After receiving her PERSIST award (see here), Shirvin decided to take the opportunity to share her tips for success.

By: Shirvin Lee

1. Embrace letdowns.

There are many perspectives that come with “failure,” but what differentiates between someone who can pick himself or herself up and someone who will continue to crash is how he or she sees and embraces failure. To me, whenever things spiral downwards or it’s hard to get back on my feet, I take those as learning opportunities. I see letdowns as the glass that’s half full and an opportunity to think about all the different things you are able to learn from falling down.

2. Acknowledge sadness and pain, but move forward with a smile.

This phrase has been around ever since I could remember and I stand by it. Let me start off by saying that it’s completely normal and fine to feel sad – but knowing when to stop is another story. We all have our ups and downs, but staying in our downs will not help us get anywhere. We can sit and feel sorry for ourselves and garner some kind of pity from our peers, but that doesn’t help us solve a situation or help us move forward. The next time you feel sad, see the positive in the situation and figure out what you can do to make things work.

3. That extra hour makes the biggest difference.

This can relate to many things – studying, work, exercise etc… But in this context, it means sacrificing that extra hour to be there for someone can go a long way. You never know if someone needs a friend or someone to be on their side. Spending that extra hour to visit them or listen to them can make the biggest difference ever.

4. Three minutes rule.

The “three minutes rule” is something I learned when I joined this Rover Crew. I always found that I had so many little things piled up, whether it entails reading and replying to emails, returning a message or call, submitting a quiz, or doing chores. If you have something that can be done in three minutes or less, do it. You will save so much time and stress from remembering all these small tasks that need to be completed.

5. Dive with caution. Be aware of the deep zone.

Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Challenge yourself with something that you’ve always been afraid to do. However, be careful with what you agree to take on and know what’s expected of you. A challenge is a challenge, but you want to try your best to succeed and learn from it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help either. You’re never in it alone.

6. Don’t be afraid to speak up – but do so with integrity.

Our Rover program provides us with an environment to speak up and voice our opinions. It’s great to let your thoughts out and to provide suggestions and feedback. However, ask yourself if what you’re about to say is going to be beneficial and something you would be proud of saying. Being humble and selfless is not an easy feat – but it’s something to strive for every day. Mean what you say and say what you mean.