16A –What’s Your Secret Sauce?

1.    Five ways in which I have human capital

1.    Perseverant 

                                               I.     I, sometimes to a fault, never give up or give in. No matter the obstacle, I attempt to find a solution until all options prove fruitless.

2.    Polymathic

                                               I.     Though I would not say that I am a polymath in the way that Galileo or da Vinci were, I have an extremely wide-range of knowledge in many subjects. Additionally, I am able to pick up knowledge in a subject very quickly.

3.    Narcissistic 

                                               I.     Don’t get me wrong, narcissism, especially in large doses, can be an awful quality. It’s actually one that I often despise in other people. However, I think the amount of narcissism that I possess actually helps me. I tend to not care about the negative opinions of others, which helps me to push-forward in tasks. At the end of the day, in my mind, the most important person to please is myself. Because of this, I am not likely to buckle under peer-pressure, and it also makes me incredibly assured in myself and my work.

4.    Sport-centric

                                               I.     It can be difficult for me to put this down into words, but to keep it short, many of my skills of much of my knowledge is focused around my adoration for all things sport related.

5.    Tenacious

                                               I.     I am never afraid to take command of any situation. I trust myself and my own skills to a degree that makes me unafraid of failure, as I do not expect to find it. This lack of fear compels me to lead in an undeterred way that best creates opportunities for success.

2.    Interviews

1.    Emma

Emma is my older sister who is currently a preschool teacher. In my interview with her, she said that she thinks my creativity and communication skills are my greatest human capitals. She also referenced my work ethic as another positive. She also referenced her assessment of her students in her ability to assess my skills and abilities.

2.    J.R.

J.R. is my older brother who currently works in politics. J.R. is the person who knows me the best. He said that my knowledge of sports and its details is what sets me apart. He also focused on my aspirations as another point of reference. Finally, he stated that my wit and memory additionally set me apart.

3.    Ben

Ben is one of my roommates. He stated my intelligence, my thoughtfulness, and my analytical side are the three major points that set me apart.

4.    Michael

Michael is my other roommate. Michael stated that I am good at looking at scenarios from other peoples' points of view.

5.    David

David is one of my best friends whom I have known since elementary school. David said that my boldness and my vision is what sets me apart in his eyes. Additionally, he felt that my passion for what I am pursuing helps to differentiate me.

3. Reflection

I think other people see me as much more knowledgeable than I see myself. Though I do think of myself as smart, I do tend to have a bit of an inferiority complex that keeps me from acknowledging how intelligent I am. Additionally, several people spoke about the analytical part of my mind, including my memory, in what helps make me stand out. While I think I see myself in a positive light, it is notable that many of my “traits” that I listed came with caveats. On the other hand, those closest to me hold me in a higher regard. Others see me as much “better” than I see myself. I think this is because I often doubt my own abilities. However, I think my interviewees are more correct in their assessment than I am. I think they are able to see me without all the bias that clouds my own judgement of myself. Looking back at my list, I don’t know if I would make any substantial changes. I might add a couple points, or expand in a few different areas, but I would not alter the list. The biggest change that I would make would be to remove some of the negative implications that I included in my write-up of my own traits.