Taking on the World: Pushing through failures and imposter syndrome
Failure. A word that has the power to consume us with negativity, angst and fear. Today, a bad grade on a test, rejections from colleges, or a job interview gone wrong, seem like the end of the world. I’ve personally seen people having mental breakdowns over a bad test grade, and predicting their entire future from that ONE test.
Failure comes in many different forms including failure in school, in a relationship, or in other extra-curricular activities. Yes, failure sucks, but no matter how important that one physics test or soccer game was, it does not in any way define you, your self worth or your future. How you overcome it, and work on yourself is what defines the person you are and ultimately defines your career/future. Bombing that math midterm is not the end of your story. It is instead the beginning of a wonderful one, filled with ups and downs.
Women in STEM fields face a lot of hardships and failures. Even though we live in the 21st century, the most diverse and modern century thus far, there is still a huge underrepresentation of women in technology and other STEM related fields. The huge gender gap between men and women in these fields, is the reason why so many women face and go through imposter syndrome. The main symptoms of the imposter syndrome are feeling insecure, anxious and like you do not belong. The technology world is still a man’s world, which causes women to feel insecure and anxious. Although women are just as capable as men, the lack of confidence and sense of belonging is the reason that the gender gap between men and women, sadly still exists.
Girls often face sexism at a very young age. Society has made girls feel inferior to men in many different ways. Whether not being included to play basketball or video games with a group of boys, girls at one point of their life where they have been treated unfairly. Not being included to play basketball or video games with a group of boys has now become girls being treated as minorities in fields of science, math, engineering and technology. It is a high time to close the gender gap between men and women, and take the world back from being under male domination. Enduring pain from failures, staying positive and confident is what will ultimately make the man’s world a woman’s world. The tears will change into smiles. The feelings of insecurity and inferiority will change into feelings of confidence. The failure will turn into success.
