My college keynote speeches enable me to share stories of inspiration with the brilliant young minds of the future. And even though these students have an amazing wealth of information at their fingertips, I can see firsthand that there’s a missing link between what they all have and what they think they don’t have. And what so many think they don’t possess is the ability to get out there and find a job or find a business opportunity or find a business partner and just take that first step. Even though these students are so much more enabled and armed with the know-how to make a difference in this world they still need that extra push.
I’m happy to make that push. But they surely don’t need me to do that.
I watch as their heads nod in agreement and understanding when I talk of the power of relationships and the trust they are building in their peers and new work associates in their fields of interest. I can see that they realize after a few stories of others having used connections to strengthen their careers–that they are each amazingly connected in this truly small world already. Nodding their heads not in appreciation for what I’m sharing with them but rather for my approving that which they have understood all along to be true. These college seniors and grad students may have heard my same words of wisdom and advice from others in their close circles, but the beauty of a college or university inviting outsiders onto their campuses to share inspiration from the outside world is the real reason this works.
These young people just need a small push.
I’ve identified 3 key areas that I’ve found are of extreme interest to upperclassmen: Finding a Mentor to help guide you through this process, Building and Sustaining a Network of Connections that will prove to be a common thread throughout your career, and Understanding that Rejection will only make you want it more. The stories of Wisdom, Trust, and Success that I add to make these important points come to life are delivered from outsiders as well (famed Influencers whom I’ve taped for these students), and as I interview students after my keynote speeches they all tell me the thing that meant the most to them were the taped pieces of advice I played for them.
Everyone’s just looking for a little more advice. A little more assuredness that what they’re about to do is the right thing. And it is.