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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Wake up calls...

It's always good to get reminders that make you pause and "chin up." 

I thought I'd share a few videos, articles, etc... that inspire me.  It's easy as a young adult to see potential and think it should equal results.  But physics teaches us that to convert potential energy into kinetic energy (heat, light, motion), it requires a force applied or work done.

An article that Kati wrote today catalyzed this post.  You should go read it.  Here's a great bit:  "The world doesn't need any more amateur world changers - it needs disciplined young adults, with fires that have burned so long that they aren't flames on wicks, but coals, steady, hot and hard to blow out."  SO good!


Some of you may have seen the TED Talk called "30 is not the new 20."  Incredible!  Meg Jay is a psychologist who specializes in 20-somethings.  Here she articulates the physiological and neurological changes that make the decades of the 20's one of the most pivotal of your life.  I.e. Make the most of it!

The late David Foster Wallace (author, professor) delivered a commencement address to Kenyon College in 2005 entitled "This is Water."  The attached video is a portion of the speech set to some great videography.  He argues beautifully that the true value of education is awareness and empathy.

This year, author John Green (The Fault in Our Stars, half of the Vlog-Brothers) delivered the commencement address for Butler University.  Read or watch the speech for some  My favorite bit:  "Try not to worry so much about what you are going to do with your life.  You are already doing what you are going to do with your life."  He talks also about the fact that his job description didn't even exist when he graduated college - so don't give up hope quite yet :)

Some of these writer or speakers may seem to contradict one another.  But contradiction is also part of navigating the 20's (and life in general).  Hope you get a chance to be inspired by one of these.

What has encouraged you lately?

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