16A- What's Your Secret Sauce

For this assignment, I was instructed to state what makes me different and original. What my human capital is. I will list what I think my personal characteristics are, and I will list what five of my closest friends and family think as well.

5 Ways I am Unique:

I think there is a lot of ways that I am unique. Everyone is original in their own way. Growing up, my grandmother would always tell me that I was different. I try to be very humble, and I do not like to tell about what I am good at and what makes me unique. But that is the assignment. So here are the ways that I think that I am different and unique:

1.) I work hard. I have always worked harder than most of the people I know. I have worked two jobs since I was sixteen-years-old, and I was the only person in my graduating class who finished their AA degree before graduating high school. 

2.) I am more aware than most. Throughout the years, I have always had an eye for even the little things. I notice things that others may look right past.

3.) I am very self determined! Growing up, my family did not have a whole lot of money, so I had to work hard to be able to get things and do things. I remember one time when my truck was broke down, I did not have the money to fix it. I had to have one of my best friends pick me up and take me to school. To be able to get to work, I would pay my buddy to take me there.  It was very hard for me, but because I am self-determined, I wanted more and knew I could do better. I have always been self motivated to working hard. 

4.) I am extremely competitive and goal oriented. Because of all of the experiences that I have had growing up, I have wanted more and wanted to do better. I have goals about where I want to be one day and what I want to do. Because of my competitiveness and goal orientation, once I have my mind made up, there is not a whole lot that can stop me. 

5.) I am well rounded. I am a smart individual, but I am not the smartest. There is always someone who will be smarter, faster, stronger, or better than you at something. But everything I have ever tried, I have been able to do. Whether it be making new friends, playing baseball, or using my mental knowledge on the quiz bowl team, I have been good at it.

How Others See Me:

I spoke with my grandma, my mom, my dad, and two of my best friends. After we got some sarcasm out of the way, I got some answers that I made me feel good about who I am.

1.) I was unable to record my grandmother's recording because I was speaking with her on the phone. But I was told that I am compassionate. My grandma told me that I am caring and have sympathy for others. She told me that I have a good heart in a bad world and that would take me places. 

2.) https://vocaroo.com/i/s1TaY7qH7St6
Mom told me that I am hard-headed. I asked her how that was a good thing. She told me that I stand firm in what I believe and that I can not be easily persuaded or pressured away from my morals. She told me to always hold onto that. 

3.) https://vocaroo.com/i/s1Jpl8Njqq3q
 Dad told me that I was hard working. He said that I get that from him. He told me that I remind him a lot of himself with my work ethic. He said he knows that I work hard in everything that I do, and he is proud of me for that. He told me that my work ethic would allow me to succeed in anything that I try.

4.) https://vocaroo.com/i/s0Uoga9pY8zr
Zach, one of my best friends that works with me, told me that I am passionate. Him and I butt heads at work a lot, and he told me that I can be a major asshole. He said that is because I am so passionate about my work, and I just want it done right. Which I understand because I can get hot headed when I am trying to work. 

5.) https://vocaroo.com/i/s1ITVlxcb49M
Dogan, my longest best friend, told me that he knows that I am going to be successful. I asked him what one of my best characteristics were, and he told me that it was my people skills. He told me that I can literally walk into a room and make friends with anyone. He told me that my people skills could help me become a politician some day.

Conclusions:

There were definitely some similarities and differences between the way that I viewed myself and the way that others view me. I would like to say that I can agree with the way that others view me, and I am satisfied with the things that they identified me as. I would probably change my list up just a little bit, I really like what Dogan and Zach said about me. They told me that I was a people person and that I am passionate. I agree that I am very passionate with what I engage in. I also like to think that I am a people person able to make friends with any type of person. All in all, I think that this assignment was kind of fun.