If Something Is Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing Well
Today we interviewed Tracie Potts, Executive Director of the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College. Our conversation was very touching. I believe that each and every one of us got something out of it.
Multiple things she said hit me emotionally and made me think about the decisions I am going to make for my future. My dad always tells me that no matter what you do, as long as you put in the effort you will get where you want to be eventually. Ms. Potts had something similar to say: “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” All my life I’ve heard this idea, but I’ve never felt I have fully committed myself to it. Discipline isn’t something that I can just develop overnight, but is something I need to strive for to achieve what I want. I want to apply this idea to my personal life, not just to achieve what I want but also to have good relationships with the people I really care for. It also got me thinking about what drives me right now, what I value that might be leading me in the wrong direction. Have I really been putting in all my effort into the things I think are worth doing because I consider them valuable? Another thing she said got my attention: “Always keep the personal in the forefront along with your career when making decisions.”Since I don’t have a professional career yet, I have to apply this idea to the decisions that will affect my future. I’ve always had a strong sense of family. I love my family very much, and in the future I want to keep them close no matter what my career is. I understand that, as Ms. Potts said, “You can have it all, but there are trade offs.” With new values and a better understanding of myself I believe I will be able to achieve my goals and live a life that I value and truly want to live.
It’s amazing that I realized all of this before 1:00 PM today: when you really listen to someone who opens up and responds with meaning, you learn more about yourself. A world has opened up that I have never explored. Now I want to explore it.
Finding Your Guiding Light
Today we had the opportunity to interview Tracie Potts, Executive Director of the Eisenhower Institute. Throughout the interview we asked many questions about different topics, ranging from AI and its use in reporting and politics to Ms. Potts’ personal relationship with her faith.
As she spoke, she said so many inspiring things I was overwhelmed with topics I wanted to discuss. However, something that stuck with me the most was when she said, “Find something that you strongly believe in and follow that.” This statement really resonates with me because I know what I want to do in life, but what drives me to do it is always a question. She expanded on this statement and said that when you have something that drives you and guides you it can carry you through your whole life, even when life includes getting accepted or not accepted to college, getting and leaving jobs, and having kids, husbands, friends. Your surroundings are always changing, and the environments you’re in are always evolving. Through the good and the bad your guiding light will always be there not only to drive you but to ground you when times are hard.
Hearing these statements from a very wise woman who has so many views that are so nice to hear, made me feel not only inspired, but they caused me to think. I realize that I need to find my guiding light, which I am going to need to help me decide my next step all through my life. After thanking her for her time and heading back to the hostel, I began thinking about my future, and I realized that the career that I want to pursue is nursing, because at the core of that occupation is caring for others. Selfless service has been a recurring theme of our trip, and after meeting and talking to people this week I have decided, at least for now, that my “thing,” as Ms. Potts called it, is caring for others, which is a form of selfless service. I am so grateful for having the opportunity to talk to Ms. Potts and for being inspired by such wonderful and intelligent women, and I was happy to thank her for her time and wisdom.
Hope for the Future
Today we talked with Tracie Potts of the Eisenhower Institute, who told us multiple times how much hope she has in our generation for the future. She started off by talking about how much of the future is riding on us and how much pressure has been put on us by past generations in the hopes that someone will eventually pick up the ball. Well, the time has come for us to pick up the ball.
Throughout our lives we have seen the world become polarized, often by the media. She stated that since we’ve seen this conflict our whole lives it is natural that we become discouraged and lose hope, and in many cases we have. I often find it difficult to look forward and imagine a future in my lifetime that is significantly different from what we are currently facing in terms of equity, climate, and inclusion.
Several people we have interviewed this week have told us how much hope they have in the future after speaking with us and hearing our concerns. Ms. Potts was no exception, as she repeatedly told us how proud she was of the questions we asked and the topics we raised, which renewed her faith in our generation. I found her response interesting, because most of what I hear from adults is that they think my generation has no work ethic and that we don’t have interests other than our social lives. Perhaps this stigma is applied to teenagers at all times. I have been laughed at before for expressing what I want to do in the future and told “good luck” with an uninspiring smirk. These comments only strengthen my idea that older generations have no faith in us, yet I have heard the complete opposite from adults here in D.C., giving me enough hope to keep trying.
She did recognize the unfair amount of pressure that has been put onto us from older generations, since some people go too far the other way and have too much faith in us and believe we can magically fix everything on our own, which isn’t the case. Ms. Potts said that the best way to create meaningful and lasting change is for us to work together with past generations and gain as much knowledge as possible to learn where the mistakes have come from so we do not make them again.
It’s hard to know where to start to make impactful change, but she reassured us that the most important thing we can do is take pride in our work and do it to the best of our ability: “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing it well.” Whatever we choose to do with our lives, I think the most important aspect is to find something we are passionate about, and to be able to define what meaning means in our lives, whether it be making famous speeches after receiving awards or inspiring one person and giving them the same hope that she has given us today.
You Keep Pushing Anyway
Today, we interviewed Tracie Potts, Executive Director of the Eisenhower Institute. She touched on many things, but the most impactful message she shared was about growth over convenience. I believe growth over convenience is when you pick something hard or not the best or easiest choice, even if it feels uncomfortable in the moment, so you can grow instead of staying stagnant. It’s about focusing on long-term success rather than short-term comfort.
Having real support is not giving people the easiest option. It is about helping them find opportunities that actually help them grow. She explained that true support challenges people instead of lowering expectations for them. She gave multiple examples of this. She had a student who had backup opportunities, but those opportunities did not align with her goals and would not develop her long-term skills. So instead of encouraging the easier option, she pushed the student to pursue something more meaningful for her future. Another example is that she had a student who was having a hard time getting an internship, but instead of seeing it as a failure, she saw it as progress. She said this super-inspirational quote during the interview: “Sometimes the growth path isn’t straightforward, but you keep pushing anyway.” This quote inspired me because it made me realize that growth isn’t about following one set path. There isn’t only one “right” way to succeed. You can take different routes, face setbacks, and still end up somewhere meaningful. It changed how I think about failure and opportunity and made me realize that pushing through challenges is what truly helps people reach their goals.
Overall, this interview made me realize that growth often requires discomfort, but those difficult choices are what lead to real opportunity and success, and that pushing through challenges is what truly helps people reach their goals.
Holding on to Hope
This junior class trip to Washington DC has meant so much to me. As I reflect on the trip and what I have got out of it, I think most about my future and finding my passion. On my last day here, my class and I had the great privilege of interviewing Tracie Potts of the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College. Ms. Potts is filled with more passion to share, teach, and inspire, than I could have ever imagined. She emphasizes not just taking a job because it’s a good one, but rather finding something that will keep you wanting to come back to it. She told us to “hold on to hope,” and she kept returning to the theme of us going into the next phases of our lives, picking career paths, and finding our passions. “Keep your happiness and what matters to you at the forefront.”
As someone who has a lot of passion but isn’t quite sure what to do with it yet, I really have a lot to think about. Maybe one day I won’t be paid well, or maybe I’ll have to move far away, but in any case at least I’ll be doing something I love. As she said, “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” Why waste your time doing something with minimal effort, when you can be the best at it?
Interviewing Ms. Potts was an amazing way to finish this trip for me. As I sit in the airport, waiting to board my flight, I couldn’t be happier. I will forever cherish every moment of this trip and never forget this journey I was so fortunate to take. I will now put more emphasis in my life on holding on to hope while following my passions and dreams.
