“Tell me about yourself”

Meet someone new. Smile. Hands shaken. Names exchanged. Then comes the question, “Tell me about yourself!”

“I am…uhh…”

I struggled to find an answer. You must be wondering: Isn’t this a very simple question to answer? There got to be something that makes me unique. Right? ….Right?!?

Nope! Wrong!

Going through the cookie cutter education system in Singapore turned me into a regular sized cookie. Perfectly round shaped, with a diameter 2 cm wide, and four chocolate chips added on top. Just the same as all the other 5.4 million perfect cookies.

However, it is unfair to blame the education system for how I turned out. Although relatively rigid, Singapore's education system has its merits and it has been vital to our nation building. But this is another discussion for another time. Today’s focus is on me.

Truthfully, it’s my choices that shaped me. You see, my attention span is similar to that of a goldfish. I jumped from hobby to hobby frequently. For a period I was Roger Federer, then Michael Jackson, and now I am Warren Buffett (Someone’s clearly delusional here).

I couldn't find my identity as there was none. I didn't pursue anything far enough to which I can safely say I'm good at. I’d like to say I loved bowling but getting a score of 100 felt the same as it did in exams. Cliché as it sounds, I was a jack of all trades but master of none.

So for a long period I felt lost without an identity.

And how could I introduce myself as such: “Well, I like sleeping…and playing games…and watching shows”? Certainly I am much more than that! (I know many who answers this way. Maybe we all have been trying too hard to become perfect Singaporean cookies!)

I had plenty of reflection during that period and thought things through properly. I realized that perhaps, I just wanted to seem more interesting. I came to the conclusion that although I may not have done anything noteworthy yet, but realistically speaking, that's perfectly normal. Through all of this pondering , I gained a better understanding of myself, not defined by hobbies or interests.

So let me tell you about myself.

I am a person who lacks confidence, but this liability is also my strength. Because of this, I'm always seeking ways to improve myself, telling myself that I've gotta get better. Gotta keep striving.

I am a person who only feels at ease in my comfort zone, but I'll take every opportunity to throw myself out of it. I am shy, awkward and nervous. I can't talk well, stutter a lot, and mix up my words at times. Still, I make sure I meet new people constantly.

And I am a person who dreams big. To do something that matters. To make a change on my time on this Earth. To be a positive influence to the lives that crosses my path.

To achieve this, I've been reading up on entrepreneurs. Their world is fascinating! The challenges, the opportunities, the potential. It excites me! What they do and accomplish motivates me to read and to learn.

Am I, perhaps, capable enough to take on such path? To start something that matters? I don’t know. But the challenge drives me, and the road won’t be easy, but I know it'll be worth it.