You ever underestimate yourself?
I know I did back in college.
And it almost resulted in me dropping out.
I had just transferred from community college and admitted into engineering school, and I immediately struggled. University was nothing like community college. A few weeks into the quarter and I had flunked all 3 of my exams. I was so devastated. My confidence level was at an all time low. I started to believe that I wasn't smart enough to get through engineering school. I considered quitting and thought about what I would tell my parents when I did. I started to underestimate myself.
Fast forward a few years, and although I've transitioned to a career in media now, I graduated with an engineering degree from a top 10 engineering program in the nation with a 3.4 GPA. And to top it off, I was the youngest in my class!
I'm not telling you this to boast or brag.
I'm telling you this because I once underestimated my abilities and it almost resulted in me giving up on my goals. If I had given up on my goals, I wouldn't be where I'm today because I'm a strong believer in that everything in life happens for a reason and everything happens FOR you, not TO you.
Anyway, if you're reading this and you're thinking that only young adults struggle with this, think again.
I recently sat down with Rushing CEO - Rae Anne Rushing to talk about how one can live their best life in spite of their circumstances.
A quick back story, Rae Anne got through unimaginable personal struggles growing up, including overcoming homelessness while being a teen mom. She now runs a thriving engineering firm that she co-founded with her ex-husband (they are still business partners!).
With all the success Rae Anne has achieved thus far, she still feels she is one of the most underestimated people she knows. In our conversation, she shared a story about a time during her sophomore year in college, when the dean of mechanical engineering told her there would be no way she would be able to do engineering, and to not waste her time applying!
As you can imagine, she got very angry.
But she didn't let that get to her. She used it as fuel and thought, "I'm gonna show them!"
If she would have given up on her goals, she wouldn't have seen the success she has today.
In fact, one advice she has for listeners is this:
You have much more capacity than you know. And if you're in a situation, it's because you can do it! Because the universe somehow knows and wouldn't put you in a situation you can't overcome.
"It might feel overwhelming, but that's all part of it. If you're not going to live through anything and avoid that kind of challenge, you're never going to get some legs under you!"
Embrace the challenges life throws at you and never underestimate your abilities.
Thank you for the great advice Rae Anne!