Unleash Your Superpower!

Sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it? The idea that we have some hidden abilities within us all that can somehow help us succeed in the face of so many challenges… Well, believe it or not, I believe this to be true and, by the time you’ve finished reading this, I’ll make a believer out of you!

You may be asking yourself why I might be making such a seemingly outrageous claim. Well, allow me to explain… Born and raised in this very City, the youngest of three siblings, the only girl and what people might describe as silly, a dreamer and most definitely the butt of everyone’s jokes and a victim of bullying, I never, ever gave up on those dreams of mine. Fast forward a few years and I found myself living and finishing school in Jamaica, my Dad’s home country – not the pretty, urban part, either! I was a country girl, walking over four miles to and from school every day, washing clothes by hand, cooking, going to market, working part-time and – believe this or not – sheltering from Hurricane Gilbert in 1988… Our house didn’t survive, but we did!

Just over five years after returning to England and aged just 22 I was a mother to three under-fours… Life had given me everything I always wanted – children! So, why did I feel like there was more inside me to offer? Luckily for me, I realised that this was education and so I applied to University – the first in my family to do so – and twelve years later, I had a degree in Business Management. Yes, you read that right – it took me twelve years to complete my studies, learning here and there between working up to four jobs to keep food on the table as a single parent.

You’re now wondering where my superpowers were… Well, they were there, I just wasn’t aware of them. Little by little, though, as I grew older and reflected on my journey through education, I realised just how determined I had been in the face of adversity. Raising children is such a privilege but it comes with challenges, especially when doing it alone… But I believed in my ability to care for these little humans I’d carried; I believed that I was a role model like never before; I understood that I had to be brave and face my fears to realise my full potential; I realised that, if I wanted to achieve something no one else in my family had, then I had to persevere – I had to make it… and I did!

A Master’s degree and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education later and I’m working on my thesis, towards my Professional Doctorate in Education! If you had seen my humble beginnings and my struggle to return to education, you would want evidence of this, but I can assure you, I did it – and so can you.

To convince you of your special abilities, I want to share with you the ABC of unleashing your superpowers, so that you, too, can realise your full potential…

A is for Authenticity – There is no one else in this world like you. You are someone truly unique and that is something very special! When presenting your research for assessments, when attending interviews where there is lots of competition, when working out how to ‘network’ at events, no one else can be you! This is why it is crucial that you stay true to who you are – no apologies, no filters, no fear – the best gift you have to give to the world is exactly who you are.

B is for Bravery – As hard as it feels sometimes (I’ve been there – I didn’t step foot into the Library during my whole undergraduate degree, for fear of the unknown), it’s important to take small steps towards sharing your wonderful, unique self with others. This could be as simple as speaking to someone who’s near to you in class that you haven’t spoken to before; stopping long enough at the canteen counter to ask the Barista how they are; offering a smile to someone in the corridor, or perhaps – and this is a big one – asking a question in class. What’s important is that you realise that the fear of doing something is worse than the doing itself (again, I know this from experience!) So, next time you find yourself feeling a tiny bit braver than yesterday, try one small step towards reaching out to others – you might surprise yourself and, trust me, it gets a little easier every time you take a step.

C is for Compare – Well, actually, don’t compare! Don’t compare yourself to other students in your class! Don’t compare yourself to the happy, laughing students clustered together in the Forum! Don’t compare yourself to anyone – EVER! As a unique being, no one else on this planet has exactly the same background, lived experiences and perspective as you – this simply means that comparing yourself to them is pointless. We can never know everything there is to know about others, so the race that we run should be with ourselves – ask yourself daily what you can improve on today; compete with yourself every time you come to class by offering one more idea to your group or asking one more question than you did last time. By avoiding comparing yourself to others, you’ll find yourself in a happier place, less intent on trying to be someone else and, instead, focusing on YOU!

I hope by now you’ve realised that your superpower is YOU! You are the master of your destiny, so try these tips for being you, being brave and focusing on yourself and remember, we want you to succeed – it’s our job to produce graduates! – so, if you ever find yourself feeling like you might not make it, reach out – we are here for you! Happy studying 

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By Jan Cash, Lecturer in Human Resource Management, University of Wolverhampton Business School