[Editor’s Note: Since June still is months away, sure Mayor Weissman’s commencement address to the ITT Technical Institute of Culver City last week was among the first in the nation.]
[img]1305|left|Mayor Andy Weissman||no_popup[/img]It is that time of year again, the time when various persons flock to podiums around the world to impart their wisdom on a fresh crop of graduates hungry to take on the world.
You have taken on difficult assignments, passed tough exams.
You have pored over course packets late into the night and into the early morning.
You have worked hard.
You have stumbled and gotten back up.
Congratulations.
This is a wonderful day for all of you, as you mark the end of one great effort and the beginning of another.
Your education … any educational experience … is a tool kit, an extremely valuable tool kit, that will help you succeed in whatever career you pursue.
But you have to do the pursuing.
A career is not going to chase you down…
Life rarely presents itself in neatly packaged case studies.
That is why I would argue that the most important advantage ITT Technical has provided is the ability and the tools to take a chance.
You have been educated in the art of infinite possibility.
You have learned that greater rewards attend to greater risk.
Apply that knowledge to your life as you go forward.
I was asked to talk about the importance of higher education and the correlation with success in the professional world.
Quite simply, the higher level of education you achieve, the higher level of income you are likely to command as well.
Another employment truth is that education has become a basic requirement amongst employers to even get your foot in the door.
Many employers require an advanced level of education, even for roles that previously did not require it.
The fewer years of education you have completed, the fewer doors are open to you.
It is really that simple.
Educational requirements are a quick and easy way to narrow the field of applicants, especially in situations where there are more applicants than jobs.
When hiring from a field of candidates, employers prefer those who have completed higher levels of education.
Not that academic performance is necessarily the best indicator of potential for success in life.
Academic performance is a good indication, but not a guarantee of success.
Education opens gateways to many opportunities that lead to more gateways being opened for you in life.
Academics alone won't get you the whole way there.
True success requires passion, determination and devotion, as well as creativity and ingenuity, which may not necessarily be able to be taught in a classroom.
What makes one person successful while another flounders?
While luck will always play a role, a number of personality factors can be a big part in helping individuals get ahead, whether it is in school, work, or our personal lives.
Though there is no one recipe for a successful life, there are some characteristics that I believe are found in many people who've made it big in one way or another.
I believe that you would do well to hone these 15 characteristics:
- PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY: Honor is something that will get you respect, no matter what you're doing. If you do what you say when you say you're going to do it, people will trust you because your word will mean something. This can be a big deal when it comes to getting promotions, managing others, or even negotiating business deals. Honesty, integrity, and fairness are all aspects of personal accountability worth working on. They will help others view you as more responsible and dependable.
- RESILIENCY: HOW TOUGH ARE YOU? It is nearly impossible to make it through life without facing a little adversity, but you can't let these obstacles throw you off your game if you're really going to succeed.
Some of the most successful people aren't those who got it right the first time but who, instead, had to work hard, make mistakes, and even fail to get where they are. Your ability to come back from a loss or a setback is a strong indicator of your ability to succeed, much more so than many other factors. - LIFELONG LEARNING: IS THE PURSUIT OF LIFELONG LEARNING A SKILL WORTH CULTIVATING? The truly successful know that seeking knowledge, improving oneself, and learning don't stop when you get to the top. Even the best of the best have to keep learning and moving forward, something that often takes a great deal of time and effort to complete. No matter where you are in your life, never forget that being open to new ideas and being willing to learn new ways to do things are always key components to success.
- STRONG WORK ETHIC: DO YOU HAVE A STRONG WORK ETHIC? Few things will drive you toward success as quickly as a strong work ethic. People notice when others work hard, just as they notice when others are lazy. While working hard isn't a guarantee that you'll be a CEO, it certainly doesn't hurt. Few successful people got to where they are by sitting back and doing nothing, as It is often a hard road to the top.
- PERSEVERANCE: ARE YOU ABLE TO PERSEVERE? There is no way around it: Sometimes life gets hard. Really hard. Obstacles can seem insurmountable, hurdles too large. Yet success is often the result of pushing through these problems. People who find success rarely have an easy path, but their willingness to persevere helped them to eventually meet their goals.
- COMMUNICATION: HOW WELL DO YOU COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS? Whether you call it communication, teamwork, or interpersonal skills, this trait is an essential component in what separates those who are successful from those who are less so. To get what you want, you need to be able to communicate your goals and ideas to others. Good communication skills will make you better able to negotiate, sell your best attributes, and form lasting relationships that can help you build a better career. Of course, communication isn't just about talking. It is also about listening and keeping your ears open to new ideas and potential problems.
(To be continued)
