Motivation Monday: Be True

Happy Monday, everyone. How was the weekend? Mine was full of homework, cleaning the apartment, and an emergency trip to the Apple Store. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm glad today is Monday and I'll be back in class for the week! There's a first time for everything, right?

Today's Motivation Monday is drawn from one of my favorite literary figures, Shakespeare, and more specifically, my favorite work of his, the tragic play Hamlet. In the first act, Polonius bids his son Laertes goodbye as he prepares to leave for France. Before he leaves, Polonius offers a soliloquy full of wisdom.

The full quote is, "This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." Fun fact: that was my senior quote in my high school yearbook.

It's essentially a fancy, flowery way of saying, "be yourself," but it's some of the best advice to give someone, and to receive. It may sound cliche, but when you relax and be yourself, you remain true to your vision, passion, beliefs and journey.

Right now, my biggest non-school concern is the job search. Reading so many job descriptions and application requirements each day is tiresome and soon enough, it all starts to blur together. Sometimes, I read descriptions and I've got everything the job asks for; more often, though, I've got 3-5 qualities or skills the job asks for, and the rest, I'm either familiar with but have never done, or I'm not familiar with it at all. It's so easy to think, "Oh, well, I don't have that, that, or that, so I shouldn't apply for this position." I can't sell myself short. I know I'm capable of learning new skills, so I shouldn't push it aside just because of a fear of inadequacy. If I sell myself short, I'm not being true to my personality and abilities.

Whether it's the job search, a project at school, or pursuing a new passion or hobby, staying true to yourself is key to being happy and successful in your endeavors.

How do you stay true to yourself? How do you combat selling yourself short? How do you stay focused and motivated?