Holding Onto Identity

Episode 23 of The Young Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast is about staying true to yourself, even in tough situations.

The Young Leaders of Tomorrow features the amazing tales of young entrepreneurs, innovators, and activists who are defying expectations and making a name for themselves. Hosted by Julia Zucchi and Theo Nguyen, this podcast interviews outstanding young people who are changing the game, taking risks, and breaking boundaries. Each episode, we highlight their achievements, the challenges they've faced, and the unconventional paths they've followed to reach their destinations. We'll also share some of our own experiences and insights on crushing school, staying motivated, and changing what you believe is possible. We make tomorrow’s leaders, today’s stories. A new episode comes every 2 weeks.

Our Website: https://www.the-young-leaders-of-tomorrow.com/

Transcript

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Hello and welcome back to the Young Leaders of Tomorrow. Today's episode is about holding on to yourself throughout your journey. Right now, we're high school kids who are still young and figuring out who we really are. Maybe we have no idea, but at least we know what we want and try to be like. The reality of it though is that when we enter adulthood in the workspace, we change drastically. Whether it's out of exhaustion, you gave up, or you were trying to be professional and fit in, you end up losing a part of yourself. Your personality isn't just what makes you popular with your friends, but a core part of who you are. When you get an internship, join a program, or start working, it can feel like you're expected to fit in a mold. You might be surrounded by adults or students who discipline themselves like crazy to get here. But creative young minds are what they actually need. Young people bring new perspectives, energy, and brilliance into the workspace. Who you are has more impact than you think, so don't be afraid to be an outlier and stand out. Sometimes it comes out of nowhere and hits harder than you'd expect. No amount of detailed spreadsheets or pep talks prepared you for coming into a space you clearly don't belong in. Your mistakes feel worse because you're different, so you try to be serious in an attempt to gain respect, but by doing so you lose respect for yourself. When did being corny make you unqualified? When did being boring make you capable? It starts with adapting to the environment and ends with forgetting yourself along the way. I've always been a bit unserious and a little different from my peers, but that never stopped me from getting good grades, starting my own projects, and overall succeeding. That was until I joined the STEM club that was considered pretty nerdy and boring. The majority of the members are guys who have been in engineering and coding programs since they were young. I had no experience, so it was hard to not feel underqualified and dumb every time I asked a question. Everybody else already knew. For the first few months, I suddenly became quiet, unsocial, and way too focused on what set me apart. I remembered coming home and just feeling disappointed in myself. I genuinely thought I was moments away from being kicked off. Eventually, when I improved, I started having some fun. Things only went up from there. It allowed me to make friends and realize we have more in common than I thought. I also got a lot better at our tasks and became one of the people who always stayed late to help out. My only regret is that I didn't realize this sooner. Trying to fit in is a waste of time and all it does is limit your potential. Tips to combat these feelings are to talk to others, come often, and work hard. Making small talk can help you find others like you. It's scary, but it's so worth it. You can find lifelong friends in places you thought you were the only one. Communication makes you feel less alone and is way better than bottling it all up. Next, try to come as often as possible. You'll find yourself becoming a regular part of the room and so will others. Maybe you're underqualified, but it shows you care. Finally, build your skills to back you up. No one likes a person who just goofs around and doesn't do anything. You want it to be that despite the way you are, you are a vital part of the team. So study and practice until you feel that way. Thank you so much to anyone who listened to all of that. Julia and I hope that you find yourself exceeding expectations in these environments and you should definitely join the next episode. We'll see you there.