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Jamie Sheriff: "Motivation is contagious."
Jamie Sheriff is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Advertising, with a minor in Marketing. Jamie was an active member of the Delta Zeta sorority at USI. For three years, Jamie has served as the Development Manager for the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation, where she has completed her job with passion, integrity, and creativity. Staying motivated to keep up with the increasing demands in her personal and professional life, is a key component of Jamie’s success.
Why is motivation an important topic for college women?
JS: College is where I learned how to be motivated; between classes, papers, studying, sorority, work, going to the gym and having a social life I had to learn how to balance my time. Going to college and being on my own was a lot of fun but it showed me, quickly, how to be responsible. My motivation was proving to myself that I could do it: I could go to class, do my homework, make good grades enjoy my social time, and gain a sense of accomplishment. What I learned in my four years in college only helped me to be the successful business woman that I am today.
What are you motivated by?
JS: I am motivated by many things but mainly the way accomplishing a goal makes me feel! I enjoy accomplishing goals that I set for myself and then evaluating how I accomplished them and reflecting on what I can do to improve the process the next time around. Everything in life is a learning experience, knowing that you cannot change the way things have been in the past but learning from them and knowing that you can do anything you want to in the future is truly empowering. I am the motivated person I am today because of my morals, beliefs, my family, my life experiences and knowing who I want to become.
What are the biggest challenges you face regarding motivation?
JS: Motivation is not something that comes naturally (or easily) for everyone. For me, it took time and some stressful experiences to figure out how to balance my time. Time management is the key to motivation. Being organized, making lists and recognizing priorities have become second nature to me and have helped in my professional life as well as my personal life.
What advice would you give to college women about staying motivated and motivating others?
JS: If, during college, you can learn how to be motivated in all aspects of your life than I feel confident that you will be set for what’s to come in your future. Learn from your mistakes and take those with you the next time something needs to be done. College is a great place to practice motivation; juggling school, bills, extracurricular activities, work, and a social life can be pretty overwhelming. If you are willing to take on the challenge now and ask for help if you need it, your future success is only a step away. Also, motivation is contagious! Set goals with your friends, share suggestions or ideas and listen to what others have to say. Surrounding yourself with positive influences or people you look up to will only help make motivation a simple, daily life task.
Where did you learn your most valuable lessons on leadership?
JS:I look at leadership in two different ways; to be a leader does not always mean you have to be front and center or taking control of situations, but it also means having the ability to guide, direct or influence people. For some, remaining low key and offering advice or help to a friend is being a leader. For others, like me, offering enthusiasm, trust, confidence, motivation, thoughts and encouragement, is another form of being a leader. Neither way is right or wrong or more or less helpful; however they are both types of leaders. Sorority taught me a lot about being a leader; the type of leader I want to be and the type of leader I want to be lead by. It was an important lesson to learn and really helped me after I graduated and was looking for a job and a boss. During my years in sorority I held many offices, for two years I was on the Executive Board. Learning how to motivate, excite and encourage my sisters took a positive attitude and a lot of creativity. Accepting the role of a chapter leader can be overwhelming because of the responsibility that comes with it but remaining unbiased and sticking to your morals and beliefs will assist you in being a successful chapter leader who is respected by your sisters and by others.
What is the biggest challenge you face as a woman professional?
JS: First, let me start off by saying that we (as women) are fortunate that we live in a world where there are women professionals. Over the course of time women have really proven themselves in the professional world and have paved a wonderful path for all of us. As a woman professional, I find that I have two main challenges that I struggle with daily; patience and my emotions. Most men would not list these as their top challenges as a professional but I feel comfortable sharing this with you, so if these are challenges you face, you know that you are not alone. Since college, I have uncovered many things about myself and have learned how to somewhat control these challenges. These are things I know I will have to deal with for the rest of my life but knowing the best way to deal with them is something that has come over time. The professional world is exciting and filled with many challenges, successes and responsibilities; however all of these are made easier if you can learn to become and stay motivated!