Quote of the Day

Here at Campbell, on our e-mail server, we have a small box with a "quote of the day" in it. Sometimes they are wise proverbs, from Socrates and the like. Aometimes a witty one liner from Demetri Martin or Jay Leno. Yesterday we had a good quote on leadership.

"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." - Peter Drucker

To me, it is important to know the difference in a manager and a leader. Can one be an effective manager, yet be an inadequate leader? Does a leader have to be a manager?

Seeking After Wisdom

As this year starts up for a lot of you. I want to give a challenge.

Seek after wisdom.

It is really easy to get caught up in the process of making grades or just getting through a year, but it takes a concerted effort to really focus our attention on becoming wise.

Wisdom does not mean learning everything you can about Calculus. Wisdom is the process of listening to what is being said and watching what is going on around you, and being willing to retain information to use it later in life.

Wisdom involves the intentional seeking of that which has lasting value on you and the world around you.

Are you seeking wisdom or just good grades?

Ask yourself this and I beg you to be wisdom seekers.

Know the way, go the way, show the way.

There is a poster on the wall at my dads office where he works (see picture), with a quote under it reading "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. This truly resonates with me because it really sums up what a leader should be.

As Yogi Berra once said, "You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." If you don't know what you want out of life, if you don't know what you want to do, then you probably won't accomplish anything. The first thing to being a leader is knowing what you want. Maybe it's a grade in a class. Maybe it's self-improvement. Maybe it's starting a new club at school or college. Whatever it may be, you have to know what it is you want before you can accomplish it.

Second, you have to actually set a plan into motion. Knowing what you want is great, but if you don't set out to do it, then it is nothing more than a dream. No one can make something happen for you. I, personally, enjoy car restoration. Right now I am working on a 1968 Ford Torino. I know many others into cars, and I could not count for you the people I have met who have project cars laying in the backyard or in the garage and they always say, "I'm going to fix that up one day..." or, "I'm going to make a hot rod out of that.." Some of these cars have been sitting for years. The owners know exactly what they want to do with the cars, but they can't find the time and energy to go out and get it done. Having a plan and everything you need to accomplish it is nothing if you don't actually go out and do it. The same applies to leadership.

Third, you have to show the way. After you have discovered what it is you want in life, and you have gone after it, I think we then have a responsibility to help others along that same path. Back in April, I graciously accepted an invitation to go speak to the JF Webb Leadership Retreat about college, along with several of my friends. After deciding what you want in life and going after it, be sure to help others do the same thing. There was more than likely someone who inspired you or lead you to do whatever it is you do, and I think we each have a responsibility to pass along what we have learned and experienced. Leadership is a two way street. At the same retreat, I remember Mr. Scott Campbell saying that a good leader can leave, and no one know they left. The reason is that good leaders show others how to lead, and that when they leave behind a club from school because they graduated, or however they may end up leaving, others have learned from their leadership to take over and keep going from where they left off. Because a leader has to leave something behind does not mean it should fall apart in their wake. It should continue on under new leadership, and the cycle should continue. This, to me, is what it means to show the way. It's not just about leading, it's about teaching and offering whatever you can do those that you lead.

Take a chance

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

Could not have said it better myself. Mark Twain is obviously an inspirational figure with his collection of stellar work but the message behind this particular excerpt I find more intriguing than many quotes I stumble upon. Twain is right. If you don't venture out and shoot for the stars. Chase your dreams. Ask that special someone out when you had the chance. You'll look back and wonder what if? But you'll never know unless you take a chance. Go out on a limb. If it doesn't work out of well you'll have the memories. And the satisfaction of knowing that you tried and took that chance. I advise everyone to go out and take a chance. Don't let fear or unassurance stop you. Follow your dreams, act on your ambitions, chase what you feel is right.

-Thomas

First Post

Hi all,

So this is my first post. Sorry it's been so late, but I haven't really had anything to talk about that pertained to, what I perceive as, the overall "theme of my posts. But now I feel as if I do have something to add. So here goes...

This August, I will be moving to Los Angles, California to become an actor. I know, it's sounds crazy, right? This goes against nearly everything that my parents tried to instill in me during the 18 years I lived with them. They would much rather I stay in school and get a degree, but I feel as though my best chance for success is sooner rather than later. So, I have taken a leave of absence (which is a fancy way of saying I dropped out) from Elon University and have decided to pack up and chase my dreams.

Now, don't suppose that I acted rashly. This was a carefully thought out, life-changing decision. One of the best pieces of advice I received about making tough decisions was from a good friend of mine, Rasool Jahan. She told me that I needed to think until I literally couldn't think any more. That when the time came for me to defend my decision, any doubts I had would be perceived as weaknesses and that I would grow to regret my choice. So that's what I did. I spent nearly a month in solitude debating the pro's and con's until I was positive that I had made the right choice and that nothing could convince me otherwise.

I won't outline my entire debate, but I can tell you that I know that this is the right choice for me. I know that thirty years from now, I want to be able to say I wasn't afraid to follow my dreams. Whether I'm successful in this or not, this is the right thing for me to do.

So, I will be spending at least two years in LA. If after two years I don't get any work, I'll face the music and head back to school without any regrets. If at the two-year mark, my career looks promising (ie. I'm working somewhat regularly) I will extend my stay to five years. After five years, unless I miraculously become the "next big thing," I will return to school and finish my studies.

My goal with this blog is to provide an insight into the life of someone chasing his dream, no sugar coating. If I'm sleeping in my car, living off of Ramen Noodles, I'll tell you about it. So viewer discretion advised?

I'll try to post at least twice a week once I move out.

Best Regards,

Kyle