Teighlor Seals

      Dr. Skip Downing, a consultant in student success, says that Creators are people who consistently make the choices that lead to outcomes they desire in life; whereas Victims are people who do not feel that they affect the outcomes they get in life, that other people or outside forces control what happens to them. (Dr. Downing, p. 42)  I believe that Dr. Downing is 100% correct in this instance. Even though it is hard for some people to keep or obtain a Creator mindset, it is imperative in anything we do now.  If we are not able to take responsibility of our own actions how can we achieve anything better than we already have?

 

      Dr. Mirman, a professor at Mount San Antonio College, talks about 2 individuals who take completely different ways of obtaining materials in his blog post. In their college class, they must get a certain book; however when they go to the bookstore to retrieve this certain book they have none left. One student just decides to leave it at that and go back into class unprepared. She didn’t even try going online to see if they could find it or call any bookstores nearby. The student just gave up and did not care. They went back to the professor and saying, “No, I do not have the textbook. I was not able to get it because the bookstore didn’t have any more. They said they ran out. It was their fault, not mine”. Which, in my mind that is no excuse not to have your materials. This student did not want to take ownership of not being prepared. They were taking on the Victim role. However, the second student was thinking more into the situation. After they figured out the bookstore ran out, the student called other college bookstores near to see if they had it, and when that failed, they went online, found the book and ordered it. The student knew that to be prepared they would have to do a little extra work. They did say that the bookstore ran out, but when the professor asked how they got the book the student told them everything they did to get it. The student found a way to succeed and did what they needed to do. The Creator approach was definitely used here. Creators, much like the second student, never lay blame on anyone else but themselves. (Mirman)

 

      As hard as it is to admit, there have been many times where I’ve played the Victim role. I know nobody will really want to admit it, but it’s true. Just about everybody has at least once in their life. In one situation, I had an Anatomy & Physiology test during my senior year. My teacher was talking about it during class and I was talking which was my own mistake, so I did not hear about the test. Well, the next class period when I got into class she said “Alright let’s get ready for the test.” I started freaking out because I had no about it, then one of my classmates told me that she had talked about it last class but since I was talking I didn’t hear it. I told her, she should have told us more than once, wrote it on the board, but something more than just say it once. I told her that it was not fair and everything else I could think of, but it was my own fault. If I had not have been talking I would have heard that there was going to be a test, but I was paying attention. Needless to say, I was unprepared and I tried to blame my teacher for it, saying she didn’t give me enough time to study. In all actuality, if I had just paid attention to her in class like I was supposed to, I would’ve done a lot better on that test than I did. From that moment on I paid attention in class a lot more than I had, I wrote down whatever she said was important. I had to make sure I was prepared because I was determined not to let that happen again. I realized that I spent too much time acting like a Victim and blaming everyone else for my problem, rather than taking ownership and changing my mindset.

 

      For years I have had one best friend who stuck out among all the rest. My best friend Jordan and I have been close since the 7th grade. From the day we talked in gym class we were inseparable. She has been my backbone when I need her, a shoulder to cry on, and she has really shown me how to be strong. She takes control of her own life, even when she just wants to cry it all out. Jordan is the oldest out of 3 kids, however both her younger siblings are autistic. When she would come home from school, she would do whatever she needed to do for them and also try to get her work done at the same time. I could tell at times, she just wanted to give up, but she would constantly pick herself back up every time. Even so, when it came to school she was also one of the strongest people I know. No matter what it was she took ownership of it all, she never ever laid blame on anyone but herself. If she did not have her materials it was always her fault and she did what she had to do. If she failed a quiz or test it was because she had not studied long enough or study hard enough. It never was anyone else’s fault but her own. If there was a way to fix it, she did it. If there was a way to do it better, she did it. That girl never failed to one up her own self. The way she carries herself is one of the things I admire most about her. Even now that she is at James Madison University, Jordan is still the exact same. Always worried about making sure things get done the right way. There are days I only get a few texts back from her because she is always so determined on school, which is absolutely amazing. If something happens and she knows it is her own doing, then she takes ownership of it and finds a way to fix it and move forward. I view my best friend as a Creator because of the person she is and how well she takes control of her life. Jordan is always making the choices to make her life better in any way possible.

 

      Everyone in their life can say that they have played the Victim role at least once. Whether they want to admit it or not, we all have. However, for me to be successful in anything I plan on doing I cannot be that way. I must have a Creator mindset. With that being said, that means I have to be able to take ownership of absolutely anything and be able to recognize when anything is my own doing. No matter if it is something huge or small, if it was caused by me, then I need to take ownership at that instant. Wanting to be a nurse, it is going to take a tremendous amount of work and dedication. That could mean staying up until I get a paper done, or I could have to study instead of going to be with some friends. To achieve my goal career, there is no time where I could even begin to think like a Victim again. Thinking like that will not get me anywhere further in life. I have made good progress so far, and it is only up from here.

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

Downing, Skip.  On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life, 7th ed. Boston: Cengage, 2014.

 

Mirman, David. "Do You Think like a Victim or a Creator?" You Are The Prime Mover. 2 Jan. 2012. 8 Dec. 2014.                                                 <http://youaretheprimemover.com/2012/do-you-think-like-a-victim- or-a-creator>.