It’s hot outside, it’s summer time, and you are trying to cool off. You’re a child, so these moments are extremely memorable to you. You decide to head to your neighborhood pool. Before you can even make it through the iron gates, your friends are waiting, only to grab you and throw you head first into the deep end. The first thing you do is flail and panic. You are unsure how you are going to get to the edge. Laughter begins to fill your head and the water seems to be covering your view more and more.
Somehow though, you manage to be okay. You brace yourself on the edge and take some much needed deep breaths and then you realize that people are checking on you to make sure you are doing okay. The fear starts to subside and you can relax enough to enjoy the rest of your time.
In a lot of ways, this feels like Mod 1 for a lot of people. This will not be the same feeling that everyone goes through, but if you find yourself in this category, don’t worry. This is nothing short of a normal feeling. The amount of preparation that goes into preparing for a fast paced learning environment like this is daunting in its own right. The important thing to remember is the step you took. You decided to throw yourself into the deep end for a number of reasons. It will not be like your everyday that you are use to. What this is though, is an opportunity on many different levels. The main one being the opportunity to allow yourself to feel uncomfortable. The faster you become comfortable with being uncomfortable, the faster you will find that edge and take those deep breaths.
This is a huge step for a lot of people. The dedication and expectations that is put forth can create quite a bit of pressure and unwanted stress. It’s important to know that this is more than likely different than what you have been doing before. The overall structure of it just rings a different tone as well. This environment will have you understand things and think about things in an entirely different way, and it will all be driven by your desire to keep learning. There will be times where you struggle so much that doubt is the only thing that fills your head. The biggest counter to this is talking. Talk these feelings out with your team, your instructors/coaches, and even the people close to you in your life. When you are able to be vulnerable out loud and own it, that is one of the strongest things you can do. It allows others around you to embrace the vulnerability and open up too. It will surprise you how many other people feel the exact same way you do. When you are trying to find that edge from the deep end, any amount of satisfaction and validation will help you get to that edge a little quicker.
It’s easy to become so frazzled that you forget to do basic things, like breathe! Take moments through out the day to realign yourself with what matters. Take breaks often so you aren’t staring at the same error, stuck in the same mindset when trying to fix it. Make sure to keep a regular eating schedule and drink plenty of water! Time spent resting and not overloading yourself is often an overlooked one as well. I spent a majority of my time in my Mod 1 frantic. I felt anxious and on pins and needles most of the time. I spent countless nights studying, just trying to feel like I am caught up to others. Which leads me to my last major point.
It’s human nature to want to compare ourselves to others. Whether that be based on looks, qualities, work ethic, success, etc. The fact is, everyone here is wanting you to succeed just as much as they want to succeed. Comparing yourself to someone else’s grasp on the material is a sure way to psyche yourself out when it comes to retaining it for yourself. Know that everyone learns at a different pace, and that what they may be doing might not be the best way for you to approach it. However, noticing that someone is grasping the material easier than you and reaching out to them for help is a great way to not only make sure you are understanding things, but to create a connection with that person and allow that person to further their understanding by helping you understand it.
So take your experience and embrace it! You took that step and you’re already in the thick of it. Rise above anything clouding your thoughts and be comfortable with being uncomfortable. In the matter of a week, you will have learned enough to look back and feel proud of what you went through to obtain that knowledge. The next week will build upon that feeling and so on and so forth all the way into your career. Such as life, your career will be filled with many moments of reflection and gratification for the time you dedicated and the sheer willpower it took to conquer your own worries. Putting forth all your efforts will only show the amount of growth you can achieve. From there you can achieve more.
Sources: www.giphy.com
