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A story about dealing with imposter syndrome in university and feeling overwhelmed by capitalism's definition of success. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"95afbb3b-e9bb-44a0-9f6b-e95f172257c7"},"title":"To be Average is the New Failure by Sarah Walker"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

When I entered university as a first-year student, I was confident about my ability to be successful. After all, I entered university as a student with tons of volunteer experience, extracurriculars, and marks in the 90-100 range. However, I quickly started to doubt myself, and I experienced imposter syndrome as I realized that everyone else around me was just as good, if not better, than me. I had to adapt how I saw myself and realize that I had spent my whole life describing myself in terms like smart and successful that I wasn\u2019t even sure I deserved anymore if I ever did. <\/p>\n\n

This inadequacy was exacerbated by the stress occurring in my job market as the need for teaching jobs was constantly declining. I felt like to get a permanent teaching job, especially as I plan to work in a smaller school board, I had to be the best even to have a chance. I saw so many highly qualified teachers not being able to land permanent positions even when they had years of experience in the classroom and beyond to add to their resumes. <\/p>\n\n

What I wouldn\u2019t connect until later is that this is a familiar feeling for students based on the way that our society is structured. Our society is based on capitalism, which assigns value to people based on their productivity and success, which they measure in monetary value. As students, we are trying to climb the chain to be in jobs that have societal value and be rewarded with high economic value, or at the very least, is stable. To get the opportunities for those jobs, we have to be working constantly and productive to have access to opportunities that will hopefully lead to more opportunities. Since these opportunities are so few and far between, we are continually working because the minute we take a break, someone else is working through theirs and getting ahead of us. No matter how much we try and dress up this productivity-driven culture with cute labels like \u201cgirlboss\u201d or \u201chustle culture,\u201d the fact remains that this desire to be the best is unsustainable. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"5f1537a5-9634-4b06-8996-33276c8c5f3b"},"title":"The Wicked Problem"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

As much as I may want to live a hermit life away from society to get away from capitalistic expectations, that is ultimately not feasible, nor do I think that is the solution. To be successful in this society is to redefine what success looks like for you, even if it goes against society\u2019s version of success. After all, is it a successful life if you are so burned out from what it took to get there that you cannot enjoy either the journey or the result? <\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s not easy, and I still struggle with this idea of resting when I could be working. Something that helps when I feel guilty about resting when I could be doing something more productive is reminding myself that caring for myself, whether through self-maintenance or self-care, is key to keeping myself effective in the future. I know the boundaries of my abilities, and I know that I need to respect them. As much as I may want to push myself past my boundaries in the pursuit of success, I know that the journey to success is a marathon, not a sprint. I still struggle with the idea that I am not doing enough, that I am not enough. I try to take a deep breath, honour that feeling, and let it go. <\/p>\n\n

As well, I try to remember that not everything has to be about my career or money. Sometimes I decline volunteer opportunities that could give me connections for my career because I know that between school and my job, I do not have the extra time and energy to do that commitment and do it as well as I would like to. I don\u2019t always say no because if it is something I feel passionately about or think it would be good to take advantage of this opportunity, I rearrange my schedule. The most important way to navigate hustle culture without burning out or not being engaged enough is to develop your critical thinking skills. By developing my critical thinking process, I have decided what opportunities are important to me and my purpose and which ones I should let go of.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"a81ba2f3-5fb2-4349-bebf-bf2fae962491"},"title":"Finding a Solution"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

What I am proposing is hard, and it is work that never ends. If there is one thing that you take away from this, it is okay to take breaks and turn down opportunities because they are not worth burning out for. I know that life is hard and that you are constantly afraid of not finding a place for yourself in this world, but there is a place for you. It is more important to have your physical and mental health than to lose it chasing a never entirely achievable success. <\/p>\n\n

I know that you may feel bad about yourself sometimes. It goes against every fibre of your being to rest when the rest of the world tells you to grind because somewhere, someone is becoming better than you. I want you to know that better, and best are words that do not define you. You are worth more than comparing yourself to someone else when you are both unique people facing different challenges. <\/p>\n\n

I also want you to know that I am not proposing that you not try. If you feel passionate about something and want to pursue your dream, then do not let anyone or anything stand in your way. I just want you to have compassion for yourself no matter what that journey looks like, or how long it takes you or even if the end goal looks different than you imagined when you began. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"e4f8deec-2cd6-436c-983d-1cc6cc0fbb70"},"title":"Final Thoughts"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

Walker, S. (2021, October 26). To be Average is the New Failure<\/em>. Liberated Learners. <\/span>https:\/\/wicked.liberatedlearner.ca\/learner\/to-be-average-is-the-new-failure\/<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"f29124d3-af82-4743-a0e9-138694c9b261"},"title":"APA Reference"}],"hTag":"h2"}

To be Average is the New Failure

Liam Peart