex that what I do is “just doing my job.”  Others tell me all the time that I’m quite good at what I do and I should take more ownership in that.  That’s easier said than done, because I have many colleagues who I feel are much better at it than I.  However, I had a teacher who told me back in high school that, “If you become what you think, who do you think you are becoming?” and it is that saying that has had me reevaluating myself lately.  If I continue to think myself mediocre, is that what I will become or if I think of myself as quite good, will that what I will become?  Well, what happened to me this week has me finally coming to grips, in a way, with becoming quite good.  In a way I think I have always known I was good at what I do based on the comments of colleagues, professors, and my students, but just didn’t want to believe it.  Well, now I think I should be a little more accepting.  These past few weeks have provided me with a couple of very awesome opportunities.  I have been asked by a great professor, friend, and colleague at the University of Alabama to take over for my mentor, on an interim basis, and teach in the College of Education while they conduct a national search for her replacement (she was promoted to Senior Assistant Dean for the College of Education).   Needless to say it took me a couple of days to let that fully sink in!  Another great opportunity…as a result of accepting the opportunity I have been asked to teach a summer class that will have me traveling with students to Ireland for three weeks.  WOW!  I am completely blown away and looking forward to what these opportunities have lying in state for me. 

“If you become what you think, who do you think you are becoming?”  After much reflection, I think I am becoming a great educator who wants to inspire her students (both secondary and postsecondary) to become life-long learners and to be passionate about their subjects and experiences, all the while keeping a realistic perspective.

Keeping it realistic, have you considered…“If you become what you think, who do you think you are becoming?”