Last night I was having an incredible conversation with my good friend Chad - an absolutely phenomenal individual. Smart, savvy, sincere, cool, down-to-earth and a flat out good person.
We met while I was working as a recruitment specialist at Peace Corps Headquarters here in DC when we happen to be fellow panel speakers at a youth conference for the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund in New York roughly about 4 years ago. At the time he was Director of Public Relations and Strategic Partnerships at MTV and has since gone on to work with Nike as Global Director for Corporate Social Responsibility and Compliance and currently is Senior Vice President for Corporate Responsibility / Interactive, Emerging & Social Media at Weber Shandwick.
He's in town working as a volunteer member for the Obama innaugural committee and for the past few nights we've had the rare opportunity to just chat at my house about Obama, business, life, dreams and a host of everything under the sun.
So last night were talking and I asked him if there were 3 pieces of advice that he would give to anyone about life and career what would they be? He thought for a second and then responded as if it were as clear as day. "the three pieces of advice I would give anyone would be:"
1. Listen very, very, very closely to your inner voice. He said that we often don't do in life what we want to do because, for one reason or another, we don't pay attention to that voice inside, that gut instinct, that speaks to us and helps us to know what's right and best for us. He said listening intently to that truly helps us to live the life we want to live by being true to who we are. He said that the thing that scares him the most is that he wakes up one day and he isn't doing what he is most passionate about. Being involved in work or play that simply does not speak to his life's instinct. I couldn't agree with him more.
2. Do often what others dislike to do. With this statement he said that opportunity often lies in places that are often ignored by other people -why? Because they simply don't want to do some particular 'thing'. He said the first time this struck him was during his first year of college. He said he wanted to be president of his national college student credit union organization. It required him getting up on Saturday mornings and reporting to the organization administrator (and he said "what freshman wants to get up on a Saturday morning and work after partying hard on a Friday night!"). He said after a year of doing this he became president which then led to a host of other incredible opportunities - all because he did what most other students didn't want to do.
3. Don't be afraid to say NO. Often times we are pulled in directions we don't necessarily want to go in because we don't know how to say no - especially if people see you as a responsible go-to person. You'll take on more responsibility because you know you can do it - and you want to help out. Next thing you know you're doing all kinds of stuff and you're wearing yourself thin and the things you want to do somehow get pushed to the back burner. Additionally saying NO to certain types of interactions and relationships. If the people who want to be around you or you find yourself being in their company doesn't contribute to your personal/professional growth . . . he said don't be afraid to say "no" to that relationship (in a diplomatic and cordial way of course). It may not feel good at first but in the end its best for everyone as it is staying true to who you are and where you want to go.
Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 3:32PM 
