The formula for success is a complicated one, and it’s hard to know what makes the difference between success and failure. You may have everything it takes, but for one small thing. Sonia Sotomayor was a hard-working, intelligent lawyer who earned a great reputation, but it’s possible that she never would have become a Supreme Court justice if not for cosmetic dentistry.
Working Her Way Up
Sonia Sotomayor’s life is a classic American success story. The child of two parents who moved to the Bronx from Puerto Rico, she was born into a working-class double income family that lived first in a tenement, then moved into the projects. Her father died when she was young, and her mother was not very supportive, but Sotomayor decided on a career in law after being inspired by Nancy Drew and the Perry Mason television series.
She graduated high school as valedictorian, got a scholarship to Princeton, graduated lign: basel>summa cum laude When she left law school, she initially became a prosecutor with the New York County district attorney’s office. She earned a reputation for dedication, competence, and preparedness. After four years helping prosecute criminals, she started a small legal practice that she ran out of her apartment on the side.
The following year, she left her district attorney job to become an associate at a legal firm in Manhattan. She participated in public service roles on the side, and only left this practice when she was appointed to become a federal district judge in 1992.
The Difference Cosmetic Dentistry Made
It was at about this time, according to Sotomayor, that cosmetic dentistry changed her life. The year before she was appointed to her judgeship, Sotomayor met a dentist at a party. The dentist asked her why she didn’t smile more, and when Sotomayor said she didn’t know, the dentist said, “I think you don’t smile more because you’re ashamed of your teeth.”
Sotomayor’s poor teeth were due in part to the strong iron supplements. Sotomayor acknowledges that the problem did keep her from smiling. If you look at her Princeton yearbook photo, you can see how she avoided smiling. But that changed after she had her teeth fixed.
She said that cosmetic dentistry “really did help me. I started opening myself to other people.”
It is likely that having her teeth fixed improved her ability to network and turn her hard work into something more than just moving up at her law firm. She was able to get recognition that culminated in her district judge appointment and, ultimately, her Supreme Court appointment.
Sotomayor’s Advice
In looking at her own experience, Sotomayor strongly recommends that other people consider the things that are holding them back. “For those of you who have things that affect your self-image, there are things that can be done about it.”
Is your smile holding you back? Please contact Beyond Exceptional Dentistry in Savannah, Georgia to learn how we can help add that crucial piece to your formula for success.
