The MBA that wasn't

Ashley looked and acted like all of the other MBA interns in town for the summer.  Professional, intelligent, and confident is how she came across.  She was rather unassuming until my first glimpse to her personality.  It was from an offhand comment she made about Guns N' Roses being before her time that clued me in.  She was actually ten years my junior and much different than my first impression suggested.

Her youth and spirit are at the forefront of her persona.  She recently finished her undergraduate studies and is at a point in her life where she finally feels that she can change the world for the better.  The responsibility to put a roof over her head tempers some of that ambition, leaving only a spark.  As such, she has a full time career and is very successful in terms of performance and potential.  She works hard to overcome a natural tendency to shy away from people and situations.  She is not completely closed off.  Rather, she resembles a secret Star Wars fan hiding the excitement and wonder of her true goals from those she works with.

She uses her environment to her advantage, blending in when she wants, and standing out when she is comfortable.  Her desk is a mosaic of her true personality.  Uncluttered with a few figurines and sayings on cards reveal her thoughts and goals.  Her friends are also extensions of her own thoughts, unique and what some would consider eccentric.  They characterize aspects of her hidden personality that she would express if she weren't as shy as she is.  She is always looking for ways to express personality traits without doing so explicitly.  Modest jewelry and accessories allow small glimpses to those that know what to look for.  Her music plays a big role in how she interacts with others and is one area that she is comfortable being herself in conversation.

In public, she is quiet and unnoticeable.  She likes the ability to interact with whom she chooses and would rather not be ambushed into conversation with a stranger.  Her dress is somewhat understated, with slight hints of expression like a colorful scarf or a t-shirt with a bold message under a mostly zipped up hoodie.  Again, she tries to control how much of her true self the world sees.

She isn't guarded in the traditional sense.  In fact, she is pleasant, polite, and unassuming in her interactions with others.  Coworkers and supervisors are thrilled with her performance.  She is mature for her age and able to handle complex tasks with confidence.  As happy as they are, they probably encourage her to be more outgoing at work.  Her friends see the true depth of her personality and are rewarded  with all the insight and ideas she has when she is free to express them.  Her friendship is hard earned and reserved only for the deserving few to whom she is fiercely loyal.

At the heart of her social circle is her family.  Her family has the most influence in her life and probably worked hard from modest means to get her set up for success.  Her drive and ambition in the workplace stem from a strong work ethic inherited from her parents.  Unfortunately, this also keeps her from pursuing her passion because she feels that she can't "waste" their sacrifice.

She fears the loss of her conviction, above all.  With so many cynics around her, she worries that she will become like so many that have given up on their goals.  She gets frustrated by others that do not share her passion for making positive change and will move something from the trash bin to the appropriate recycle bin if someone carelessly discards an item.  She will never openly confront anyone about her opinions, but hopes that her example influences others.

Her primary goal in life is to make a positive change in the world.  Something that she can tell her children that she did to help remove a burden from future generations.  She would be working for a non-profit organization if it weren't for her perceived need to be successful and save enough money to finally pursue her goals.  Time is really her biggest obstacle because she eventually wants a family and knows that providing for children can be expensive.  In this case, the book did not match the cover.