I Am/I Want To Become

When I first wrote my “I Am” and “I Want to Become” statements in H200 during my junior year, I was at a point in my academic journey where I had begun to solidify my professional goals but was still refining the path to get there. At the time, I was gaining my first meaningful internship experiences and beginning to see how my classroom learning connected to the real world. I approached my H200 statements with the mindset of a transfer into the honors program who was excited to make the most of the opportunities available. Now, as I prepare to graduate, I can look back on those early intentions and recognize how they’ve shaped my growth into a soon-to-be graduate ready to enter a career in sales and marketing.

Original "I Am" Statement:

"I am someone who values the people I am with to gain knowledge and build experiences, whether they are to build my future career or just for fun. I prioritize excellent communication with myself and others, and think that creativity is an essential component to almost any work I do. What gets me out of bed every morning is my desire to keep succeeding and surpassing previous achievements in my life, while taking failures as valuable life lessons."

Original "I Want To Become" Statement:

I want to become an inspiration to others by leveraging my values and qualities to propel personal and collective growth. I aspire to immerse myself even deeper into collaborative learning environments in the honors program and post graduation, where I will not only absorb insights but also contribute meaningfully. I seek to refine my skills in communication, not only to convey ideas effectively, but also to gain skills in actively listening and empathizing with others' perspectives. By creating a space where diverse viewpoints are not only welcomed but celebrated, I envision fostering an inclusive community where every voice feels heard. Creativity, as I've come to recognize, is not just coming up with cool ideas for projects and other work. I aim to enhance this aspect of myself further, embracing challenges as opportunities to think outside the box and come up with solutions. Through collaborative projects and learning through experience, I would like to push the boundaries of ordinary thinking. As I embark on this journey, I recognize that success is not defined only by achievements but by the resilience that is made through failure. I will not allow any setbacks I get to bring me down, but to learn from them instead. I want to become someone who embraces challenges and succeeds in them. By aligning my future goals with the values and qualities within my 'I am' statement, I am excited to start on this journey, where each step brings me closer to realizing my fullest potential as an honors student and a leader in the making.

New "I Am" Statement:

I am a driven and resilient soon-to-be graduate of the Kelley School of Business who values communication, creativity, and collaboration. My experiences in internships and leadership roles have strengthened my ability to connect with others, adapt to challenges, and deliver results. I approach both my professional and personal life with a mindset of growth, curiosity, and continuous improvement.

New "I Want To Become" Statement:

I want to become a leader in sales and marketing who inspires others through integrity, innovation, and empathy. My goal is to use my skills in communication and problem solving to build meaningful relationships and deliver value to both organizations and communities. I see my career as more than just a way to achieve personal success, but also an opportunity to empower others, create connections, and contribute to the growth of those around me.

I want to become someone who embraces challenges as opportunities for growth, not setbacks. I know there will be obstacles in my career journey, but I believe that my resilience, adaptability, and continuous drive to learn will allow me to overcome them. My experiences in internships, leadership, and the honors program have given me the confidence to step into unfamiliar situations, work with diverse perspectives, and deliver results.

Beyond achieving professional milestones, I want to become someone who makes a positive impact wherever I go. Ultimately, I want my career to reflect not only my ambition but also my values: integrity, collaboration, and creativity. By holding true to these qualities, I want to grow into a professional who inspires trust, motivates others, and leaves a lasting impact on both people and organizations.

Reflection and Thoughts

When I compare the statements I wrote in H200 to my updated ones, I see both continuity and growth. In H200, I emphasized creativity, communication, and resilience, but I wrote those statements from a more abstract perspective. Since then, I’ve gained real world experience through internships, leadership in my fraternity, and honors courses that challenged me to think critically and apply my skills. These experiences have shown me how communication and collaboration translate into results in professional settings.

JOURNEY MAPS

Original Journey Map From H200:

When I first created my journey map in H200, I was still in the early stages of my honors career and much of my story was focused on overcoming personal challenges and setting academic goals. Now, as I approach graduation, my updated journey map reflects not just challenges I have faced, but also the professional, academic, and cultural experiences that have shaped who I am today. This timeline highlights key moments that represent both my growth as a student and my development as a future professional in sales and marketing.

Updated 2025 Journey Map:

Reflection:

Looking back at my original Journey Map, I can see how much of my story at that time was about overcoming obstacles and proving to myself that I could succeed. Moments like my parents’ car accident and my freshman year academic turnaround were defining events that shaped my resilience and mindset. These experiences are still important to who I am, but my new Journey Map reflects how much I have grown beyond those early challenges.

My updated Journey Map is more balanced, highlighting not only personal turning points but also professional achievements and global experiences. Internships with companies like Fenix Pest Control, Keyence, and the Boys & Girls Clubs gave me practical skills, confidence, and career direction. Meanwhile, my study abroad trip to Japan represents how my journey expanded beyond the classroom to include cross-cultural learning and personal growth.

The contrast between my old and new maps shows a shift from focusing on proving myself academically to building a foundation for my future career. What started as a story about resilience has become a story about preparation, growth, and readiness for the next chapter after graduation.

Get in contact with me!

Email: jbaabram@iu.edu

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joeaabram

Phone: 630-457-8720

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