A Message To Our Youth

Several dear friends have asked me to craft A Message To Our Youth.

I’ve had the honor of speaking with hundreds of young people and have been a contributing force

behind several community initiatives at GE and Frito-Lay.

In my opinion, there are Three ”A’s” for young leaders to always consider as they forge their path to

success – Attitude, Aptitude, and Action.

Attitude – As a young leader, you might feel alone, unsure, and misunderstood. These feelings

are natural. Regardless, don’t let them prevent you from making your positive mark on the

world. Realize that there are many others who have felt the same way and have risen above the

negative emotions to achieve tremendous results. Also, realize that that you are NEVER alone.

There are many people who want you to succeed and are willing to help – Family, Friends, and

Community Leaders who truly care. Don’t let pride or fear prevent you from asking for the

support. I often hear “I did not want to bother you” or “I did know how to ask you”. These

are incorrect thoughts that limit your success. In fact, most people are very interested in

sharing their experiences. They will often see themselves in you. Honor them with your

respect and you will receive wisdom beyond your imagination. However, I do acknowledge that

Life will likely throw obstacles in your path. See these roadblocks as an opportunity to grow, a

chance to learn. Your WILL to succeed WILL overcome your circumstances. Please have the

strength to remain positive and/or count on other’s to be strong for you. Don’t forget that you

will always have people that believe in you – often more than you believe in yourself. Winston

Churchill once said “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the

opportunity in every difficulty”. Powerful words from an amazing leader. It is a message about

your frame of reference – how YOU see the world. If you see things in an Optimistic light, you

will attract Optimistic results. Also, you will feel better mentally, physically and spiritually about

your life – your present and future. Tal-Ben Shahar’s book “Happier” is a terrific study on the

effects of a positive outlook on life. I highly recommend it. Finally, you should take the

approach that you will improve EVERYTHING that you touch and leave a positive mark on

others. You will quickly develop a reputation of someone with a bright future and be admired

by your classmates, friends, and family. You will begin to form the foundation of your Legacy,

the road map to your greatness. You will grow into the leader that you are destined to become.

Aptitude - Webster’s Dictionary describes Aptitude as “capability; ability; innate or acquired

capacity for something; talent; readiness or quickness in learning; intelligence”. Please pay

special note to the “innate or acquired capacity for something” comment. Sure, some people

seem to just be born for things. This is often referred to as a person’s innate gift. However,

there are many skills and gifts that are developed by a relentless focus on improving your skills,

on improving your knowledge, on improving your Aptitude. I have seen many talented young

people squander their innate gifts thru a lack of focus. I have seen them passed up by “los que

tienen mas ganas de aprender” – the young people who simply want to learn more. To increase

your Aptitude, I suggest that you focus on several key areas; your Formal Education, your

Writing Skills, your Communication Skills, and your Frame of Reference. Your Formal Education

is first and foremost. Surround yourself with friends who share your same drive and who will

push you to be better. Don’t worry if you are not “popular” or feel out of place. The students

who focus on their Aptitude will eventually grow into the most successful people in their

communities and in the World. Put the time into developing good study habits, becoming

accustomed to taking tests, and engaging with your teachers. Your grades will speak to for you

as you look to secure support for College and beyond. Secondly, your Writing Skills are

incredibly important. There are many ways to improve these skills. Most notable is to fully

embrace the rules of Grammar – don’t just gloss over them in class. Learn them and apply

them. Additionally, I highly suggest that you commit to reading 10+ books a year in an effort to

expand your vocabulary, study different writing styles, and increase your writing skills. Also, you

will develop a true love for literature that will last a lifetime. Thirdly, strong communication

skills can be a huge asset for you as you effectively convey your message to others. A common

roadblock faced by young people is that “Little Voice” that I have referenced in previous blogs.

That voice asks “Am I saying things right?”, “What is he or she thinking about me?”, and “Do

they know that I don’t understand?” Silence that “Little Voice” by speaking with confidence,

staying focused on the person you are speaking with, and being an active participant in the

conversation by asking good questions. In addition, if you get an opportunity to speak in public,

strongly consider taking it. Speaking in front of groups takes a lot of practice as you build your

confidence and technique. To this day, after hundreds of public speaking opportunities, I still

get nervous. However, my technique and my confidence augment my resolve. Strong

Presentation Skills will take you many years to develop and you should start early. If you have

any questions on how to build these skills, please reach out to me. Finally, please expand

your Frame of Reference. Life goes way beyond your neighborhood, school, and circle of

friends. The past has many, many lessons. Learn about your family history. There are many

people who came before you and paved the way for your success. Your family stories will give

you context and strength. Also, become comfortable with current events, learn about people

from different backgrounds, explore other parts of the world, and make friends from around the

world. Technology has enabled a glorious age of connectivity. Leverage it to increase your

Frame of Reference.

Action – “Analysis Paralysis” applies to situations where people think about things so much that

they wind up not doing anything at all. We all know people that are always in the “Well, I was

going to do that but I thought that …” mode. To avoid this trap, young leaders need to develop

a plan for success complete with yearly goals, evaluate those goals, and take meaningful

action. Without action, the days turn into months, the months turn into years, and you are left

with a lack of growth. In developing your plan, think BIG. George Bernard Shaw once said

“Some people see things that are and ask WHY, I dream things that never were and ask WHY

NOT?” Give yourself the license to dream and hold yourself accountable for achievement. Ask

yourself ”Why Not Me?”. If you identify a legitimate gap, then develop an action plan to secure

the support that you need. Remember, Success build upon itself and is contagious. Once you

get the taste of it, you want it more for yourself and others. Be certain to share the positive

results of your actions with others. A close friend and spiritual advisor once told me “there is

nothing wrong with abundant success. The only thing wrong is not sharing it.” Great planning,

goal setting, and meaningful action will reap positive results for you and all those in your life.

Well, that’s all for now. I hope that this reflection resonates with you and enables your growth.

Thank you so much for your support.

All the best