President Barack Obama delivered his back-to-school address to students across the country yesterday. He challenged young people to take responsibility. I examined the key points Obama stressed, and found they’re also applicable to adults in the workplace.
“Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.”
Tennis star Roger Federer has a crushing forehand. Retired announcer John Madden is an expert at breaking down the Xs and Os in a football game. Warren Buffet has a brilliant financial mind. Strategic planning, increasing performance and coaching are my core strengths. What are your best attributes?
“Where you are right now doesn’t determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.”
I spoke with a colleague the other day and she told me that she once quit a lucrative job because she wasn’t challenged and felt she had reached the ceiling. She accepted a position with a different company that allowed her to grow professionally, but for $30,000 less. Now, five years later, she’s professionally fulfilled and making far more than she was previously. She chose her own path and is thankful every day.
“Set your own goals. Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it.”
I’ve written about goals many times. If you don’t know where you’re going or what you want to accomplish, how are you ever going to get there?
“No one’s born being good at things. You become good at things through hard work.”
Graduates from the police academy don’t become homicide detectives the next day. Members of the military don’t leave basic training and become generals the next month. It takes time, effort and energy.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new.”
If you’re lost and stop to ask for directions, that doesn’t mean you’re weak. It shows you’re confident enough to admit when you’re wrong. Perhaps I should ask my father why he bought a GPS system for his car…
Posted on
Wed, September 9, 2009
by Sean Taylor Simpson
filed under