"You can be anything you want to be"

When I think back on my childhood, one statement my mom said plays over and over again in my head; “You can be anything you want to be, Angela.” I have just eight simple words, 33 letters, to thank for the person I am today. I remember my mom saying these words every time my interest changed, learned about a new career, or watched a television show that inspired me. My career choices have changed, fluctuated and ranged from wanting to be first lady president which might I add is still not out of reach, a teacher, to a child clinical psychologist in hopes of opening my own practice. I never realized the impact that my family has played in my career aspirations until this class.   

Education was imperative in my house. My father and mother both attended a four-year university graduating with honors and receiving degrees in computer science. They both went on to receive their MBA’s and still to this day purse education throughout various conferences and courses. I always knew that I would be the same someday.Even as a child my mom had a plan for me and reminded me of it often.  I was going to graduate from high school, graduate from college, attend higher education, find a job, get married, and start a family.  I never questioned the plan, because I knew it was the plan I needed to get where I wanted to go. I am fortunate enough to say that my parents have been excellent prototypes for my career and my life.   Throughout my life, my parents have stressed the value of education, hard work, but most of all dreams.

In my house, failure was an option.  I know those words sound bizarre after I just told you the importance education played in my household. I was told that you should take risk and with any risk failure was a possibility.  But, you can learn from failure.  If you do not even try, you definitely cannot succeed.  I was also reminded of the consequences of EVERY choice I made. This belief is what stands out to me compared to that of my peers. It is also the framework in which we built our unique parent-child relationship. My parents did not scare me away from failure or my dreams even when they seemed impossible.  

My parents may not have been able to influence me to be fascinated by the inside workings of a computer or the stock market, as hard as they tried, but they did influence my career aspirations. They inspired me to reach for my dreams and not be scared when I fail.  They still remind as life becomes crazy and school gets harder, “You can be anything you want to be, Angela.”