The leadershape retreat
The LeaderShape Retreat
was really an eye-opening experience. While at Camp Higher Ground in Indiana, I
made 58 super close friends, learned a lot about other people, and also learned
a lot about myself. I participated in this experience because I felt like I
could get the perspective and education from this program on leadership that I
haven't been able to in the past, not for lack of trying though. This week-long
experience was unlike anything I've done before and I'm grateful for the doors
that LeaderShape has opened for me. LeaderShape has given me the tools and
motivation to pursue my goals, my main vision, and to be my own type of leader.
My Tomorrow's Headline which reads, "Breakthrough in
Medical Technology Opens Door to Cure Cancer" describes what my vision is,
not just to cure cancer, but to create a disease free world. Additionally, my Breakthrough Blueprint, which details the steps I need to take to
reach my vision or make my Tomorrow's Headline reality, includes stretch goals and manageable goals such as
researching cures for all illnesses, not just cancer, and to get started doing
my own undergraduate research as soon as possible, to get the experience. These
goals surround my core values of respect, knowledge, happiness, peace, and
truth/honesty. This experience has allowed me to expand my thought process as
to what I wish to do with my life, such as research and development, and maybe
even study abroad so that I can take a look at world health. I definitely did
not expect all this going into the retreat. After this experience, I would
define leadership as a process through which someone sets a goal for
themselves, finds other people who share that goal, and then does everything
possible to make those people happy through the accomplishment of everyone's
personal goals and of the group's goals. Leadership is not an individual task,
to be a leader you must have followers, and you won't have followers unless you
look out for other people and treat them right. This is the core of what I
learned on the LeaderShape Retreat and I can't wait to begin applying it to my
life.