Do you believe that we are destined to follow one path or that we can find alternative routes?
It's amazing to see how people are afraid to try something new because of public pressure. We are living in a society where the mentality says there is only a single path, and the people who manage to reach the end of that path are successful. We live in a society where people are questioned or looked at differently if they branch off and try to design their own path. Throughout our lives, we have been told what to do, when to do it, and how it should be done. We have never been taught how to build our own rules, our own system. We are to afraid to challenge society because we don’t want to be excluded.
Taking the Innovation Academy has taught me that it is possible to build an alternative path than the one you are given. Yes, you will undergo failure, have plenty of obstacles, and will require twice the effort, but there is a way to create a different path and be successful.
There is no question that when we began the IA we had many peers from outside challenging our decision. "Why would you have joined the IA? Aren't you afraid of being rejected from college?" our peers asked.
Building a path from scratch taught me much more than following the one that was already built. I learned, more than ever, the importance of comfort in learning. If you are not feeling happy doing what you're doing, then you have all the right to speak up. Being the first cohort to do the IA gave me room to explore who I am, and where I want to go. The road was bumpy, and the direction sometimes unclear, but we were able to pivot constantly. We left aside projects we didn’t see as valuable, we changed our grading system, and found more time so that we could explore our passions. There are many great takeaways I took from building my own path, and I’ve summarized my findings into these two lessons: adaptability and finding the why.
Taking the Innovation Academy has taught me that it is possible to build an alternative path than the one you are given. Yes, you will undergo failure, have plenty of obstacles, and will require twice the effort, but there is a way to create a different path and be successful.
There is no question that when we began the IA we had many peers from outside challenging our decision. "Why would you have joined the IA? Aren't you afraid of being rejected from college?" our peers asked.
Building a path from scratch taught me much more than following the one that was already built. I learned, more than ever, the importance of comfort in learning. If you are not feeling happy doing what you're doing, then you have all the right to speak up. Being the first cohort to do the IA gave me room to explore who I am, and where I want to go. The road was bumpy, and the direction sometimes unclear, but we were able to pivot constantly. We left aside projects we didn’t see as valuable, we changed our grading system, and found more time so that we could explore our passions. There are many great takeaways I took from building my own path, and I’ve summarized my findings into these two lessons: adaptability and finding the why.
On my first day in the IA, I remember being worried that wouldn't see my friends enough because I was in a different program. Right off the bat, I started with the wrong foot. If I was planning on getting the most out of the experience, I should've been more focused. After loads of experience, I learned that one of the many beauties of the IA, is what you learn, not only in business, finance, etc, but outside. Additionally, you learn how to collaborate with people you’ve never spoken with. You learn how to build up contacts, you learn the importance of sacrifice for a better learning, and most importantly, you learn to be adaptable.
Now, this final lesson is definitely the hardest for all of us here. It’s quite simple, but very deep. I would like to reference Mark Manson's article “7 strange questions that help you find your life purpose." He gives a load of amazing questions for you to ask yourself if you have purpose in what you're doing, if you're doing something that you love and find value in. One of my favorite questions is “What’s your favorite flavor of sh*& sandwich and does it come with an olive?” So, what would it be? What type of sh&% sandwich would you eat? This is because school does not teach you this, nor will your parents. But everything sucks at least some of the time. You might be doing what you love, constantly, but there are always obstacles and roadblocks and challenges--maybe waking up early, or having to deal with traffic after leaving the office. Something, always. But your sandwich must be something that makes it worth going through all that trouble, something that if you take a bite of your sandwich (please don’t), you’ll forget about the problems and focus on what is most important, your passion.
Now, this final lesson is definitely the hardest for all of us here. It’s quite simple, but very deep. I would like to reference Mark Manson's article “7 strange questions that help you find your life purpose." He gives a load of amazing questions for you to ask yourself if you have purpose in what you're doing, if you're doing something that you love and find value in. One of my favorite questions is “What’s your favorite flavor of sh*& sandwich and does it come with an olive?” So, what would it be? What type of sh&% sandwich would you eat? This is because school does not teach you this, nor will your parents. But everything sucks at least some of the time. You might be doing what you love, constantly, but there are always obstacles and roadblocks and challenges--maybe waking up early, or having to deal with traffic after leaving the office. Something, always. But your sandwich must be something that makes it worth going through all that trouble, something that if you take a bite of your sandwich (please don’t), you’ll forget about the problems and focus on what is most important, your passion.
In the two years of Innovation Academy, I have grown. I don’t want to bore you with how, yet I do want to tell you that I’ve been happy. I’ve been happy to take this program because there has not been a day when I didn’t smile in class. For me, The IA is not just a program, it is a something that changed my life. I am most grateful for the help of Corey, Auggie, Giss, Bue, PB, DD, Babi, Special K, F, Stangl, Gonchi and HineZ, you guys made these two years golden, and I was glad the our goal was not about what university we'd be accepted to but to learn what matters to us.
It has been the best, and I will miss you guys.
And as always, thanks for reading.
It has been the best, and I will miss you guys.
And as always, thanks for reading.