Worthy of Pay and College Graduates
Those who feel entitled will struggle with their sense of worthiness.
Worthy of Pay- a topic that I love. All throughout my life, I've worked extremely hard to be worthy of pay, going back to my early caddying days at Aspetuck Valley CC; extending to my time in the USAF, to being a CPA, to managing Saugerties Packaging, and then to being a valued College Advisor/ Mentor.
Being worthy of my pay is most important to me. I never once thought that I was "entitled". Rather, I always knew that I had to be very good at what I did, better than others! And I knew that my work had to be of value to others.
I don't get the sense that most college graduates from recent years feel the same way. I think most of them feel entitled to substantial pay, typically far more than they are worthy of being paid. Hard work has often been replaced by the passive mindset of entitlement.
College outcomes are predictable, good and bad. Good outcomes are years in the making, reflecting a long-term, mindful, forward-thinking approach. Bad outcomes come by default, often leaving it to whatever happens, reflecting a misguided approach.
College graduates who feel entitled usually return home unemployed. Those who consciously work hard towards becoming valuable are landing desired jobs with big pay. My college graduates are living proof!
Let's see how it works. I think a primary purpose of college is to expand one's perspective, knowledge, experience, cultural diversity, and overall intelligence.
Expanding perspective requires the student to openly listen and learn from the perspective of others without judgement of them; it must come genuinely from a conscious intention to do so...it's a starting point towards worthiness.
Expanding knowledge requires the student to master the content of their classes, extending the effort beyond the textbook to better understand its application and relevance in today's times...it's the next step to enhancing worthiness.
Expanding experience requires the student to connect with the academic community of the college; participate in clubs and contribute to the college culture; be involved and engaged with various activities on campus; be actively interning and always networking... it's a big step towards building worthiness.
Expanding cultural diversity requires the student to connect in a meaningful way with people from around the world coming from various cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, genders, and wealth positions. It requires the student to learn and appreciate the belief system of other people, without regard to being in agreement with them. It requires purposeful and willful intention...now becoming worthy!
These requirements cannot be overstated. We live in a multicultural, global-minded world of activities, businesses, governments, beliefs, and perspectives.
Let's see where "intelligence" fits in. People mistakenly believe that they are intelligent because they are smart. But really, one has nothing to do with the other.
People can be born smart, typically measured by one's learning ability and validated by their high grades and test scores. But no one is born intelligent, rather, it's a forever evolving, learned and developed skill reflecting someone's ability to think. It's often referred to as "critical thinking". One's critical-thinking ability is a major variable in being worthy of pay.
A person's intelligence is not static, rather it's either expanding or shrinking every day. The only way to ensure it expands is by consistently seeking to expand your perspective, knowledge, experience, and cultural diversity. Absent of that, intelligence shrinks...along with worthiness!
I've heard for years people say that they deserve a big paying job coming out of college, after all, the degree proves it...so they think. It might be what the college said back in those information-sessions. It might be what parents paid tens of thousands of dollars for—"certificate value" it's called.
Meet Tomas, he said to me last week upon his graduation- "Certificate value doesn't build careers."
Brilliant Tomas...I totally agree!!!
Tomas is from Medellin, Colombia. He came to me a few years ago upon completing his studies at a Colombia University. COVID hit, delaying his plans. We worked very hard together for two years to get him into the M.S.- Business program at Georgetown Univ. which began last fall.
In December, Tomas thrust himself into a national job competition for a Management & Leadership position with a major global company. He was up against higher GPA students coming from more prestigious undergraduate programs. However, Tomas is trilingual, multicultural, global-minded, and internationally-experienced...considerably more so than most others.
With purposeful intention, Tomas built his intelligence by gaining perspective, knowledge, experience, and cultural diversity. It was years in the making.
Soon after the interviews, Tomas received a call offering him an amazing opportunity, accompanied by a substantial financial package. His years of hard work were rewarded handsomely.
Tomas' ultimate goal is to return home one day as a role model to the youth of his community. I am sure that he will do that!
Congratulations Tomas...so well deserved!!!
Being worthy of pay is a lifetime of mindful intention in a daily effort driven by meaning and purpose to expand their perspective, knowledge, experience, cultural diversity, and intelligence...worthy of pay!