Peter H.
Featuring Peter Harris
If you’re reading this, you are far from average
Four years ago, if you had asked me to describe myself in one word, I would have said average. For most of my life, that is how I saw myself, not especially good, not especially bad, just somewhere in the middle. Part of that came from my lack of confidence and my tendency to compare myself to others. I did not think there was anything about me that truly stood out, and for a while, I was comfortable with that. That mindset stayed with me for as long as I can remember, but when I got to college, it began to change.
Because I had always seen myself as ordinary, I often downplayed the accomplishments that should have been worth celebrating. I rarely felt like I was truly good enough for anything, and no matter how many times I proved that belief wrong or how hard I worked, the thought never fully left my mind. The idea that I was not the best choice often held me back and caused me to miss opportunities I genuinely wanted. Even when others saw potential in me, it was difficult to believe them because my own voice was always louder.
I had to learn how to stop comparing myself to others and start appreciating my accomplishments for what they were instead of measuring them against someone else’s. My time at SMU has helped with that more than I ever could have imagined because it has shown me that I am the only version of myself, and there is no one else exactly like me. The people I have met on this campus and the leaders I have looked up to over the past three and a half years have all been completely different. Seeing that there is no single way a person has to look, act, or think to hold a certain position helped instill in me the confidence I needed to recognize that I have done some really great things, and that those things deserve to be celebrated.
Once I began to grow in confidence and embrace my individuality, thinking of myself as average became a thing of the past. I was no longer afraid to push myself outside of my comfort zone, and I became more willing to embrace the qualities that make me who I am. I came to realize that the mindset of being average only came from comparing myself to my peers. On the surface, we may seem similar, but in reality, we are far too different to measure against one another.
It is important to be your own biggest cheerleader. Even when you experience the smallest wins, you should allow yourself to feel proud and celebrate them. If the thought that you are average or ordinary has ever crossed your mind, I urge you to remember that you are the only version of yourself there is. You are one of one.
Southern Methodist University, Peter Harris
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