My study breaks usually consist of a short Pinterest scroll. Like millions of other people, I use the platform as a quick way to gain inspiration and see tangible examples of my goals. Throughout the year, I have continuously updated my “2024 vision” Pinterest board with motivational photographs of healthy, balanced living, inspiring quotes and life advice. A few weeks ago, I saw a quote that was attributed to All Things Lilly Anne. The aesthetically pleasing, watercolor-like graphic said, “Your direction is more important than your speed!!!”
After pinning this quote to my Pinterest board, I found myself repeating this phrase. As a college student, it can be hard (or almost impossible) to not feel inferior to those around you. Seeing students that have internships with top companies, study abroad opportunities to fascinating locations and time to run wildly successful businesses can create the facade that I am not doing enough and will not have access to equally amazing opportunities.
It is true that I might not have the same experiences or positions listed on my resume as my LinkedIn connections or even that girl in my writing class. However, it is equally true that they do not have the same positions as I do. College is not a competition, but a commitment to growing in oneself and in one’s relationship with the world around them. Therefore, instead of feeling like I am less because my speed may look different than my peers, I have begun focusing on my direction.
My direction can be seen through my daily habits. When I wake up, I listen to podcasts to nurture my curiosity of various subjects. After getting ready, I delve into my coursework, which includes watching lectures, reading textbooks and completing assignments related to my field of study: public relations. In the evening, I have been building my habit of running in order to accomplish my goal of running a 5K this year (and yes, I do have some running inspo on the same Pinterest board as the quote I mentioned). At night, I study for my classes, create social media posts for my role as a public relations consultant for two nonprofits and write articles – such as the one you are reading right now – for the University of Florida’s chapter of Her Campus.
My speed in school may look different than my classmates. I might take a different amount of credit hours than others choose to take, or I might have different opportunities to augment my education. However, I find myself following a similar direction as those I, unfortunately, compare myself to. We both are dedicated to our goals. We both are working hard to fulfill our dreams. We both are learning and embracing change.
The similarities between myself and those around me are not limited to the abstract. The truth is that every college student I know experiences doubt, insecurity and imbalance. The smartest people that I know have admitted that they feel inadequate in their work. Some of the busiest people I know get the minimum amount of sleep possible to maintain their packed schedule to the detriment of their health. Other students, myself included, have neglected relationships in order to score higher on a grade or an exam.
After self-reflection, I realized that my imbalance usually is the result of focusing on speed. If I haven’t finished a reading fast enough, I will forgo a workout in order to complete it. Or, if I feel as though I am behind on my study schedule, I might give up a social outing in order to study. I want to note that, as a college student, sacrifices are sometimes necessary. A day is limited to 24 hours, and despite attempts to milk the minutes for all their worth, postponing a plan or devoting time to an urgent activity can be valuable. However, when I find myself continuously putting myself and others on the backburner for tasks that are not pressing, I know that I am more focused on my speed than my direction. In the long run, this misalignment will cause me to stray further from my goals as I encounter symptoms of burnout, hurt my relationship with those I love and lose motivation for my end goal.
To reflect on if I am prioritizing speed or direction, I developed a few questions to quiz myself on from time to time to refresh my mind and renew my inspiration:
- Where do I want my direction to take me? In other words, what or where do I consider my destination?
- What metaphorical roads (habits) am I taking to get to my destination?
- What are my personal symptoms of prioritizing speed over direction?
- What prompts me to value speed more?
- What are some habit swaps I can make to ensure that my direction takes precedence?
Having timely goals is important. Setting an objective with a timeframe in mind can help motivate you to accomplish your goals. However, dissatisfaction begins to brew when the schedule becomes the focus.
As the semester begins to close, LinkedIn job announcements begin to fill your feed and classmates begin to discuss final grades, focus on your direction. Reflect on what daily habits are guiding you and what habits are discouraging you from this direction. Also, don’t forget to look in your rearview mirror when assessing your direction. Seeing how far you’ve come is as important as seeing where you’re going. After all, your car is equipped with a windshield to show your direction, but it also has three mirrors to show where you’ve come from. Instead of stressing that the number on the (metaphorical) speedometer might be different from the car next to you, focus on the destination plugged into your GPS.