Excerpt from Turning on the Lights: Part II.4.d Goal Focus
Set a goal, and focus on it!
MESA Creator Joel knows the meaning of goal focus. According to Joel, he was a struggling Latino high school student with little direction in his life. Without the proper guidance, he didn’t know how to achieve his goals, plus he lacked the grades and finances to apply to a university. Therefore, he became a first-generation college student at San Diego City College (SDCC) with the goal of transferring to a 4-year university. Attending SDCC was the best decision of his life, because he became a MESA Creator, who was empowered with the learning culture to overcome challenges and achieve his goals. Speaking about his learning culture experience, Joel shared, “The learning culture places an emphasis on personal responsibility, and it is up to each student to learn and apply the culture. But being a MESA Creator truly empowers you to take control of your learning and decide what kind of future you want. The learning culture challenges you to avoid the self‑saboteur mindset and strive to be a Creator. Choosing to be a self‑saboteur only keeps you from achieving your goals, and it hurts your future success. Instead, when faced with a roadblock, Creators dust themselves off, seek ways to solve problems, and always keep fighting for their goals. The Creator mindset motivated me most to be fully committed to my goals and be my very best. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the learning culture, because without it I would not be nearly as prepared for life, as I feel now.”
Joel achieved his goal to transfer to the University of Southern California, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. He achieved his next goal when he began his career as an Aeronautical Engineer in the Aerodynamics Group of the Flight Sciences Division at Northrop Grumman! While working at a major aerospace corporation and building the aircraft and spacecraft of the future has always been Joe’s dream, he recognizes that he couldn’t have realized this dream without the help of the learning culture and his very own Corner Man. His long-term plan is to develop his career at Northrop Grumman and eventually transition to an executive role within corporate leadership. Before becoming a MESA Creator, Joel said he could never have imagined becoming a corporate executive. But the learning culture taught him that nothing is out of reach and it’s up to him to create his own success.
In reflecting on his journey, Joel urged other students to have the courage to walk in the bright light of the learning culture. He stated, “Higher education is best suited for those with passionate interest. You should have a fundamental interest in the subject matter before committing yourself fully to any major. College can be very demanding at times, but if your passion exists from the start, then no level of difficulty will prevent you from reaching your goal. It was not an easy process to earn my degree, but I knew it was what I wanted, and I didn’t rest until I achieved my goal. The learning culture taught me the importance of consistency and discipline to be able to always perform at a high-level, especially as the semester wears on and classes become more demanding. This was the most difficult thing for me to do, but by following the learning culture, I was able to break old habits that were preventing me from realizing my full potential. Engineering requires discipline first and foremost, and it also requires mental toughness and constant practice. Another important factor for achieving your goals is the presence of a strong mentor. I highly recommend seeking advice from someone who has been in your same position. Mentors played a significant role in helping me to realize my goals. My final advice would be to take full advantage of all that the learning culture offers, and enjoy the achievements that will come from it. That’s what Creators do!”
Joel is a Crew Capsule Systems Engineer with Blue Origin. Click here to enjoy Joel’s “origin story” video.