Standing out in a world of 8 billion people is difficult. I’ve found that in a world where we are surrounded by people each day, we find ourselves trying to find inroads to being like one another.
We are all told to embrace our differences, but the application of this idea can at times tend to be less than what we expect. As a wide-eyed freshman entering the atrium of our beloved Tanner Building, I felt that anything was achievable. My grades at the time were perfect and so was my resume or so I thought. But over the course of the last several years this once dystopian idea of my life seems to be a little grayer. But is it gray? Maybe it’s a bit lighter than we expect. As we go through our daily challenges we can find and more importantly enjoy the process of becoming.
George C. Marshal, the author of the Marshal Plan that rebuilt Germany and Japan after the Second World War said, “When a thing is done, it’s done. Don’t look back. Look forward to your next objective.” What’s done is done and I think for each of us we need to realize this incredible idea. As students we are challenged each day. Becoming isn’t about reaching a final, flawless destination—it’s about embracing each step along the way. My grandma always told me; “This too shall pass.” And nothing rings truer. Whether you studied for the exam or proofread the paper, it will be graded. All we can do is be ready for when challenges arise. The exams, the papers, the setbacks, and even the uncertainties—they aren’t detours, they are the journey itself. When we stop fearing imperfection and start appreciating the process, we begin to truly become the individuals we are meant to be.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught that “Patience is the process of perfection.” This profound statement gives us an equation on how we can truly become. By pursuing something higher than us with patience, we can all become more than we expected. In June of 1944, the Great Crusade in Europe was kicked off with the Allied invasion of Normandy. To the surprise of all, little resistance was initially met on Utah Beach. Many troops were surprised by the lack of resistance with the bulk of the German defense being met about 50 miles north at Omaha Beach, and because of this shock the soldiers were very content with hanging out within the safety of the beach. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the son of President Teddy Roosevelt, was the highest ranking general to land with the invasion force that day. Seeing the situation as it was, he took command and directed traffic. Not giving the Germans time to react, Roosevelt moved thousands of US troops inland creating a strategic advantage that helped change the tide of the war for the allies. Roosevelt was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
I would describe his actions as helping others move forward. We all need to keep moving along regardless
of our past. Whether we have someone telling us to go or chose to be more of a self-starter — the process of becoming starts with us.
Just like Roosevelt urged his troops forward, we too must push ourselves beyond our comfort zones. We can’t stay on the shore of what’s safe and familiar—we must keep moving, keep learning, and keep growing. Becoming isn’t about perfection or arriving at some destination; it’s about the process of getting where we know we can one day be. Whether we succeed or stumble, what matters is that we don’t stop. If we embrace the journey with patience and purpose, we will become more than we ever imagined.