At freshman orientation at UW, your orientation leader takes your group to Sylvan Grove, a grassy clearing hidden in the heart of campus. Your group is directed to look upon Loyalty, Integrity, Faith, and Efficiency, which are the four massive white columns in the field in front of you. You're told to choose a pillar to devote yourself to during your time at UW, and then given a moment of reflection to choose your pillar. I chose faith, specifically faith in myself, my resilience, and my decisions.
Faith can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. When I say it, I don't really mean "things will work out", I mean "my decisions are trustworthy, and I will make sure that things work out." That is, I strive to cultivate the steadfast belief that the best course of action is the one that my instincts point me to, and even if I am wrong, that I have the competence to re-set my trajectory. This type of self-faith frees you from the paralysis of inaction or the fear of the future, because no decision is irrecoverably wrong if you always have confidence that you can recover. |