My work philosophy is derived from daily experiences,
both past and present, as well as from my personal and future goals. I’ve
developed this philosophy based on the individuals around me- family, friends,
and peers- as well as on my education, work experience, volunteer activities,
and personal activities and interests.
I
highly value the concept of self-discipline. We’ll begin with an example. My parents sparked
my interest in basketball at the age of 5; I immediately fell in love with the
sport and continued to play throughout high school. Summer camps, pre-season
conditioning, weekend tournaments, and seemingly endless hours of practice
consumed much of my adolescent career, but I loved it. One of my very first
coaches preached the concept of mastering the “fundamentals.” At the time, my
teammates and I rolled our eyes at the thought of another seemingly trivial
dribbling or shooting drill, but practice and repetition proved to be key in
our success. Hours in the gym and very little free time is not ideal for many
kids/teenagers, but these experiences have shaped and continue to influence my daily
work ethic in terms of self-discipline.
Persistence
and Patience are key. As always in life, obstacles in my basketball career arose here
and there. From the all-too-familiar sprained ankles and stubbed fingers to two
torn ACLs and three knee surgeries, I learned the value of persistence. Sitting
out of the sport I loved was unbearable, as were endless hours of physical therapy;
these situations forced me to practice a fair amount of patience. However, the
“worst of times” are perfect tests of one’s level of the two aforesaid
qualities. I learned that all you can do in these situations is work your way
back up- take the time to heal and work hard in physical therapy- and you will
eventually attain the level of skill you once possessed.
You
reap what you sow. My high school basketball coach was full of cheesy, motivational
sayings, but one in particular caught my attention one night after a terribly humiliating
loss. “You won’t be happy with any achievement in life unless you’ve busted
your butt during the process.” I took this to heart and strive to apply it in daily
activities.
As in the field of Nutrition, learning and
perfecting the fundamentals is key. You can’t skip “practices” or slack in
“drills” and expect to excel; repetition and practice are essential in becoming
a successful professional. Obstacles are unavoidable- we may not always get the
grades we want on exams or the job positions we apply for- but my philosophy is
always to accept the challenge and work my way up to a level of excellence. As
a Registered Dietitian, it will be important to be a team player and lead my
“team” towards success. Working well with others is another quality I’ve
acquired and continue to practice daily, with countless group projects as
proof. My peers would agree that I am flexible, open to opinion, and provide
useful insight on various tasks.
Overall, my work ethic highlights the
qualities of persistence, patience, hard work, and people skills. These are the
things I strive for daily, and I try to surround myself with others who do the
same.