The Underdog

Jan 27, 2015
3 min read

"You can do anything you set your mind to..." - wise words from a Mr. Andre Williams.

Have you ever felt like an outcast? Have you ever felt left out, like you don't belong to the environment you live in? Have you ever been the underdog? Andre has. & he knows what it's like to struggle, to not know what to do, to feel like he's not in the right moment, yet KNOWING his moment is out there - he just has to find it.

"I was born with Sickle Cell Anemia. And growing up, I was basically told what I would be able to do and what I couldn't do because of the strain my sickness would put on my body. I missed a majority of elementary school, junior high school, and a portion of high school because I was always in the hospital. Being around nurses, all I ever wanted to do was become a nurse since the age of nine.

Unfortunately, I sucked at math and wasn't much better in science, and everyone told me those were the two most important things; unless I became better in them, I would never be a nurse.

I graduated from the nursing program in my high school and went on get accepted to the nursing program at my college. I took a pharmacology class, which I did terrible in; my test scores were in the 20s and 30s all the time. I began to give up on myself and let the limits everyone put on me take over.

'Well you were never good at math; some things don't change.'

What else could I do? I started thinking.

One day, I went to my class and my professor asked me to step outside because he wanted to speak with me. I will never forget that day. He asked me why I wanted to be a nurse. I didn't tell him why or my history, I just said it was something I always wanted to do. He responded by saying well maybe I should think about doing something else, and walked away..

I stood there thinking wow, where was the encouragement? He just told me I couldn't do it and walked away. I went home that day and dropped the class - not because I was depressed or saddened by his words, but because he lit a fire in me and I knew I would retake that class in the Fall semester and give it 110%. And that's exactly what I did.

I passed every test with a 90 and all my classmates looked at me as if I were some kind of genius, not knowing where I came from, and what it took for me to make that happen.

I graduated nursing school and passed my state boards at the age of 21; I've been a nurse for 2 years now.

Now I know - there isn't anything I can't do if I put my mind to it and give it 110%. That goes for you too."

I know Andre's words hit home with you as they did me. I think just about everyone can relate. We all grow up so worried & focused on the words and opinions of others, letting other people determine our paths.

His story reflects my mission perfectly - your past does not have to determine your future. It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, or how many times you've failed. It only takes one time to succeed, because you succeed every time you take a chance & don't quit.

Perseverance. A word that isn't taught enough. Take it, use it, evolve it.

You can do anything you set your mind to.

- Kay