"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 harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Attributed to Mark Twain
OUR MISSION
To help people of all ages to find meaning and purpose in the in the different chapters of life - with a special empathy for those just starting out - our leaders of the future.
"The two greatest days of your life -
the day you were born - and the day you figure out why!
A TRUE STORY (and one of the innfluences for creating thestudents.net)
"I was introducing myself to the person on the adjacent exhibition stand at Earls Court Arena in London.
'Hi! How's it going...?'
"I've just left uni and now I'm lost!
Life is so confusing!
We don't know whether to get a job now, or continue studying, or go travelling.
It was so much easier in our parent's day.
They got their qualifications, got a job, got married, got a house, got a career.
Now there's just too much choice, it's terrible!"
If your immediate reaction is "That's me!" - read on and be encouraged!
This section is dedicated to all those readers who are doing - or about to do - something they know is wrong for them.
This inner struggle is usually:
"I must do this because... but I don't want to!"
"I should do this because... but I don't want to!"
"I want to do this BUT... "
IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE - WATCH ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL SPEECHES EVER...
Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple: a rare speech to graduating students with almost 47+ million views on YouTube. SEARCH YouTube: Steve Jobs Stanford University commencement speech.
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Have you ever wondered what makes you tick? What drives you, motivates you, and what you fear?"
Understanding yourself on a deeper level is an important aspect of personal growth and development.
CHECK THESE BELOW - THEY WILL EXCITE YOU TO GROW IN SELF-AWARENESS:
(These are just examples to get you going - you will find lot's more if you are interested)
SEARCH: humanmetrics.com/personality
SEARCH: "Enneagram Test" - very insightful! - eclecticenergies.com - Test 2 is quick and easy. There are 9 personality types you can read without doing the test. You will probably spot the one that you think is you. Do the quick test to confirm.
Another super helpful insight is the role you prefer to play in teams...SEARCH: Belbin Team Roles
Another good model explains the four basic we all exhibit:
SEARCH: "Social Styles"
No one personality trait is better than the other and with experience you can learn to adapt your behaviour to match people with whom you are communicating.
One of the great books (30 million copies sold) is also well worth looking at "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie
AWARENESS OF OTHERS
The more you are self-aware - the more you will understand others. You will be able to adapt your behaviour to build relationships and trust. However, not everyone you meet will necessarily have your interests at heart and will only be in it for themselves (I win - you lose type people - as opposed to win/win types).
Some people behave at extremes of self-interest (as competitors or bosses)
SEARCH: "Narcissist characteristics" and "Psychopath characteristics" - you will meet them in your work for sure!
AND FINALLY - the "confidence problem"
Even experienced and accomplished people can suffer from loss of confidence, fearful that what they learned in one career may not be relevant in another. Recruiters see this frequently with people leaving the forces or moving from the corporate to the not-for-profit sector.
But BE ENCOURAGED - it's all about "transferrable skills" - skills you learned in one arena of work being adapted and used successfully in another.
A large part of the interview process is about exploring these areas with you - so be able to show you understand them and can demonstrate them.
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