“So, Liam, what’s your why?”
"I want to make the people in my life proud and I feel as though I have done a pretty good job of that. I believe that is a part of my “why.”"
— Liam Shaw
I came up with a feeble answer, something along the lines of how I wanted to make my family and friends proud, as they are the people who put me in the position to be where I am today. This answer, while true, was only something that I came up with off the top of my head.
I spent the rest of my first year and the following summer asking myself the question, “What is my why?”
Coming from abroad, finding the purpose of your life is not something that is openly spoken about. For all of my life, I feel as though things have fallen into place, almost as if God had put me in situations in order for me to discover certain things about myself.
I know now that this is what people consider their “calling” and what they are called to do, which is something that gives me a lot of comfort. However, when the idea is presented as finding a “why” or a “purpose,” it can suddenly feel like a scary and often daunting task.
I know things that I want to do with my life. What I said that day during that team meeting with my coach is true, I want to make the people in my life proud and I feel as though I have done a pretty good job of that. I believe that is a part of my “why.”
As I was tackling this potent question, I found myself questioning parts of my own identity. There were times during the first semester where I didn’t even know who I was anymore. I felt like I was not at home in my own skin, which at times was really scary. I had really felt like I had lost myself.
After my first year of college, I did a lot of reflection and note taking on the thoughts that were recurring whenever I spent time on the topic.
The two words that kept reappearing were legacy and mentorship. I have always believed in legacy, which is why I strive to be the best version of myself in any task I put my mind to be it sports, school or friendships.
“I want to make the people in my life proud, and I feel as though I have done a pretty good job of that. I believe that is a part of my ‘why.'”
Mentorship is very important to me. I believe I have been quite lucky with the opportunities that I have been given so far and I want to be able to pass down the things that I am passionate about to the next generation. My family has always believed in giving back to the community that made you into the person that you are today.
To embody this belief, when I go back home each summer I volunteer at track and field meets and summer camps, as track and field has given me so many amazing opportunities. This was eye-opening to me as for the first time in a while, I felt like I was home.
Despite the fact that I feel like I am home in my own skin again, I still some days have my doubts and moments where I feel lost. American naturalist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau said, “Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.”
There are times in life where you will be lost, not knowing where to go. This is when I have learned the most about myself.
Another word that has come up consistently throughout my notes is patience. My mom always used to tell me to stop wishing my life away.
I always used to roll my eyes at this but now that I look back at this, I know that being patient and following the old adage of trusting the process is the most important thing when finding your why in life.
My first year of college has taught me a lot, both in the classroom and about myself. The most important thing it has taught me is to be content with where you are at.
You will never fully have this life thing figured out, so just enjoy it and be happy with what you have when you have it, the rest will take care of itself.
