Reflections on Failing, Pivoting, and Figuring It All Out

I think the most ironic thing about being a teenager is being in the vulnerable position of needing to know and figuring things out. When I originally thought about my teenage years as a kid, I thought it'd be like how it was portrayed in the movies with parties, friends, shopping trips, rebellion, and a plethora of unforgettable moments. However, throughout these past couple of years within my teenage experience I've discovered that these components were not only highly fabricated and poorly executed, but most importantly: a lie. As a teenager, I think it's important to explore the layers of this awkward developmental stage in our lives to not only understand what's going on but also how to navigate it.

It's Okay Not to Be Further Along

There's this weird thing about the formative years that produce these waves of superiority and inferiority. One second you feel like you're on top of the world and that maybe everything might be alright. Those moments of "Maybe that test I failed didn't matter so much" and "Maybe it's not so bad that me and this person aren't friends anymore." I feel like many people, especially in books and movies, try to highlight the fickleness of the in-between years by suggesting a lack of knowledge, awareness, and understanding of one's actions. However, nobody talks about the complementary guilt of these small (yet humbling) moments in which you feel as though you should be further along. Like wishing you didn't avoid studying to stay up late on the phone with your friend or wondering if you could've made a better (and harder) effort at trying to fix broken friendships.

Well I'm here to tell you that it's okay not to be further along or as where you think you should be in your teenage years from friendships to life after highschool. Coming from someone who used to eat their lunch with English teachers to avoid loneliness at lunch tables, I think it's important to recognize that everyone is different in every stage of their lives, including this one specifically. "This is just a small part of your life" is a generic yet accurate depiction of these defining parts of life that help you navigate, understand, and persevere through these embarrassing, clumsy, uncertain parts of life.

Don't Care About What Others Think

Biologically speaking, the human mind is going to think and formulate its own thoughts and opinions by default. Because of this, I think it's important to not care what others have to say about you. Others from kids to adults, big and small, short and tall, whatever and whoever. Not caring about what others have to say about you is a generic theme highlighted in thousands of movies and books from Junie B Jones to Mean Girls. But it's definitely true!

Throughout my whole entire life as a black girl, I've (and many other black girls) have been classified as "white-washed" because I speak properly and use full sentences in intelligent conversational speech. While it was a canon event in my life, it also equipped me with the early attribute of being unapologetic. Being unapologetic about yourself is one of the best attributes you can have. Not only does it compliment early confidence but comfort within your human.

Think of fashion as an analogy. Many fashion designers we see have had to dress "differently" or "weird" for a really long time in order for people to see their vision. The same goes with humans. Being a teenager is truly the art of having to go through uncomfortable stages to find and navigate who you are and who you want to be. Whether it's something small like wearing those funky new shoes with the neon top to something big like deciding whether or not to start that new personal project that reflects your person, everything you do is a learning experience that should be embraced.

We need those differences and traces of authenticity to keep things interesting.

Change Your Mind and Start Over as Many Times as You'd Like

You don't have to stick to something just because you've invested a lot of your time and resources into it. A big issue within teenagehood that has really been instilled in a lot of individuals between the ages of 13-18 is the idea that you have to have your mind made up about what you'd like to do in the future and while it's a considerable thought, it's not necessarily true.

When I was in 8th grade I wanted to be a computer science programmer so I decided that I'd take the first Computer Science Class in High School. I failed my certification three times and it turned out I was absolutely garbage at coding. Not only did I suck at it, I hated it. And while I felt a lot of guilt about it in terms of not following through with the hasty choice I made, it opened doors for me to find my niche into the things that I love such as business, writing, public speaking, and leadership.

Don't be afraid to start over and place yourself in new environments that you'd feel you'd benefit and learn from to work towards becoming the person you want to be; and this goes for all aspects of life. You can change your career, your personality, your maturity, your willingness, your drive. All of those things are developed. All of these things are prone to variability and change. Most importantly, it's natural to grow out of certain hobbies, interests, and overall anything that you once felt strongly about. Goals, dreams, and objectives change and it's important to embrace that change and apply what you've learned in your life.

The First Business Plan

As cliche as all of these prompts may sound, it's important to realize and acknowledge that we all start somewhere and with that start somewhere we end somewhere. In between those two moments there's a very important developmental in between that gives us the necessary tools and equipment to end up where we are in the end. Whether it's starting a business, creating a prototype, or trying new things, put forward your very best effort and passion into everything that you do.

In the words of Edgar Allan Poe "Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears." So while the journey of life, and especially adolescence may be fickle, all of what goes into it weaves something beautiful in the end that's different for everyone.

Continue to figure yourself out by any means necessary, rebuild, revise, and edit whatever parts you need to create the most authentic and honorable version of yourself that you can be. While Entrevamp focuses on the creation of young entrepreneurs and innovation, we also focus on the development of confident and impactful teens.

So keep learning, keep experimenting, and keep innovating in anything you do…yourself included.