Laguilles, John Chandler R.

Project # 1 - BMMA104P
B96

Better Version? Best Version!

I went to watch Ms. Taylor Shanklin’s talk not because it was required or mandatory but
to learn something and be equipped with anything that I can use in my everyday life and for my
future as well. As soon as the event started, I listened carefully and tried to absorb everything
that she discussed. She started o with introductions and then said that in the U.S. people
have a work hard, play hard mindset. She explained that it’s not working for her because it
exhausts her. To be honest, I can relate to her because I believe in a "work smart, not hard"
mindset. Why would I mentally, physically, and emotionally exhaust myself too much if there
were better ways to accomplish a task smartly, a way that would save me from burnouts?
Examples of working smart include establishing a timetable each day that prioritizes both
important tasks and mini tasks while still leaving ample time for self-care, leisure, and breaks.
Another example is what Ms. Shanklin talked about after the "work hard, play hard" mantra:
"soaring with our strengths," identifying our strengths and using them to our own advantage,
and having the ability to be resourceful for our weaknesses. For example, Ms. Shanklin said
that for her weaknesses she uses her good relationship skills. I guess what that means for me
is that I will try to learn about them, and if learning doesn’t remedy my weakness then I will for
sure ask for assistance.

There’s actually a lot to learn from Ms. Shanklin’s talk, in which she discussed the equation "P
+ P + P = P." People, process, and product are equal to pro t; this actually makes sense
because having good connections with good people will help us with our struggles or worries,
and they can also help us with our victories and wins. No man is really an island, because no
matter how we solve everything on our own, we still really need help from time to time. Having
a good relationship with anyone will sure make the process go smoothly. With clear and proper
communication and understanding, if not all, some of the problems will be addressed based on
the expected outcome. Productivity and pro t will follow if the two Ps are met. It’s a cycle that
must be followed with patience and care. She discussed next how to build a personal brand
that will showcase authenticity and originality and surely stand out. She explained the three
pillars that will help us make our branding interesting: brand essence, brand message, and
brand identity. I learned that brand essence is what makes you, you! The impression that
people have of you if they see you Getting to know ourselves may vary depending on each
person, but once we explore and get to know ourselves, brand essence is easy to achieve.
Next is the brand message. I guess based on my own perception of it, this is to answer the
why and the what, "why is this the chosen branding" and "what do you want to express/show".
Everyone has a right to freedom, but we still have to explain sometimes so people can
understand. Last is the brand identity; this will be the lasting impression of anyone about the
branding, and this will make anyone remember you.

After the three pillars, Ms. Shanklin also discussed staying focused and on track with the
minimize to maximize mindset. What I learned about it is to take small steps to achieve big
steps, focusing on the small steps in order to analyze and recognize things to do that will help
us prepare and accomplish things when we are on our big steps. Lastly, Ms. Shanklin
discussed what she learned in her journey that will surely bene t us in any aspect of our lives.
She said that multitasking is a lie, and I agree with her because, based on my experience as a
student, multitasking burns me out, and as a result, I didn’t get to nish my tasks. I guess
there’s really a good reason for deadlines so we can plan tasks one by one and focus on them
one by one to accomplish them. Second, be coachable. I nd this very helpful because, as a
student, I still think of myself as a glass half full because there’s so much to learn. Even if the
day comes that I’m working, I still think that there’s a lot to learn. I always say that every day is
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a learning experience. Third is that fear holds us back; it’s a hard pill for me to swallow, but I’m
still learning to not let fear hold me back. Even after the talk, I still have fears, but I guess I’ll
overcome them in time. Fourth, all we need to do is ask. It’s true that it’s easier said than done,
but I learned that asking will really help us if we need something. I guess rejection is the worst-
case scenario, but I think rejection is part of asking. Fifth is that launching is better than
perfect; by launching, I learned that the failures from that launch will eventually pave the way to
perfection. No one really perfects anything on the rst try. Lastly, show up with empathy; we
don’t know what’s going on in anyone’s life. They may be carrying a heavy problem, dealing
with serious stu , etc. Bottomline: Let’s try to be kind to anyone and be empathic with
everyone we meet.

I went to watch Ms. Taylor Shanklin’s talk not because it was required or mandatory but to
learn something and be equipped with anything that I can use in my everyday life and for my
future as well. It’s also good to view the world from a di erent angle or from a di erent
perspective, and by attending the event, I surely got a di erent perspective on how to view the
world and how to understand myself better, oh wait scratch that, how to understand myself in
the best way possible.
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