Things I have learned...

I realize this is my 2nd post today, but I felt it necessary to detail my experience that I just had at the gym. This is more or less for me to be able to look back at my thoughts, because if I don't jot this down I might forget this ever took place. But maybe I will give myself a good laugh when I look back and read this someday.

So as the story goes....I am not much of a talker at the gym - I'm more of a get in, concentrate on the workout, and get out type-of-guy. So it was ironic that I got into a semi-serious discussion with a nice young kid that I had seen around the gym on several occasions. He told me he was a sophomore at Nova University and asked me about his career choices. Specifically, what advice did I have and "if you had to do it all over again, what would you do?"

My initial response was the whole "do what you love to do" spiel and we discussed that for awhile. Then I followed up with my belief that it's always good to develop solid sales and marketing skills, because those are good core competencies that most people can use in any type of situation. I suggested something in the business school, like marketing or finance (that's what I chose so I am probably biased). I know it's difficult to choose a definitive major now (what soph knows what they want to do for the rest of their life), and the rate that people change majors over time is probably higher than the divorce rate (60% !?!) in the USA these days. We chatted about the possibility of the sports-related industry and also healthcare, and soon thereafter ended the conversation.

As I went through my workout I thought about it some more. What I realized was that what I really wanted to tell him - I never really got to say! What I really would do IF I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN was 1) make more friends, stay in touch with those friends and have them for future network purposes, and 2) become genuinely interested in helping others and making the world a better place. Now that sounds kinda silly at first and doesn't really help him pick a major, but it's some of life's lessons that I have read about and practiced and wished I knew when I was in college. Unfortunately when I was in college, we didn't have all the tools that technology has afforded us today. Cell phones were non-existant, the internet wasn't yet booming, and people communicated by leaving messages on their home answering machines. This didn't bode well for staying in touch after college, and alot of the friends that I spent time with in college were suddenly a mere memory. I wish I made more friends, developed better relationships with them, and stayed in touch after college. It's a shame, because what I have since learned is that "friends" are my number one asset! I like to surround myself with good people - these people are people I learn from and enjoy my time with (and hopefully they'd say the same about me). My friends are the ones that keep me entertained, introduce me to opportunities, have my back in times of need, and ones that have helped build me a wonderful network of people across the world.

The second lesson I have learned is something that I continuously worked at getting better at - being a good person, making a better society for people, and by sharing and helping others. I am not only talking about being polite and courteous, because most good people we're taught these manners as kids. I am referring to going above and beyond, being an EXCEPTIONAL person, and going out of your way to make an impression. It doesn't have to be something that everyone notices; in fact, it's often the things you do when no one is looking. Picking up a piece of trash and throwing it in the garbage can, being overly nice to "the small people" in life, or taking time to compliment a random person in the elevator on their tie are examples of things that can be done. No one might have seen you pick up that garbage, and chances are you might not see that person that you complimented again, but you helped make a difference. Often these good deeds come back to help you - it's kinda like that "what comes around goes around" philosophy. Working for charitable causes also gives a sense of accomplishment and at the same time helps the world, and that is something that I didn't realize when I was a sophmore in college.

So that's it for the cheesy commentary. And that's what I feel are alot more important things to learn/realize than simply designating a major. I just have to tell my friend the next time I see him at the gym.