The winning formula for 2017

I hope this article finds you in a timely manner as new year’s resolutions may be fading out and old habits beginning to fade back in. I’d like to share with you what I think will be the winning formula for 2017 along with some inspirational material to back it up.

This winning formula isn’t some unfathomable science or miraculous act. It’s simply an acronym to guide your thoughts and daily lives:

W – Know your why
I – Invest in others
N – Never give up

W – Know your Why

The organization in which you are employed most likely has a mission statement or a motto. Your university guides its actions around a mission statement and/or core values. So, shouldn’t we as individuals understand our own mission? Reminding yourself of the reason you do the things you do can go a long way.

Maybe your “why” as a student employee is to work hard enough to land that dream graduate assistantship or professional position in the field. Aaron Hobson, Associate Director of Facility Operations at the University of Florida and Region II Student Lead On Keynote Speaker, said it well (and humorously) when he encouraged the audience to “find something you love to do, and find someone stupid enough to pay you to do it.”

I’ll also leave you with a video from Eric Thomas, a motivational speaker, author, and preacher. Deemed as “The Hip Hop Preacher,” Eric made famous the phrase “If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.”

In the following clip, he speaks to the importance of having a “why”:

I – Invest in Others

As Eric says, it’s not always about looking within to find your why. It’s about looking around you. The beauty of our industry is that it is predicated upon the goal of enhancing participants’ lives through sport, recreation, and wellness. Even internally, the term “student development” is all about higher education professionals’ selfless focus on the growth of their staff.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to review applications for NIRSA’s Horace Moody Award this year. One NIRSA professional from each region is given this award based on the ways they invest in others on their campuses and throughout our Association. It was so powerful to read students’ and professionals’ nomination letters and learn about the ways that one special person has changed the lives of so many. It reminded me of the impact that doing “that one good deed a day” for someone can have in the grand scheme of things.

Due to anonymity regarding this year’s award winners, I can’t yet disclose the source of this quote. But I was so impacted by a NIRSA professional member’s response to being nominated for this award that I have to share it:

“The greatest trophy/award that I can receive is knowing I have had an impact on someone’s life. My mentors went above and beyond for me when I was an undergraduate student. Outside of my parents, they have had the greatest impact on my life. I just want to have the same impact on a person’s life as they did mine.” -Anonymous NIRSA professional member

Winners of the award will be recognized at the 2017 Annual Conference’s Student Member Connection Meeting. If you’re interesting in nominating a professional who’s had an impact on your life, applications open for 2017-2018 this fall.

N – Never Give Up

The final step is one that requires frequent reminders of your purpose and why you should invest in others to reach your ultimate goal.

If you haven’t picked up on it by this point, quotes and visual reminders guide the exuberance of my motivation to never give up. I will always keep with me a book of motivational quotes, stories, and actions called 212° The Extra Degree by Sam Parker. I would highly recommend giving it a read, but I’ll give you the premise: “At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive.”

Here is the quote from this book that stands out to me in regards to never giving up: “The only thing that stands between a person and what they want in life is the will to try it and the faith to believe it possible.”

While there are countless stories and testimonials worth sharing, I’ll refrain. Instead, I’d like to encourage you to write your own success story. Take some time to understand your “why.” Write it down, remember it often, and let it guide your actions. Spend time investing in others, one small action at a time. Lastly, never give up on that dream you set when it all began.

I look forward to hearing about your success story soon.

Peace, Love, and NIRSA!