[Music] [Applause]
when my son was three years old we were
when my son was three years old we were having lunch at the dinner table and we
having lunch at the dinner table and we
having lunch at the dinner table and we were talking about the people he was
were talking about the people he was
were talking about the people he was named after both of whom had passed away
named after both of whom had passed away
named after both of whom had passed away he was full of questions where are they
he was full of questions where are they
he was full of questions where are they when will they be back and finally he
when will they be back and finally he
when will they be back and finally he turned to me and said wait mommy do you
turned to me and said wait mommy do you
turned to me and said wait mommy do you mean we only get one turn on earth well
mean we only get one turn on earth well
mean we only get one turn on earth well after letting that profound statement
after letting that profound statement
after letting that profound statement from my pre-schooler so can I said yes
from my pre-schooler so can I said yes
from my pre-schooler so can I said yes honey we do and he said well I guess
honey we do and he said well I guess
honey we do and he said well I guess we’d better make it a good one yes we
we’d better make it a good one yes we
we’d better make it a good one yes we get one turn on earth and we need to
get one turn on earth and we need to
get one turn on earth and we need to make the most of it so far you’ve made a
make the most of it so far you’ve made a
make the most of it so far you’ve made a significant investment towards having a
significant investment towards having a
significant investment towards having a successful career life by the time you
successful career life by the time you
successful career life by the time you graduate from college you’ve spent 17
graduate from college you’ve spent 17
graduate from college you’ve spent 17 years that’s like three thousand days
years that’s like three thousand days
years that’s like three thousand days and 25,000 hours to get educated in your
and 25,000 hours to get educated in your
and 25,000 hours to get educated in your career you’ve read probably a hundred
career you’ve read probably a hundred
career you’ve read probably a hundred books taken hundreds of tests and
books taken hundreds of tests and
books taken hundreds of tests and learned from some of the best experts in
learned from some of the best experts in
learned from some of the best experts in your field you recognize some of those
your field you recognize some of those
your field you recognize some of those people all to reach this point to earn
people all to reach this point to earn
people all to reach this point to earn your college degree and proudly hang
your college degree and proudly hang
your college degree and proudly hang this diploma on the wall and signified
this diploma on the wall and signified
this diploma on the wall and signified to you and others that you have mastered
to you and others that you have mastered
to you and others that you have mastered the knowledge and the skills that you
the knowledge and the skills that you
the knowledge and the skills that you need to embark on your career and that’s
need to embark on your career and that’s
need to embark on your career and that’s important because meaningful work is a
important because meaningful work is a
important because meaningful work is a key ingredient to a meaningful life the
key ingredient to a meaningful life the
key ingredient to a meaningful life the problem though is we haven’t invested
problem though is we haven’t invested
problem though is we haven’t invested nearly as much training and preparing
nearly as much training and preparing
nearly as much training and preparing for our personal lives when we walk down
for our personal lives when we walk down
for our personal lives when we walk down the aisle we don’t have a
the aisle we don’t have a
the aisle we don’t have a three and how to have a long successful
three and how to have a long successful
three and how to have a long successful marriage and when you leave the hospital
marriage and when you leave the hospital
marriage and when you leave the hospital with your newborn baby they don’t come
with your newborn baby they don’t come
with your newborn baby they don’t come with an instruction manual and you had a
with an instruction manual and you had a
with an instruction manual and you had a pass tests on how to be a great parent
pass tests on how to be a great parent
pass tests on how to be a great parent we don’t spend nearly as much time
we don’t spend nearly as much time
we don’t spend nearly as much time investing in our mental and our physical
investing in our mental and our physical
investing in our mental and our physical health in fact twenty five percent of
health in fact twenty five percent of
health in fact twenty five percent of americans say they don’t exercise at all
americans say they don’t exercise at all
americans say they don’t exercise at all and this lack of attention to our
and this lack of attention to our
and this lack of attention to our personal lives comes with costs one and
personal lives comes with costs one and
personal lives comes with costs one and two marriages ends in divorce
two marriages ends in divorce
two marriages ends in divorce Alzheimer’s heart problems diabetes
Alzheimer’s heart problems diabetes
Alzheimer’s heart problems diabetes obesity are all on the right and people
obesity are all on the right and people
obesity are all on the right and people are experiencing anxiety and depression
are experiencing anxiety and depression
are experiencing anxiety and depression at younger and younger ages we need to
at younger and younger ages we need to
at younger and younger ages we need to be just as intentional in our personal
be just as intentional in our personal
be just as intentional in our personal lives as we are in our careers because
lives as we are in our careers because
lives as we are in our careers because without it we may have a less satisfying
without it we may have a less satisfying
without it we may have a less satisfying less successful and even a shorter turn
less successful and even a shorter turn
less successful and even a shorter turn on earth so when thinking about how to
on earth so when thinking about how to
on earth so when thinking about how to best invest in your personal life
best invest in your personal life
best invest in your personal life probably one of the last places you
probably one of the last places you
probably one of the last places you think to look is the business world but
think to look is the business world but
think to look is the business world but as a business professor the science and
as a business professor the science and
as a business professor the science and the principles of business give us
the principles of business give us
the principles of business give us valuable lessons on how to create a
valuable lessons on how to create a
valuable lessons on how to create a satisfying and successful life I’ll
satisfying and successful life I’ll
satisfying and successful life I’ll share three with you first great
share three with you first great
share three with you first great companies begin with a vision they have
companies begin with a vision they have
companies begin with a vision they have a clear picture of what they want to be
a clear picture of what they want to be
a clear picture of what they want to be what they want to have accomplished 10
what they want to have accomplished 10
what they want to have accomplished 10 20 years down the road take Southwest
20 years down the road take Southwest
20 years down the road take Southwest Airlines for example their vision is to
Airlines for example their vision is to
Airlines for example their vision is to become the world’s most loved most flown
become the world’s most loved most flown
become the world’s most loved most flown and most profitable airline vision is
and most profitable airline vision is
and most profitable airline vision is essential because imagining the future
essential because imagining the future
essential because imagining the future is the first step increase
is the first step increase
is the first step increase eating it today 45 years later Southwest
eating it today 45 years later Southwest
eating it today 45 years later Southwest carries the most domestic passengers has
carries the most domestic passengers has
carries the most domestic passengers has the best customer satisfaction rating
the best customer satisfaction rating
the best customer satisfaction rating and they have a 40-plus year record of
and they have a 40-plus year record of
and they have a 40-plus year record of profitability all indicating their
profitability all indicating their
profitability all indicating their success towards achieving their vision
success towards achieving their vision
success towards achieving their vision so how can you apply this to your
so how can you apply this to your
so how can you apply this to your personal life you need to begin with a
personal life you need to begin with a
personal life you need to begin with a clear picture of your desired future
clear picture of your desired future
clear picture of your desired future imagine you’ve come back to Furman for
imagine you’ve come back to Furman for
imagine you’ve come back to Furman for your 10-year reunion what do you want
your 10-year reunion what do you want
your 10-year reunion what do you want your life to be like what have you
your life to be like what have you
your life to be like what have you accomplished certainly in your career
accomplished certainly in your career
accomplished certainly in your career but are you married do you have kids
but are you married do you have kids
but are you married do you have kids what does your social and spiritual life
what does your social and spiritual life
what does your social and spiritual life look like what about your physical and
look like what about your physical and
look like what about your physical and mental health are you active in your
mental health are you active in your
mental health are you active in your community what qualities and
community what qualities and
community what qualities and characteristics do you want people to
characteristics do you want people to
characteristics do you want people to say about you envision it write it down
say about you envision it write it down
say about you envision it write it down because without knowing your desired
because without knowing your desired
because without knowing your desired destination other people and
destination other people and
destination other people and circumstances can guide your path and
circumstances can guide your path and
circumstances can guide your path and you can end up somewhere very different
you can end up somewhere very different
you can end up somewhere very different than you intended if vision is where a
than you intended if vision is where a
than you intended if vision is where a company wants to end up 10 years down
company wants to end up 10 years down
company wants to end up 10 years down the road strategy is their roadmap for
the road strategy is their roadmap for
the road strategy is their roadmap for how they’re going to get there great
how they’re going to get there great
how they’re going to get there great companies realize their resources are
companies realize their resources are
companies realize their resources are limited they can’t and they shouldn’t do
limited they can’t and they shouldn’t do
limited they can’t and they shouldn’t do everything they have to make decisions
everything they have to make decisions
everything they have to make decisions and be very deliberate about what they
and be very deliberate about what they
and be very deliberate about what they will invest in and do and what they
will invest in and do and what they
will invest in and do and what they won’t invest in and do and when they’ve
won’t invest in and do and when they’ve
won’t invest in and do and when they’ve got competing priorities they gotta know
got competing priorities they gotta know
got competing priorities they gotta know which ones more important and which ones
which ones more important and which ones
which ones more important and which ones going to get more of their resources
Southwest had a simple strategy if we
Southwest had a simple strategy if we get passenger
get passenger
get passenger where they want to go when they want to
where they want to go when they want to
where they want to go when they want to get there on time at the lowest possible
get there on time at the lowest possible
get there on time at the lowest possible fair okay and they have fun doing it
fair okay and they have fun doing it
fair okay and they have fun doing it passengers are going to want to fly our
passengers are going to want to fly our
passengers are going to want to fly our airline they were the pioneer in
airline they were the pioneer in
airline they were the pioneer in low-cost air travel a marketing
low-cost air travel a marketing
low-cost air travel a marketing executive went to the CEO and said hey
executive went to the CEO and said hey
executive went to the CEO and said hey we’ve got some data that suggests that
we’ve got some data that suggests that
we’ve got some data that suggests that our customers would be happy if we
our customers would be happy if we
our customers would be happy if we served a chicken caesar salad on some of
served a chicken caesar salad on some of
served a chicken caesar salad on some of our longer flights the CEO said let me
our longer flights the CEO said let me
our longer flights the CEO said let me ask you one question if we serve chicken
ask you one question if we serve chicken
ask you one question if we serve chicken salads is that going to make us the
salads is that going to make us the
salads is that going to make us the low-fare airline in those markets
low-fare airline in those markets
low-fare airline in those markets because if not we’re not serving any dog
because if not we’re not serving any dog
because if not we’re not serving any dog on chicken salad and they didn’t even
on chicken salad and they didn’t even
on chicken salad and they didn’t even though it seemed like a good idea it
though it seemed like a good idea it
though it seemed like a good idea it wasn’t consistent with their low-cost
wasn’t consistent with their low-cost
wasn’t consistent with their low-cost strategy your resources are limited to
strategy your resources are limited to
strategy your resources are limited to and just like Southwest you can’t and
and just like Southwest you can’t and
and just like Southwest you can’t and you shouldn’t try to do everything
you shouldn’t try to do everything
you shouldn’t try to do everything you’re going to have to make some tough
you’re going to have to make some tough
you’re going to have to make some tough choices and your decisions should be
choices and your decisions should be
choices and your decisions should be based on what your priorities are you
based on what your priorities are you
based on what your priorities are you should think strategically and invest
should think strategically and invest
should think strategically and invest your resources your time your energy
your resources your time your energy
your resources your time your energy your money read books listen to experts
your money read books listen to experts
your money read books listen to experts in those things that are going to help
in those things that are going to help
in those things that are going to help you achieve your desired future for your
you achieve your desired future for your
you achieve your desired future for your life take time as an example of one
life take time as an example of one
life take time as an example of one resource all of us in this room have one
resource all of us in this room have one
resource all of us in this room have one get one thing in common we get a hundred
get one thing in common we get a hundred
get one thing in common we get a hundred and sixty eight hours a week if you take
and sixty eight hours a week if you take
and sixty eight hours a week if you take out 40 hours for work and eight hours
out 40 hours for work and eight hours
out 40 hours for work and eight hours for sleep you have 72 hours of personal
for sleep you have 72 hours of personal
for sleep you have 72 hours of personal time what are you going to do with it
time what are you going to do with it
time what are you going to do with it what do you go in to prioritize are you
what do you go in to prioritize are you
what do you go in to prioritize are you going to exercise volunteer go to church
going to exercise volunteer go to church
going to exercise volunteer go to church spend time with your spouse your friends
spend time with your spouse your friends
spend time with your spouse your friends your extended family are you going to
your extended family are you going to
your extended family are you going to binge on Netflix and scroll through
binge on Netflix and scroll through
binge on Netflix and scroll through Facebook we have the opportunity to
Facebook we have the opportunity to
Facebook we have the opportunity to invest in our priorities no one starts
invest in our priorities no one starts
invest in our priorities no one starts off and says you know one day I want to
off and says you know one day I want to
off and says you know one day I want to have a heart attack no one says I want
have a heart attack no one says I want
have a heart attack no one says I want my marriage to be one of those two
my marriage to be one of those two
my marriage to be one of those two marriages that ends in divorce but
marriages that ends in divorce but
marriages that ends in divorce but unfortunately some of us find ourselves
unfortunately some of us find ourselves
unfortunately some of us find ourselves there because we don’t invest the most
there because we don’t invest the most
there because we don’t invest the most in the things that matter the most great
in the things that matter the most great
in the things that matter the most great companies not only know their vision and
companies not only know their vision and
companies not only know their vision and align their resources strategically they
align their resources strategically they
align their resources strategically they know their purpose they know why they
know their purpose they know why they
know their purpose they know why they exist Southwest Airlines says their
exist Southwest Airlines says their
exist Southwest Airlines says their purpose is to connect people to what’s
purpose is to connect people to what’s
purpose is to connect people to what’s most important in their lives and they
most important in their lives and they
most important in their lives and they say working there is not just a career
say working there is not just a career
say working there is not just a career it’s a cause but notice what they don’t
it’s a cause but notice what they don’t
it’s a cause but notice what they don’t say they don’t they our purpose is to
say they don’t they our purpose is to
say they don’t they our purpose is to make as much money as possible eighty
make as much money as possible eighty
make as much money as possible eighty percent of Millennials say that one of
percent of Millennials say that one of
percent of Millennials say that one of their life goals is to get rich but the
their life goals is to get rich but the
their life goals is to get rich but the science is clear beyond having enough
science is clear beyond having enough
science is clear beyond having enough money to meet our basic needs money does
money to meet our basic needs money does
money to meet our basic needs money does not buy happiness not in our jobs not in
not buy happiness not in our jobs not in
not buy happiness not in our jobs not in our lives but Southwest understands the
our lives but Southwest understands the
our lives but Southwest understands the science behind motivation and two things
science behind motivation and two things
science behind motivation and two things people do need to have a satisfying and
people do need to have a satisfying and
people do need to have a satisfying and successful life our cause and connection
successful life our cause and connection
successful life our cause and connection so how do you apply this to your life
so how do you apply this to your life
so how do you apply this to your life you need to know your purpose your why
you need to know your purpose your why
you need to know your purpose your why you need to surround yourselves with the
you need to surround yourselves with the
you need to surround yourselves with the people and find those activities that
people and find those activities that
people and find those activities that will give you the great
will give you the great
will give you the great sense of meaning and the research tells
sense of meaning and the research tells
sense of meaning and the research tells us that people find the greatest sense
us that people find the greatest sense
us that people find the greatest sense of meaning when they put the focus
of meaning when they put the focus
of meaning when they put the focus outside of themselves when they help
outside of themselves when they help
outside of themselves when they help when they care for and they serve others
relationships are not only key to
relationships are not only key to successful businesses but they are key
successful businesses but they are key
successful businesses but they are key to a successful personal life Harvard
to a successful personal life Harvard
to a successful personal life Harvard conducted a 75 year study on health and
conducted a 75 year study on health and
conducted a 75 year study on health and happiness and they found that the number
happiness and they found that the number
happiness and they found that the number one factor is social connections it’s
one factor is social connections it’s
one factor is social connections it’s not how many relationships you have is
not how many relationships you have is
not how many relationships you have is the quality the depth of the
the quality the depth of the
the quality the depth of the relationships the connections you have
relationships the connections you have
relationships the connections you have with family members friends and
with family members friends and
with family members friends and neighbors that helped us be physically
neighbors that helped us be physically
neighbors that helped us be physically healthier help our brain stay sharper
healthier help our brain stay sharper
healthier help our brain stay sharper and they help us live longer you get one
and they help us live longer you get one
and they help us live longer you get one turn on earth what are you going to do
turn on earth what are you going to do
turn on earth what are you going to do with it no matter your age or stage of
with it no matter your age or stage of
with it no matter your age or stage of life we tend to over invest in our
life we tend to over invest in our
life we tend to over invest in our careers and under invest in our personal
careers and under invest in our personal
careers and under invest in our personal lives meaningful work is important but
lives meaningful work is important but
lives meaningful work is important but we need to be bring balance by being at
we need to be bring balance by being at
we need to be bring balance by being at least equally invested in our personal
least equally invested in our personal
least equally invested in our personal lives and it’s not about equal time but
lives and it’s not about equal time but
lives and it’s not about equal time but it is about having a clear vision of
it is about having a clear vision of
it is about having a clear vision of your desired future being strategic and
your desired future being strategic and
your desired future being strategic and investing most in the things that matter
investing most in the things that matter
investing most in the things that matter most finding meaning and investing in
most finding meaning and investing in
most finding meaning and investing in relationships so that when you come back
relationships so that when you come back
relationships so that when you come back to Furman for your 10 20 or 50 year
to Furman for your 10 20 or 50 year
to Furman for your 10 20 or 50 year reunion you can say wow I’ve had one
reunion you can say wow I’ve had one
reunion you can say wow I’ve had one heck of a turn on earth
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
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