What is your secret sauce?
Self-Assesment:
So, what really makes me different? Well, my secret sauce is made up of 5 pure
ingredients – elements of human capital that mix together to create a
one-in-a-million combination. Here’s the
simple yet powerful recipe…
·
The base:
Ambition – I am always up for a challenge, and I love the feeling
of accomplishing amazing things. I set
big goals and go after them (refer to the add-ins to see how I stay motivated in
reaching my aspirations). I also enjoy
staying busy, and I hate being board… thus, I am always coming up with
ambitious new projects and goals!
·
Add ins:
o
Positivity – Overall, I am a very
optimistic person who usually has a smile on her face. I take pride in trying to enjoy every moment,
and whatever I’m striving for, I look for joy in the process. My philosophy is: if you’re going to do
something, you might as well have fun!
Also, I always try to look at the bright side and learn from every
situation. For example, I split the beam
and embarrassed myself on a back flip in front of thousands of gymnastics fans,
but the first thing I said when I finished was, “well, my front tuck was
good!” Overall, I believe positivity is
an important key to success 😊
o
Determination – I am not one to back
down. Coupled with hard work, I keep
pushing until I’m satisfied. It’s rare I
give anything less than 100% effort in everything I do, whether that’s
gymnastics, schoolwork, my food
blog, cleaning the kitchen, barbell squats, giving advice, or painting a
picture.
o
Energy – I’m quite the energetic
girl. Ever since I was a little girl,
I’ve been bouncing off the walls and flipping everywhere. When I focus my energy, I can get a lot of
things done and accomplish big things!
·
The spice:
Uniqueness – a dash of cinnamon, a sprinkle of nutmeg, and a sprinkle of
ginger. Just kidding, but pumpkin spice
season is certainly on my mind! Anyway,
I am not afraid to be myself, and I go after my goals in my own quirky way.
Part 2: Interviews
Note: I spoke with people (who know me best) about my skill
set, but I had them email me specific answers to receive fully fleshed out responses.
#1:
You definitely stand out from the crowd (in a good way). You
always stay true to yourself and your moral values, and you know yourself
so well. You always do what's best for you, instead of giving in to other’s
opinions or ideas. No matter the situation, you can find the positives and let
those drive you. You don't dwell on your mistakes, instead you always have a
strong plan and goal to motivate you for the future! You are so admirable in an
abundance of ways, from the confidence you have to your self-determination. You
are an accountable and honest individual who one can count on for anything
(especially a good hug;)). Additionally, you have a tremendous amount of
passion for what you do, from gymnastics, to education, to being a good person
and friend. If everyone were like you, this world would be a million times
better.
#2:
Technical and creative excellence: Leah strives for
excellence in all areas of her life. In her school, work, and sports Leah
pays attention to every detail, plans ahead, is always ahead of schedule, and
puts every ounce of her energy into what she is doing until it is done right
and to her high standards. Whether it is in a science or technology
assignment, working on a creative photo or creative video, or in her precision
of gymnastics she perfects her assignments and delivers to high
standards. It is rare to see someone so passionate about so many things
that they do, and she is always working ahead of schedule and never
procrastinates.
Teamwork: Not only does Leah strive for her own high
standards but she strives to bring out the best in others. With her
teammates, classmates, and coworkers she always has a relentless positive
attitude, works well with others, and is able to collaborate and never has a
negative attitude.
Deliver results: In any challenge Leah works, trains,
learns what is needed to deliver. In any role (Sports, School, Work) Leah
never quits until the job is done or she has achieved the skill she has set her
mind to.
Positive outlook: Leah remains positive no matter the
challenge and roadblocks and is one of the happiest people I know...always
wearing a smile...and her positive attitude is infectious.
#3:
What makes you different – so, so many things! You are an
extremely unique individual who is beyond fabulous in infinite ways.
Efficient: Your efficiency is off the charts. The
amount of things you get done at any given time blows me away. School work,
artwork, cooking, videos, projects, choreographing, editing music, the list
goes on.
Endless energy: Anyone who knows you will know that
you have an enormous amount of energy that you put to great use each and every
day.
Productive: Again, you are so efficient and make sure
you make the most of every moment.
Super motivated: Not only are you self-motivated, but
you motivate those around you.
Creative: Your artistic talents are incredible and
I’m so glad you share them with your one-of-a-kind cards, artwork, gorgeous
lettering, adorable people drawings, designs, photography, etc. The list goes
on and on.
Inspiring: You are talented and yet so humble. You
always inspire me to do greater things and be a better person. Not to mention,
there are so many young gymnasts back home at your club gym that really idolize
you and your wonderful ways.
Photographer and videographer: You take such
beautiful photos and put together great videos with smooth transitions,
exciting views, and perfect sound effects.
Positive: You are the most positive person I know.
Always look at the bright side and make things better.
Incredibly talented gymnast: Your dedication, hard
work, and talent together make for a truly spectacular athlete. You are a star.
A work ethic that is incomparable: Your go to and
can-do attitude is so extremely admirable and compliments your countless other
qualities.
Dependable: We can always count on you to do what you
say and say what you do. If something needs to get done, you will make sure it
does.
Silly: We can always count on a good laugh with
you and your great sense of humor.
#4:
1. Energetic with a positive attitude and smile
2. Goal oriented and disciplined
3. Organized with her time
4. Creative in many areas
A. Art
B. Creates board games
C. Photography and green screens movies
D. Halloween costumes (bowl of spaghetti, Christmas tree, etc)
2. Goal oriented and disciplined
3. Organized with her time
4. Creative in many areas
A. Art
B. Creates board games
C. Photography and green screens movies
D. Halloween costumes (bowl of spaghetti, Christmas tree, etc)
#5:
The first thing that comes to my mind is Leah’s sparkle.
Very few people in this world possess this quality, Leah was born
with it. Her sparkle shines in everything she does. It shines when
she talks to you, it shines when she walks in a room. It shines when she
performs and it shines in her work.
Time management - I have never met anyone that can manage
time as well as Leah. Throughout high school Leah was in the gym
training 30-36 hours per week. She not only excelled in the gym, she also
took honors classes, managed school, gym, family, and fun hobbies. She
never missed a day of practice. Leah managed it all and did
it beautifully . In fact, she graduated with honors.
Respect & Gratitude - Leah is always respectful to
everyone. She is kind and considerate. She is also someone
that knows the gifts she has been given and shows gratitude to those that
have helped her.
Dependability - When Leah says she is going to do something
she does it. You can always depend on her to follow through
any commitment.
Quick! - Leah is smart. She learns quickly and retains
knowledge.
Positive outlook - Leah can find the positive in
any situation. She looks for the good in people and brings
positivity to those around her.
Constructive criticism - Leah is a gymnast. She has
spent the better part of her life in the gym.
Gymnastics is a sport of
many failures. You fall off the beam and you get back up. Leah is
able to look at mistakes or failures and work hard to make corrections.
Determined & Goal Oriented - I put both of these
together because Leah is very goal driven. She knows how to set
long-term goals and then figure out short term goals to reach them. She
shows great determination in achieving her goals.
3) Reflect:
It makes me so happy that how I would like to be seen is
actually how several people in my life see me.
I am usually a pretty confident person, and that probably came across in
my self-evaluation (hopefully not in a conceited way). I pride myself on
using my best characteristics to my advantage. As for the interviews, they made
me feel great! My interviewees were all people I have spent a lot of
time with throughout my life, so they know me pretty well, perhaps even better
than I know myself. I am choosing to ignore the bias that comes from most of
them loving me very much.
Putting my own evaluation together with my
interviews, my top five special characteristics seem to be: positive, efficient,
dependable, energetic, and creative.
Hi Leah!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you are not a procrastinator and you work ahead! I also try to stay ahead of the game, especially with family coming to visit me in Germany Friday! So, thank you again! It's funny that I found your blog, we both volunteered our first pitches to the class! Your characteristics are great and your interviewees really do know you! If you would like to check out my blog here it is:
https://g8trliz.blogspot.com/2019/10/16a-whats-your-secret-sauce.html
Thanks for sharing your special sauce! :)
V/r,
Elizabeth Fullwood
Hi Leah, I really enjoyed reading your blog post. The two traits that I can relate to from your blog post are determination and ambition. I was slightly scared to ask my friends what they thought about me but when I heard their responses, I was pretty happy. Although your feedback was slightly different than how you described yourself, it still feels nice to have friends describe a "weaker" trait as your stronger trait. Overall I enjoyed reading your blog post very much.
ReplyDeleteLeah,
ReplyDeleteIts nice to hear what those close to you have to say. After, doing this assignment it feels like we know ourselves more than we think. But its not until we have to sit down and reflect on ourselves that we are able to value who we are. Your secret sauce will definitely allow you to excel far in life!
Hey Leah,
ReplyDeleteJust by knowing how early you get your assignments done and the content you post, I already know that you have some determination, ambition, and energy you described in your post. You are always ahead of the game and your post seem to be above and beyond.