Re “Mayor Offers ITT Tech Grads a Likely Formula for Succeeding”
[Editor’s Note: The conclusion of Mayor Weissman’s address last week to the graduates of ITT Technical Institute of Culver City.]
[img]1305|left|Mayor Andy Weissman||no_popup[/img]BALANCE: HOW MUCH BALANCE IS THERE IN YOUR LIFE? While many people are financially successful, they don’t have much balance in their lives. Balance is an essential component to a happy life. After all, what does money mean if you're lonely or miserable?
Giving the mind time to relax, stepping away from work and responsibilities, and just enjoying life can actually lead to greater success. A rested mind is better able to think quickly and be creative.
RISK TAKING: ARE YOU WILLING? ARE YOU ABLE TO TAKE RISKS? Getting ahead in the world isn't a sure thing. Those who are successful are often those who are more willing to take risks.
It is true risks can just as easily result in failure as success. But without risk, there is little chance for reward.
ATTENTIVENESS: ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION TO DETAIL? While you don't have to strive for perfection at all times, paying attention to the small things will help to set you apart from the crowd. Looking professional, paying attention to mundane tasks, and double-checking for mistakes will all go a long way toward success.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CALM: Level-headedness in the face of adversity, or even just a small upset, can be an amazing tool in the workplace, at school, or even in your personal life. It allows you to think more clearly, rely on logic, and makes you look infinitely more confident.
CREATIVITY: DOES BEING CREATIVE LEAD TO SUCCESS? Most great ideas don't come from within the box. Instead, you will need creativity to get ahead. Whether it is in how you market yourself, the products you design, or thinking about a new, more effective way to do things, great, creative ideas almost always are at the heart of successful endeavors.
ADAPTABILITY: ARE YOU ADAPTABLE? Much like in nature, those who can't adapt in the business world often go extinct. It shouldn't be a surprise that adaptability often makes the list of important traits for success. The person who can change quickly, adapt to new needs, and deal effectively with change will stand out from his or her peers.
DECISIVENESS: ARE YOU DECISIVE? The ability to make decisions on your toes, make sound analyses, and employ good judgment are traits that will get you ahead in the world. Use the information at hand to make the best decision at that moment.
MOTIVATION: CAN YOU FIND MOTIVATION? Finding success is a hard road. It can be easy to grow discouraged. The most successful self-motivate and find new reasons to keep pushing ahead. It is important to remember that motivation, no matter how small, has to come from within. It needs constant care and feeding to be sustained. It is key to give yourself new reasons to excel.
CONFIDENCE: HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU? If you believe it, you can achieve it. Before anyone else can believe in you, you must believe in your ability to achieve what you want. Confident persons are successful as leaders, regardless of the field. You cannot name leaders in business, politics, entertainment who lack this quality.
You walk out of here this evening with only one thing that no one else has. There will be hundreds out there with your same degree, thousands doing what you want for a living. But you are the only person who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on a bus, or in a car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your minds, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account, but your soul. People don't talk about the soul anymore. It is easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit.
A resume is a cold comfort on a winter night, or when you are sad or lonely, or when you've gotten back the test results and they're not so good.
Here is my resume: I am a lawyer, and I am a politician. I am a very good father to five children and a great grandfather to five grandchildren. I grew up in Culver City, attended public schools in Culver City through high school, I work here and live here. I have been on the Board of Managers of the Culver-Palms Family YMCA since 1978. Prior to being elected to the City Council in 2008, I served the city as a planning commissioner, parks and recreation commissioner and civil service commissioner, from 1986 to 2008. In 2006, I chaired the city’s Charter Review Committee that re-wrote the city Constitution. I believe in giving back to the community and in serving the community by volunteering.
I have tried never to let my work stand in the way of being a good person, a good parent or a good community member. You cannot be first rate at your work if your work is all you are.
Here is what I wanted to tell you today:
Get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house.
Do you think you would care much about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your breast?
Get a life in which you notice the world that surrounds you.
Get a life in which you are not alone.
Each time you look at your diploma, remember that you are still a student, still learning how to best treasure your connection to others.
When I was reading an article recently, I was struck by a quote attributed to Pericles, a Greek statesman in about 495 B.C., who said: What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.
You can make a difference.
Success is not only success in business. Strive for balance. Strive to succeed at life.
We all want to do well.
But if you do not do good, too, doing well never will be enough.
It is easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, our minutes.
It is easy to take for granted our kids, our friends, our health.
It is so easy to exist, instead of live.
Learn to be happy.
Live life with joy and passion, as it ought to be lived.
Each you brought an utterly unique passion for life and a rich array of skills and assets when you came here. I hope that you have maintained that portfolio.
I believe that your greatest success lies in following your heart, doing what you want to do, sticking to what you know.
Last thought for the evening:
CULTIVATE THE ABILITY TO THINK FOR YOURSELF.
When someone gives you advice, you lay their advice along side your own thoughts and feelings. If what they suggest jibes with what you’ve got going on inside, follow their suggestion.
ON THE OTHER HAND —
Lots of people out there will suggest stupid stuff for you to incorporate into your life.
Many will encourage you to stray from your heart’s desire.
They will tell you things that you know are not right for you.
Smile or give a courtesy laugh, depending on your mood, but if what they suggest does not jibe with the thoughts and feelings already alive and growing inside you, do not follow their suggestion.
Think for yourself.
Listen to your heart.
Tune in to your gut.
Congratulations and best wishes to all of you.
Mr. Weissman may be contacted at andrewweissman@mac.com
