For students who are searching for direction in their lives, the process may seem unclear or daunting. Sunny Hostin, a journalist and Binghamton University alumna, shared the stages of finding one’s purpose in life through her talk, “A Possibility Model,” at TEDxBinghamton on Sunday.
Hostin, who graduated from Binghamton University in 1990 with a degree in English, currently works for CNN as a legal analyst and columnist. She started her career as a prosecutor, but after the birth of her children she decided to make a career switch.
Inspired by Mark Twain’s quote, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why,” Hostin told students to also look out for the day they find out who they will not be. She said there are three life stages: day one, the day a person is born; day two, the day a person finds out who they do not want to be; and day three, the day a person finds their purpose.
Hostin said that everyone should realize that day one does not have to set a precedent for the course of one’s life. Born to teenage parents in the South Bronx in New York City, she said she was always consciously looking to excel.
“My message to you is your day one is behind you,” Hostin said. “Do not let it define you. Had I let my day one define me, I would have been a statistic.”
Her day two came when she was 6 years old. Hostin recalled her uncle lying on the floor, bleeding from stab wounds. In that moment, Hostin said, she recognized the course she would not allow her life to take.
“I remember thinking ‘I’m not going to live with this. I’m not going to become this,’” Hostin said. “‘I’m not going to live a life of violence, I’m not going to have my children see this. This is not who I will be.’”
Her day three occurred when she was covering the Trayvon Martin case in Sanford, Florida. She said she stopped mimicking others’ career moves and became more comfortable with her own potential.
“When you find your day three, it is so empowering,” Hostin said. “You are being so authentic that you do not care what anybody thinks. You are using your authentic voice.
Hostin said she knew she found her niche when reflecting on her father’s advice to follow her passions. She said that even if she were to win the lottery, she would still show up to work every day to share people’s stories.
“My father always said that if you follow your dreams, your passions, and use that to do your life’s work, you’ll never feel like you’re working,” Hostin said. “Do something that you would do for free.”
When covering current events, like protests in Ferguson, Missouri, Hostin said she noticed young activists going through stages of her possibility model. According to her, the country should take notice of their protests.
“People are finding their paths, finding their voices, speaking up for other people,” Hostin said.
Hostin left the audience with words she said she aims to live her life by.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, ensure justice for those who are crushed,” Hostin said. “Try to live a perfect day doing something for someone who can’t say anything.”
Pipe Dream had the chance to sit down with Hostin after her talk:
Pipe Dream: Why did you decide to speak, and where did the inspiration for your talk come from?
Sunny Hostin: I have a lot of sticky notes in my office at CNN with quotes. Whatever grabs me or touches me I write on a sticky note. I’ve had that note with Mark Twain’s quote on it for a really long time. I started to realize, “How could he say there are only two important days?” Really, there are more than that. In reality, you spend most of your life trying to figure out what the heck you’re doing and why the heck you’re here. Aren’t those times important? Because I’ve been in the forefront of finding my voice in front of so many people, I realized that perhaps that message will resonate. Perhaps people will understand that there are many important moments.
PD: What do you cite as the moment where you found your voice?
SH: I found my voice in Sanford, Florida. That’s truly when I realized I have to tell these stories, and tell the stories of people who have no voice of their own.
PD: How did you get involved with journalism, and reach where you are today?
SH: I was an English literature and rhetoric major here at Binghamton, and at that point there was not really anybody that looked like me on TV. There was not really an Oprah or similar figure. So, I thought that my purpose was just to be a prosecutor and do that kind of thing. I had a baby, and my husband and I moved to New York, and I realized that maybe I was meant to do something else. But I didn’t know what that was. I started speaking at different places. I was speaking at a conference and the producer came up to me and told me, “You should speak on TV.” And I said, “Your lips to God’s ears, that’s not going to happen for me. It was a long-ago dream and not realistic.” And she told me she thought it was going to happen. I was on Court TV two weeks later, and a month after that I was on Fox News for a year. After that, I moved to CNN and ABC, and have been with them ever since. It all happened quite by happenstance.
PD: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
SH: Giving voice to other people’s stories.
PD: What are some of the other sticky notes you have on your wall at CNN?
SH: I have so many. I have Mark Twain, I have John Wooden, who says, “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone else who can’t repay you.” I have Proverbs 31:8, which expresses a notion of speaking out for those who don’t have a voice. I have recent Gabby Bernstein quotes, which encourage you to define your purpose. I have a bunch of notes from Oprah’s book, “What I Know For Sure.” And importantly, I also have a large note that says “what I know for sure.”
PD: Who has influenced you the most in your life?
SH: In my life, my parents. My parents lived this dream deferred, and they certainly sacrificed a lot for me. They’ve been my inspiration. In my career, I think Oprah. What I think is interesting is that we’ve seen her evolution. She has never been afraid to be authentic in front of people while helping others find their own authentic voice. While she’s become a sort of brand, I think she has terrific interviewing skills and she cares about other people.
PD: What is the most important piece of advice for students to take away from your talk?
SH: I hope students will take away one of the last things I said: Let your desire to be of service define your purpose.