People are...

Mike Wagner talks about the positive aspects of being strange.

Commencement Time

Usually, commencement speeches can be rather trite, condescending and droll. Not this one! I so would have loved to hear this message when I was graduating. As someone in a "third act" (really watch the video!), I know exactly what Adam is saying here. I hope regardless of where you are at this moment, whether you are actually graduating or are years from that moment in either direction, you are inspired by his words. For they are just that - inspiring.
Enjoy (Adam starts at about 5:30)

Moments are Rooms in the House of Life

If you were to look at life as a giant house we inhabit, moments are the rooms we visit to relax or invigorate, or to mourn and recharge. In between the moments, we travel the halls. The halls present us many doors to choose from which lead to those moments.

Those doors are our choices. Some are easier than others. That’s part of the journey. We all reach that point in the hall when the decision can be a burden; the choice is not clear or may be difficult, and we need help figuring out which threshold to cross. We may even need help navigating the halls and their potential barriers. Sometimes we are just looking for the stairs.

When those instances arise, we need a little push to get us through a door and to learn from what is behind them. One thing about moments is they are never ordinary, and we must make the most of them regardless of the situation. There are lessons in them all and leaving that room with an understanding will help us if we find another one that is similar.

Don’t get caught wandering the halls!

Which room are you looking for?

Hurdles

Throughout high school, I struggled with math and when I reached as far as I could, I stopped. Whether this is chalked up to being more interested in other things or an actual blockage, I can’t say from this vantage point. For years, I just avoided it and used a calculator.

In college, I finally reached that point of having to take algebra. The way they did it in a normal semester was as a lab. In this setting, it was pretty much up to the student to do the work on their own and tap teaching assistants when we hit a wall to get help. At that point in my life, I was rather introverted and reticent to ask someone I didn’t know for help. Needless to say, I failed.

I signed up for the summer version to get rid of that ‘F’ and to see if I could understand it enough to pass. This was your traditional class with the professor up front writing out the problems on a board. This person broke down the problems into something I could grasp bit by bit. I was getting it. I understood what was happening and passed. With an ‘A’.

This was HUGE for me. To go from an ‘F’ to an ‘A’ really boosted my confidence and also helped me understand the best way I learn. I need someone to break down the big picture into bits so I can see what is going on with each step, and then I can understand the whole.

I used to be afraid of math and, while I am no math guru, I know that I can tackle it and ask for help if I don’t get it. What is something you struggled with and were able to overcome?

This is spot on!

I can't add to this

Reach your goals!

Gary Vaynerchuck is a HUGE inspiration to me and a lot of what he says and does makes sense!

If you have a dream to do something more, watch this video and contact me so we can get you moving to live your life on your terms!

Dream BIG!

I have attended and volunteered at The Big Dream Gathering a couple of times and they wrangled me to talk about my Big Dream!
Check it out!