Progress vs. Perfection

Perfection is a concept that often stops people from moving forward in life, they procrastinate on action until ‘the time is right’ but there is never a perfect time to get started. Perfectionism is paralysing to some, it can be hard to build momentum if you stagnate waiting for what you perceive are the right conditions, and you will always encounter negativity or people dissuading you from pursuing your own path; sometimes beyond convention. Remember, people filter the world through their own lens, one that may be rooted in self-loathing, or inadequacy, and it is not your job to convince them of your worth and competence. From changing careers to pursuing higher education, perhaps a year abroad as part of your course seems like a tempting prospect but you’ve heard countless reservations from family or friends to the contrary. You need to operate under the mindset of ‘progress over perfection’, forward action creates value in your life and you can build on this momentum ongoing to achieve your goals. The path may not be steady, it may be full of setbacks, but the difference between success and failure is the enduring will to never concede to failure.

“Success in life does not necessarily originate with academic success” – Robert Sternberg

My brother is proof of this, as a neurodivergent, he was told throughout his academic life that he would never meet the next milestone from SATs to GCSE to A levels, yet he did so and scored well, sufficiently so that he was able to embark on a degree; which many said was foolhardy as he would never finish. Today, he is a successful graduate in Editing and Postproduction studies, has worked freelance designing content trailers, designing logos, and as runner up, was even recognised for his work as part of a challenge run by the influential British group the Sidemen to advertise their range of apparel! Not bad for a neurodivergent who was told by the world he would never succeed, eh? If he had listened to those naysayers, he would never have realised his full potential, nor had the courage to explore opportunities to get his name out there to be a success in his own right.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream! – C. S. Lewis

As a mature student, I have experienced similar negativity. I had previously been working successfully as a hair stylist and intending to train as Trichologist to make the move from salon to hair loss clinic. Most Trichologists have a medical background so I took a long hard look at my life, chose between medical disciplines and decided I wanted to become a biomedical scientist (BMS)! Not just to bolster my Trichological pursuits, but to afford me the flexibility in my career should I want to pursue medicine in the future or hone my skills and work in a laboratory. Many told me it was unrealistic, that I wasn’t cut out for higher education, at 29 I had an uphill mountain to climb, due to my age, my A levels were no longer valid and was told I needed to embark on an Access to Higher Education (AHE) diploma to prove my competence for higher education.

I wrote down the steps I needed to become a BMS:

1. Access to Higher Education
2. Search and apply for Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) accredited courses via UCAS – and get accepted by Essex!
3. Year 1
4. Year 2
5. Placement year (complete the IBMS portfolio and pass verification)
6. Final year
7. Register with the Health and Care Profession Council as a BMS

That’s only 7 things right? Not so scary when you think of it like that.

I chose the Distance Learning Centre (DLC) for my AHE diploma due to the flexibility to learn remotely during covid times, and worked exceptionally hard to learn biology, chemistry, physics, and technical scientific writing skills, achieving distinctions in all modules and earning a Certificate of Outstanding Achievement from the DLC which meant featuring on their website!

“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise” – Oscar Wilde

University hasn’t been easy for me, doing so well with my Access course meant I started out with a delusional view of how university would be for me and how I perceived my capacity to learn at pace at each level, I struggled to adjust to being ‘back at school’, the formation of traditional cliques left me feeling isolated and felt like the odd one out as one of the oldest students in the room.

In fact, I nearly intermitted and was close to throwing in the towel altogether after the first term, but with the unwavering support of Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity Service who assigned me a dedicated wellbeing adviser, and meeting 1:1 with my lecturers for targeted support to discuss problem areas, I not only found the courage to keep going, I went from strength to strength honing my academic prowess along the way by signing up to the numerous Skills sessions available through CareerHub. As someone who struggles with maths, an essential skill for any budding scientist, I sought out targeted support to improve my competence, and scheduled my time like a normal 40 hour work week, I had the privilege of not needing to work during this time so for those who need to work part-time, try and schedule your study time of 20 hours to encompass lectures, skills sessions, careers support and independent study. Keeping to realistic 40 hours (work and study combined) you will reduce the risk of burnout which would be counterproductive to your efforts to succeed – as the saying goes, work smarter, not harder!

“Success comes from curiosity, concentration, perseverance, and self-criticism” – Albert Einstein

In my quest to progress term on term, year on year, I performed a personal S.W.O.T. analysis to identify my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, there is no greater enemy than your own ego, you need to be able to handle criticism from yourself, but most importantly, from others; it isn’t meant to be enjoyable, but you never grow from within the confines of your comfort zone.

If you need help getting started, the careers service provided 1:1 support and you can book a session through CareerHub. I went from almost intermitting to being recognised on the Dean’s list for academic excellence last year, this is a goal I had in mind but never expected I could achieve; proving that success will come if you work hard enough.

“However painful or difficult something is, I now know to look for a lesson in it, And the quicker I commit to the lesson, the quicker the difficult things seem to disappear” – Candice Brathwaite.

As a fan of Candice Brathwaite, a critically acclaimed author and Sunday Times Bestseller, blogger, journalist, podcaster, public speaker and presenter, I have followed her journey to success through the practice of manifestation.

Manifestation is something we should practice daily to bring our dreams to fruition, this can be changing our mindset to be one of positivity, belief in yourself, envisioning what your future will look like once you achieve your goals, this could be graduating full stop or perhaps achieving the Dean’s list? getting a first-class degree? Do you aspire to complete post-graduate education? Or are you inclined to start your own business harnessing the transferrable skills attained through your journey in academia?

The concept of manifestation is more than just wishful thinking and meditation, you need to action the steps needed to get where you aspire to be using manifestation as a modern self-help strategy to realise your full potential.

Have you tried manifesting? Perhaps hit a stumbling block or two along the way? Congratulations for choosing the path of growth! Candice is no stranger to this, but her resilience has inspired me and millions of others worldwide to keep going. University can be the most rewarding, transformative experience if you proactively utilise every resource Essex provides. Everyone is capable of success if given access, training and support which is why Essex have a vast array of services dedicated to providing equity of opportunity.

“Nothing will work unless you do” – Maya Angelou

Although a degree improves your chances of employment and securing a salary above minimum wage, the reality is, employers are no longer impressed by that alone and will look at your collective experiences and transferrable skills outside of education to determine your worth. Don’t be complacent, believe it or not even first-class honours students struggle to secure employment post-grad!

Employability modules are designed to equip students with the basics for securing a job, they are not designed to cater to every niche specialism, which is what our dedicated Careers team are here for!

Want 1:1 support but your personal tutor or lecturer are either unavailable or you require additional guidance with your CV, job applications, how to navigate test centres and interviews? Book in a 1:1 Via CareerHub.

Want to improve your academic prowess? Register your attendance for the many Skills Cafés made available throughout the academic year, you can book your spot on CareerHub.

Want work experience, but don’t have the time to dedicate to an internship? The SU provide flexible opportunities to students to work around their studies.

Enrol as a student rep, not only will you gain a breadth of experience for your CV, but your training will equip you with impressive skills to bolster your CV and job applications. You can also earn significant points toward the Big Essex Award which will be included in your degree transcript. And remember: Points mean prizes this year!

You can also apply to be a Faculty Convenor, a title I hold proudly for Science and Health, and attend meetings with the supreme members of the institution to ensure students are represented at every level of decision making to support student engagement, development and experience based on feedback from surveys conducted throughout the academic year; most notably, the NSS.

Want to start your own business but don’t know where to start? I intend to pursue my former dream of working as a Trichologist and open my own consultancy post-grad. After attending a networking event hosted by the Essex Startups team at the Innovation Centre near the Essex Business School, I expanded my LinkedIn network and started my journey with the team to make my former dream a reality. With my degree in Biomedical Science and registration with the HCPC soon to be under my belt, and my own experience with hair loss to speak upon to connect with my audience, I am well on my way to establishing myself as a credible voice of wisdom in the industry!

Start with small steps today to build the foundation for your success tomorrow, and remember, success is earned though progress not perfection