In a Keynote to a University Sports Banquet recently, I talked about something every graduate wants to know about: How to Get and Keep Your Dream Job! Here is what what I told the students and coaches. Feel free to pass it on to your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. I wish someone had handed it to me at 18 or 22 years of age.
Do What You Love
Follow your bliss. 20 Years ago I found mine. I was 32 years of age before I determined what my bliss truly was. Speaking and writing. Helping others achieve their goals. After reading over 1,000 books, certain questions began to emerge:
1. If all the jobs paid a dollar, which job would you do?
2. What did you LOVE to do at age seven? (ask your mom)
3. What specific activity, that when you are engage in it, you time distort? You are lost in the joy of the activity?
4. If a Doctor told you that you had six months to live, how would you spend your time?
5. If you suddenly inherited $10,000,ooo what would you do
differently?
Once you answer these questions honestly and thoroughly, simply ask yourself, “What are the common denominators? What is the common thread?” The answer to THAT question is your bliss.
Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet, “To thine own self be true.” Most people live their whole lives and never surrender to that simple truth.
Soar With Your Strengths
My bliss, my strengths fall into two categories, Writing and Speaking. Everything else is a misuse of my time and energy. I outsource and delegate most everything else. There is an old maxim, “If you try and teach a pig to sing, you waste your time and money.” You also have an angry pig on your hands. My favorite professional question is “What is the best and highest use of my time?” If you took the time to answer the five Bliss questions, you probably know what your bliss is. Surrender to it. Embrace it. Set Goals around it. Study it. Master it.
Choose to Have a Great Attitude
Optimists live longer than pessimists do. Guess what? They have a better time along the way. It’s a paradox. Ironic isn’t it? Hang around positive people. Make a list of the people with whom you spend most of your time. Write down as many people as you can think of. Parents, friends, teammates, acquaintances, teachers, coaches, etc. Now put a (+) or a (-) next to their name. The plus (+) people are SPEEDBOATS. They pull you forward. The negative (-) people are ANCHORS. They drag you down to the bottom with them. Calculate how much time you give each person each week. What percentage of your day or week do you give them? Invest more time with the SPEEDBOATS and less time with the ANCHORS! Simple. You will be the same person in five years but for two things, the PEOPLE you with whom you choose to associate, and the BOOKS you read. Read classic self-help literature, inspirational books like: Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell; How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie; Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill; The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason; and of course Freedom from Fear by yours truly. Books and People, People and Books. In five years…
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