The Real World: Taking Fanshawe's slogan to heart
Even if you have had your face
buried in textbooks this semester
(and that's not entirely a bad
thing), you must be familiar with
Fanshawe College's current slogan,
"Do What You Love." It's a
simple motto — even a respectable
mission statement — that in just
four short words perfectly summarizes
an ideal goal in the working
world.
Ask anyone about their ideal career position, and they'll tell you they want to be passionate about their job. How many people do you know who go to work Monday morning with only one thought in mind: punching out on Friday afternoon? During my student years, I held plenty of jobs — retail salesperson, bartender, warehouse labourer — that were not my cup of tea. I was probably the worst kitchen worker in the history of McDonald's restaurants — employee of the month was about as close an aspiration as the next solar system.
Yet once I formed my own company — Jeffrey Reed Reporting — in 1989, I never turned back. Of course, there are 80-hour work weeks, constant deadlines, high-maintenance clients and demanding editors. But ever since I established my freelance journalism and media relations office, there has not been a day when I couldn't wait to jump out of bed and take on new challenges. You guessed it: I do what I love.
Here are some of the activities from my previous work week. In addition to writing newspaper and magazine articles, blogging on various websites, and networking in person and via social media, I attended two lengthy client meetings; initiated a new fundraiser; photographed a London-based fashion model; called Western Mustangs football on Rogers TV; wrote and distributed news releases; taught two classes; and trained a new employee. And despite the fact there was little gas in the tank, I couldn't wait to start a new workday.
It's very easy to state that you wish to do what you love, but you can't get there without setting goals, dreaming big, working hard and learning from mentors. Those four factors are the secret to my success.
When you set goals, you bring structure and discipline into your life. In 2000, as I quickly approached age 40, I set a goal of making the roster of the London Majors Baseball Club. I spent every day in the gym for eight months preparing for spring training, and it paid off. But without the initial dream of playing semi-professional baseball, and receiving help from mentors along the way, I would have remained in the press box instead of signing a contract.
In 2010, I set a goal of hitting golf balls for eight straight hours in order to raise funds for the London Anti-Bullying Coalition. Like my dream to pitch for the London Majors, this was a lofty goal, and one that I was not sure I could reach. But with a goal in mind, I focused heavily on time management and pulled it off, hitting 595 golf balls and avoiding injury and exhaustion. Yet without a support team around me the entire day, I would not have been able to tee it up after the third hour.
Too many times I see students and professionals who go about their business without short-, medium- and long-term goals in mind — they're wandering aimlessly, wasting valuable time and energy: they're 'existing' but not living. Setting goals is what should get you out of bed in the morning — and is what will help you do what you love.
I've always believed that if you give up your dreams, you die. But you can't dream without the will to work hard. A little luck along the way helps, too. And there's no substitute for mentors. During my entire life, I've had mentors at different levels. Whether they simply offered me an encouraging word or pat on the back, or took mentorship to a higher level and offered me constant guidance and counselling, mentors have played a huge part in my success story. Even today as I fill the role of mentor, I am seeking my own mentors.
You never stop learning. And you can't reach your goals without help from others.
Are you doing what you love? You won't find the answer in a textbook. That answer comes from within.
Award-winning journalist Jeffrey Reed is a Fanshawe College professor with the Corporate Communication and Public Relations post-graduate program and an instructor with Fanshawe's Continuing Education department. E-mail him at jreed@fanshawec.ca.
Ask anyone about their ideal career position, and they'll tell you they want to be passionate about their job. How many people do you know who go to work Monday morning with only one thought in mind: punching out on Friday afternoon? During my student years, I held plenty of jobs — retail salesperson, bartender, warehouse labourer — that were not my cup of tea. I was probably the worst kitchen worker in the history of McDonald's restaurants — employee of the month was about as close an aspiration as the next solar system.
Yet once I formed my own company — Jeffrey Reed Reporting — in 1989, I never turned back. Of course, there are 80-hour work weeks, constant deadlines, high-maintenance clients and demanding editors. But ever since I established my freelance journalism and media relations office, there has not been a day when I couldn't wait to jump out of bed and take on new challenges. You guessed it: I do what I love.
Here are some of the activities from my previous work week. In addition to writing newspaper and magazine articles, blogging on various websites, and networking in person and via social media, I attended two lengthy client meetings; initiated a new fundraiser; photographed a London-based fashion model; called Western Mustangs football on Rogers TV; wrote and distributed news releases; taught two classes; and trained a new employee. And despite the fact there was little gas in the tank, I couldn't wait to start a new workday.
It's very easy to state that you wish to do what you love, but you can't get there without setting goals, dreaming big, working hard and learning from mentors. Those four factors are the secret to my success.
When you set goals, you bring structure and discipline into your life. In 2000, as I quickly approached age 40, I set a goal of making the roster of the London Majors Baseball Club. I spent every day in the gym for eight months preparing for spring training, and it paid off. But without the initial dream of playing semi-professional baseball, and receiving help from mentors along the way, I would have remained in the press box instead of signing a contract.
In 2010, I set a goal of hitting golf balls for eight straight hours in order to raise funds for the London Anti-Bullying Coalition. Like my dream to pitch for the London Majors, this was a lofty goal, and one that I was not sure I could reach. But with a goal in mind, I focused heavily on time management and pulled it off, hitting 595 golf balls and avoiding injury and exhaustion. Yet without a support team around me the entire day, I would not have been able to tee it up after the third hour.
Too many times I see students and professionals who go about their business without short-, medium- and long-term goals in mind — they're wandering aimlessly, wasting valuable time and energy: they're 'existing' but not living. Setting goals is what should get you out of bed in the morning — and is what will help you do what you love.
I've always believed that if you give up your dreams, you die. But you can't dream without the will to work hard. A little luck along the way helps, too. And there's no substitute for mentors. During my entire life, I've had mentors at different levels. Whether they simply offered me an encouraging word or pat on the back, or took mentorship to a higher level and offered me constant guidance and counselling, mentors have played a huge part in my success story. Even today as I fill the role of mentor, I am seeking my own mentors.
You never stop learning. And you can't reach your goals without help from others.
Are you doing what you love? You won't find the answer in a textbook. That answer comes from within.
Award-winning journalist Jeffrey Reed is a Fanshawe College professor with the Corporate Communication and Public Relations post-graduate program and an instructor with Fanshawe's Continuing Education department. E-mail him at jreed@fanshawec.ca.
