In today’s episode, an MIT professor explores the topic of success. How do we deal with the constant pressure to succeed in our careers? And what happens if we fail?
You’ll hear from Cullen Buie, a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur. In this talk, Cullen shares his unlikely story of becoming a college professor, his struggle to find fulfillment amid academic pressures, and how his Christian faith helps him find an identity that isn’t founded on success or failure.
This forum was held at CalTech in 2015. Thank you to the University Partnerships team for making this event possible.
Cullen Buie
I had been building my character and self-worth on my achievements and accomplishments, and it wasn't until those things were challenged that I realized that I had been building my identity on those things.
Academia is going to tell you, "Sacrifice yourself for me. Sacrifice your relationships for me. Sacrifice your sleep for me. Sacrifice your health for me." ... Jesus says, "I sacrifice myself for you."
You're going to be burdened. You're going to be a slave to something. There is no life where you are free from a master. ... What Jesus says is that, if you take up his yoke, his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
Every single career or vocation or dream that you might have is telling you, "Build me a tower, and you'll be happy." As you start building that thing, you realize you're only going to get more and more anxious.
My path to engineering and my path to faith are very much linked.
