The hidden potential of a diamond in the rough

I shared a work achievement with my husband recently and he responded, "You've always been a diamond in the rough." He knows that I am not the product of any sort of traditional trajectory. Instead, I'm the product of informal apprenticeships thanks to people who saw something in me and gave me a chance. My dad would tell you that I always had to learn the hard way. But I think that's true of everyone. Don't we all learn from our experiences? Our mistakes?

I just finished reading "Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things" by Adam Grant. He writes in his book, "The test of a diamond in the rough is not whether it shines from the start, but how it responds to heat or pressure."

So many of us face that heat and pressure in our personal lives, and because of that, what we worked to overcome does not show up in the answers to the questions asked on school and job applications. Our grades, awards and academic achievements fail to illustrate what we've done to earn them. One person's C is another person's A. For every privileged student with a private tutor, there's one studying alone during their after-school work break.

I barely graduated high school. I didn't go to graduation because school only served to make me feel bad about myself. My "potential" was something that was spoken about as something I continuously failed to live up to. I stood in the school administration office and watched as the guidance counselor debated with the principal whether or not I actually graduated before they would hand over my diploma.

Suffice it to say, school was not my jam. Except for when it was. I excelled in music. Won state competitions for concert marimba. I was a voracious reader and like Alexander Hamilton, I wrote like I was running out of time. My band director believed in me. As did my English teachers. They saw my hidden potential as I grappled to overcome personal obstacles like losing my mom in a car accident, wearing a hearing aid and having severe plaque psoriasis all while trying to fit in as a teenager. I also had an undiagnosed heart arrhythmia that few believed was real, so I was labeled the hypochondriac.

Then, shortly after high school, I ended up homeless. There was no college experience on the horizon for me.

Through it all, I kept writing, reading and learning. I met people along the way who gave me a chance and the space to make mistakes and learn. My current boss included. Those who took the time to talk to me, understood my passion for writing and my passion for helping others. I never did earn that college degree and at this point I really don't want one. I prefer this method of learning by doing. It has served me well. I've made a living writing and editing.

Grant writes in his book, "When we evaluate people, there's nothing more rewarding than finding a diamond in the rough. Our job isn't to apply the pressure that brings out their brilliance. It's to make sure we don't overlook those who have already faced that pressure and recognize their potential to shine."

I am forever grateful to those who saw more potential in me than any letter grade could reveal and for those who took the time to encourage my learning, mentor my growth and ensure my upward trajectory.