Ideation: Core Concepts
Any Difficult Undertaking Will Have Moments Where You Want to Give Up (Possibly Including This Essay)
This lesson introduces students to the concept of The Valley of Despair, one of the stages in the Emotional Cycle of Change. This cycle represents the mental shifts a person goes through as they voluntarily attempt a new endeavor, be it starting a business, losing weight, or learning a language.
What is the Valley of Despair?
The Valley of Despair is the stage that inevitably comes after you realize that whatever project you have begun will be much harder than you first anticipated. Moments you were swallowed by the valley of despair can come from any aspect of your life (academic or personal), but learning languages, instruments and sports are examples most people can identify with. When you’re in the valley of despair, it feels like failure is inevitable, and most people decide to quit , rather than persevering on.
What stage follows the Valley of Despair?
The valley of despair is followed by Informed Optimism, which comes on gradually as you build confidence and see that you are making progress toward your goals. Once you hit Informed Optimism, you will often find your motivation and progress skyrocket.
Why is this concept relevant to me?
Having this model in mind will help you to reflect on your personal development and evolution. Often, when students think of their achievements, they don’t automatically think of the low moments they experienced en route to their ultimate victory. It is only through experiencing adversity that students develop new perspectives and approaches to problem-solving.
Great personal statements often start with these moments of hardship and build from there—as character is often revealed through adversity. Identifying times when you were in “the Valley” is a vital thought exercise for the ideation phase of writing your personal statement.
Key Takeaways:
Start brainstorming for your personal statement by using the concept of the Valley of Despair.
Think about experiences where you felt like you wanted to give up but didn’t
Think about a signature achievement you’ve had and then rewind to a time before you knew how to achieve your goal. These are the moments when we build resilience and character.