The Big Bags

I’ve had a dream of changing the world for a while now. It’s been this thought tickling the back of my mind. I watch my friends travel the world building orphanages, serving in leper colonies and digging wells so people can have clean water.

I keep thinking, I’m going to do something incredible with my life. My problem is that I haven’t decided what that something is. I haven’t set a time. I don’t have an objective. I talk the talk, but I don’t walk the walk.

I mean, I’m writing a book. It’s an ambitious endeavor… and I like writing. But my writing isn’t earth shattering or life changing.

It’s time for me to take what I know, and what I can do and make a difference instead of Tweeting about it. Any world changing suggestions? I’m all ears…

On a side note, I also have a tumblr blog. I gave up on Posterous.

I’ve been meaning to write a post about graduation for a while now. I got caught up in the joys of full time employment and, relocation and friend making so much that I almost forgot that I have this sexy blog.

I’m have no doubt that you’ve all be desperately awaiting my tidbits of post college wisdom. I feel bad to have held out for so long. Now you know what the girls I date feel like.

For those of you still in college, and I’m hoping that some of you are so that this post is not completely devoid of value, here is my sage wisdom… some of which can be found in my Senior Spotlight in the UVU Review.

• Don’t sit in the same chair every day. We are creatures of habit. We do what’s comfortable to us. Instead of sitting in the same chair every day, take the chance to move around as the semester rolls along. I met some of my best college friends this way. Plus, if you creep someone out sitting next to them one day, or a new hottie adds the class late,  it won’t look suspicious if you move seats…
• High five your professors. Professors like ambitious students who are nice to them… at least the professors who are worth knowing. When you are friends with your professors, doors of opportunity will open for you both during and after school. I’ve only been graduated for a month, and I’ve already seen it… I mean, I passed my classes, didn’t I?
• Don’t take classes early in the morning. That’s just a foolish thing to do. You’ll fail your early classes because you won’t want to wake up in the mornings. You don’t think you will at the beginning of the semester, but trust me, thing change. Friends are made. Parties are attended. Sometimes you get lost in Walmart or Ikea while playing hide and seek. Crazy stuff happens. And trust me, after a night of hiding behind a Hemnes for 3 hours, 8:00 doesn’t seem so good anymore.
• Never buy text books... especially for upper division classes. (Science and Math are the exceptions.) You won’t read them anyway. Spend the money on something cool, like gum.
• Work for free. Find someone in your field, preferably someone more prominent, and help them. Bend over backwards to do free stuff for them… as long as that stuff doesn’t involve a goat, a dwarf and a jar of peanut butter.  When you graduate, their referral will go a long ways.
• Build your own personal brand. I’m not talking about your own “musk,” I’m talking about making sure that people can find you if they look for you.  Make sure you write things worth reading so that people can find you on the Googles. Trust me, it pays off to have a Twitter account that links to a blog that has a contact page that connects with your email address… just in case someone wants to offer you a job that way… which has happened.
• Be different. Lots of people want to be the same in college. They all want to get A’s. They want to suck up to professors. They want to graduate with jobs… and most of the time they fake it the whole way, expecting it to pay off. Just be you. Be nice. Be thoughtful. Work hard. Smile a lot. Then, things will work out.

I can’t tell you how good it feels to be done with school. I currently have my dream job. I have my fair share of autonomy, I’m allowed to master the things I’m passionate about, and I have purpose as a huge contributor.  I plan to make an impact here, just as I left an impact at UVU. I can’t help it…

This video is so incredible. I love how some people are so dang creative! Next time the hunt is on, you can bet I’ll be doing something similar…

This video blew my mind. What a great observation about our culture. I’m accepting the challenge to speak with authority. Are you?

Amber Rae is easily one of the most ambitious people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. We connected over the interwebs a few months ago, and then met up while I was in New York to exchange pleasantries, ideas and connections (though I’m sure she had more of all of the above to offer).

This week Amber Rae wrote up a post that demonstrates exactly why I think she’s so radical. Not only did this post resonate with me (as most of the content she produces and/or shares does), but it was exactly what I needed to hear, when I needed to hear it. Here’s a sampling of her goodness and insight:

if you are dissatisfied with what someone else is doing — whether at work, in a friendship or in bed — this dissatisfaction is likely rooted in your inability to communicate clearly with that person.

we all have different expectations and styles. when we don’t express what we expect or want, we don’t get it.

similarly, if you feel anxious while collaborating with someone — whether at work, in a friendship or in bed — this anxiety is likely rooted in not knowing what the other person wants or likes.

how do you find out what the other person likes? you, very simply: 1) ask them what they like, 2) give it to them, 3) ask if they liked it, 4) if yes, repeat. if no, ask for feedback and try again.

seems very simple, yes?

it’s much easier to call out what someone else isn’t doing well enough by your standards. it’s far more difficult to put aside personal biases and set ways of doing things to discover how you might please the other person.

If you like connecting with inspiring, driven and exciting people, she is a great place to start. Follow her on the Twitters, check out her blog and watch for her upcoming book to be published! I know I’ll be reserving my copy as soon as I can.

Goodbye Internet. Goodbye Utah. Goodbye school.

I’m leaving you for a week… for this…

Why?

Because… of Tom.

It’s official, I graduate in 3 weeks and the only reason I go to class is to maintain my Mayorship of the university on Foursquare.

Don’t hate.

The Blind Men and the Elephant

It was six men of Indostan,
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind,)
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! But the Elephant
Is very like a wall!”

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! What have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”

The third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he,”the Elephant
Is very like a snake!”

The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree.”

The fifth who chanced to touch an ear,
Said, “E’dn the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most:
Deny the fact we can,
This marvel of an elephant
Is very like a fan!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope.
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right
And all were in the wrong.

-John Godfrey Saxe

Last week I spent Spring Break in NYC with 6 other students. We spent 2 days sitting down with some incredibly influential and inspiring people. The first, and easily one of the most impressive people I’ve ever met, was Rachel Cohen.

I mean, not many people have been hailed on Martha Stewart’s blog as “enthusiastic, charming and very organized.”

Although her resume is impressive, it’s not her past work experience that makes Rachel so incredible in my eyes. Sure, she’s pretty, young, and ambitious. Lots of women (especially in New York) are.  The thing that really astounded me about Rachel was her kindness and her surprising outlook on life.

What really stuck with me from the one hour I got to sit down with Rachel is that you can go anywhere in life if you work hard, be nice and watch for opportunities to present themselves in your life.

Rachel has a “Buck Stops Here” attitude. She shared multiple stories that demonstrate her incredible ability to take ownership of a problems when it could have been easy for her to flow her hands in the air and say, “This isn’t in my job description, someone else can take care of it.”

Your success in business doesn’t come from a ruthless and competitive mentality. Real success comes from helping others, going the extra mile, and taking ownership.

In a nutshell, work hard and be nice. Success will follow.