19 Mar Learning from Millennials
I was lucky enough to have a chat with a dynamic 28-year-old Millennial last week. She was very successful at school, at university and in her short career. She was school captain and dux of her class at school and university.
We were talking about the opportunities open to young people as they finish their secondary education and I thought she would have had her future all mapped out. But no! She told me that she hadn’t been sure of what she wanted to do when she was in Grade 12. She had several options, but surprisingly she really didn’t know what career path to pursue.
So guess what she did?
She asked herself what scared her the most!
Wow, what a question! “What scares me the most?”
Well, with many offers available to her, she accepted a scholarship to the Australian Defence Force. She completed her studies top of her cohort, accepted a leadership role and then decided to serve an 8-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. She reeled off so many positives of her time there and how it helped her understand poverty, struggle and kindness at a much deeper level.
She told me about an International Woman’s Day celebration there. Eighty Afghani women attended and they were so happy to celebrate what it means to be a woman. One woman walked for three days to attend and one woman arrived with one child on her hip, having lost ten other children to war and poverty.
What amazing insights she has learnt about the world. She has grown into a remarkable young woman; so confident, so worldly and so compassionate.
What scares you the most?
Are you held back by fears?
Are you living a comfortable life but not really achieving all you are capable of?
Why not think like a Millennial, look for opportunities that will make you grow.
So….. what will you do?
Run a marathon, improve your public speaking, start your own business, learn to surf, ski a black run, fly in a hot air balloon, ski dive, travel to places you’ve never been or apply for a leadership position?
Seth Godin says, “The challenge of our time is to find a journey worthy of your heart and your soul. We settle for low expectations and small dreams and guarantee ourselves less than we are capable of.” Godin believes that unless you are doing something that scares you, you are not learning and growing. I agree with him.
Go on, do the things that scare you, be courageous, and be amazed by the person you become!
If you would like leadership coaching to help you face your fears and take the next step, contact Maxine at Think Strategic.
Seth Godin, 2012, The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly? Penguin
