what is success I’ve worked employee relations for many decades and one of
relations for many decades and one of
relations for many decades and one of the things that I keep finding is that
the things that I keep finding is that
the things that I keep finding is that people judge success on having a good
people judge success on having a good
people judge success on having a good leaving certificate a first-class
leaving certificate a first-class
leaving certificate a first-class honours degree a master’s or even a PhD
honours degree a master’s or even a PhD
honours degree a master’s or even a PhD but success is something that is
but success is something that is
but success is something that is completely different to each individual
completely different to each individual
completely different to each individual person it’s a personal thing so what
person it’s a personal thing so what
person it’s a personal thing so what success means to you to you and to you
success means to you to you and to you
success means to you to you and to you is something that will be completely
is something that will be completely
is something that will be completely different I believe success is about
different I believe success is about
different I believe success is about finding a healthy balance in life that
finding a healthy balance in life that
finding a healthy balance in life that is right for you finding that balance
is right for you finding that balance
is right for you finding that balance it’s ongoing it’s a process it doesn’t
it’s ongoing it’s a process it doesn’t
it’s ongoing it’s a process it doesn’t end because it’s not the fact that you
end because it’s not the fact that you
end because it’s not the fact that you have an end goal and you achieve it and
have an end goal and you achieve it and
have an end goal and you achieve it and suddenly you have a calm peaceful
suddenly you have a calm peaceful
suddenly you have a calm peaceful meaningful life and because of the fact
meaningful life and because of the fact
meaningful life and because of the fact that it’s ongoing if you will evolve and
that it’s ongoing if you will evolve and
that it’s ongoing if you will evolve and it will change education is one of the
it will change education is one of the
it will change education is one of the keys to that process education is what
keys to that process education is what
keys to that process education is what helps us to achieve that one thing we
helps us to achieve that one thing we
helps us to achieve that one thing we want to do in our lives so that it can
want to do in our lives so that it can
want to do in our lives so that it can be a success for us and finding that
be a success for us and finding that
be a success for us and finding that balance will be very different so along
balance will be very different so along
balance will be very different so along the way for each individual we will
the way for each individual we will
the way for each individual we will acquire new skills new learning and the
acquire new skills new learning and the
acquire new skills new learning and the good thing about education is that it is
good thing about education is that it is
good thing about education is that it is open to people from all backgrounds
open to people from all backgrounds
open to people from all backgrounds there’s no limitations and it allows us
there’s no limitations and it allows us
there’s no limitations and it allows us to expand our human mind with knowledge
to expand our human mind with knowledge
to expand our human mind with knowledge so what it does with education and
so what it does with education and
so what it does with education and knowing that we are going to be
knowing that we are going to be
knowing that we are going to be successful it means that our dreams can
successful it means that our dreams can
successful it means that our dreams can become a reality and sometimes our
become a reality and sometimes our
become a reality and sometimes our dreams don’t happen and the reason they
dreams don’t happen and the reason they
dreams don’t happen and the reason they don’t is because we don’t believe enough
don’t is because we don’t believe enough
don’t is because we don’t believe enough in ourselves we tend to sell ourselves
in ourselves we tend to sell ourselves
in ourselves we tend to sell ourselves short because we believe that we won’t
short because we believe that we won’t
short because we believe that we won’t reach that what that goal is to be and a
reach that what that goal is to be and a
reach that what that goal is to be and a good friend of mine recently told me
good friend of mine recently told me
good friend of mine recently told me when I was telling her what I was
when I was telling her what I was
when I was telling her what I was preparing for and she said her motto is
preparing for and she said her motto is
preparing for and she said her motto is if you dream us you can make us and if
if you dream us you can make us and if
if you dream us you can make us and if we look
we look
we look when we start with our dreams and
when we start with our dreams and
when we start with our dreams and aspirations they start from a very young
aspirations they start from a very young
aspirations they start from a very young age I’ve a nine-year-old daughter Anna
age I’ve a nine-year-old daughter Anna
age I’ve a nine-year-old daughter Anna her dream is that she’s going to work
her dream is that she’s going to work
her dream is that she’s going to work for NASA and she’s going to be the first
for NASA and she’s going to be the first
for NASA and she’s going to be the first woman on Mars to prove it she has a
woman on Mars to prove it she has a
woman on Mars to prove it she has a solar system in her room for the last
solar system in her room for the last
solar system in her room for the last two years when she decided that this was
two years when she decided that this was
two years when she decided that this was her dream each year it comes up and even
her dream each year it comes up and even
her dream each year it comes up and even Santa now knows what needs to be there
Santa now knows what needs to be there
Santa now knows what needs to be there to add to that so that each night she
to add to that so that each night she
to add to that so that each night she can focus she knows what her dream is
can focus she knows what her dream is
can focus she knows what her dream is she knows the path that she’s going to
she knows the path that she’s going to
she knows the path that she’s going to get there that’d probably be twists and
get there that’d probably be twists and
get there that’d probably be twists and turns and few diversions and probably a
turns and few diversions and probably a
turns and few diversions and probably a few bumps along the way but if she
few bumps along the way but if she
few bumps along the way but if she continues to maintain her belief it’s a
continues to maintain her belief it’s a
continues to maintain her belief it’s a possibility yes she will go through
possibility yes she will go through
possibility yes she will go through education and she knows the route that
education and she knows the route that
education and she knows the route that she wants to take and it would be
she wants to take and it would be
she wants to take and it would be important that she attains those skills
important that she attains those skills
important that she attains those skills as she goes through education but it’s
as she goes through education but it’s
as she goes through education but it’s not just education it’s also going to be
not just education it’s also going to be
not just education it’s also going to be the social skills that she needs to
the social skills that she needs to
the social skills that she needs to acquire along the way so it equally is
acquire along the way so it equally is
acquire along the way so it equally is the role of pollen eyes her parents to
the role of pollen eyes her parents to
the role of pollen eyes her parents to assist with that side and the educators
assist with that side and the educators
assist with that side and the educators to help her along the way in relation to
to help her along the way in relation to
to help her along the way in relation to what she needs to achieve academically
what she needs to achieve academically
what she needs to achieve academically so education and we go back to it being
so education and we go back to it being
so education and we go back to it being a process we start educating from when
a process we start educating from when
a process we start educating from when we were very very young to the time that
we were very very young to the time that
we were very very young to the time that we start learning to feed ourselves when
we start learning to feed ourselves when
we start learning to feed ourselves when we’re learning to walk and each time as
we’re learning to walk and each time as
we’re learning to walk and each time as we evolve we’re learning new skills
we evolve we’re learning new skills
we evolve we’re learning new skills socially but on the job in the school
socially but on the job in the school
socially but on the job in the school college format as part of life they say
college format as part of life they say
college format as part of life they say that in the first five years of your
that in the first five years of your
that in the first five years of your life you learn more than you will learn
life you learn more than you will learn
life you learn more than you will learn for the rest of your life so if we take
for the rest of your life so if we take
for the rest of your life so if we take it back to that that means that at that
it back to that that means that at that
it back to that that means that at that time during that time that’s when a
time during that time that’s when a
time during that time that’s when a child becomes the person they’re going
child becomes the person they’re going
child becomes the person they’re going to be it’s when they learn there so many
to be it’s when they learn there so many
to be it’s when they learn there so many of their social skills their empathy
of their social skills their empathy
of their social skills their empathy about relationships
about relationships
about relationships boundaries and we know the phone with a
boundaries and we know the phone with a
boundaries and we know the phone with a young child trying to learn how to push
young child trying to learn how to push
young child trying to learn how to push boundaries they’re very good at us so
boundaries they’re very good at us so
boundaries they’re very good at us so when we look at that and take it into
when we look at that and take it into
when we look at that and take it into context as we progress some interesting
context as we progress some interesting
context as we progress some interesting facts to share with you this morning the
facts to share with you this morning the
facts to share with you this morning the good news is that there are experts who
good news is that there are experts who
good news is that there are experts who stated that if you’re 60 years old in
stated that if you’re 60 years old in
stated that if you’re 60 years old in reasonably good health the good news is
reasonably good health the good news is
reasonably good health the good news is that you are going to reach the big 100
that you are going to reach the big 100
that you are going to reach the big 100 the not so good news is that a result of
the not so good news is that a result of
the not so good news is that a result of this it means we’re going to have to
this it means we’re going to have to
this it means we’re going to have to work longer so as a result of working
work longer so as a result of working
work longer so as a result of working longer what they say is that we’re going
longer what they say is that we’re going
longer what they say is that we’re going to take some time out we’re going to
to take some time out we’re going to
to take some time out we’re going to have recuperation we’re going to be up
have recuperation we’re going to be up
have recuperation we’re going to be up skilling ourselves we may even have some
skilling ourselves we may even have some
skilling ourselves we may even have some career changes along the way because we
career changes along the way because we
career changes along the way because we now will be working until we’re in our
now will be working until we’re in our
now will be working until we’re in our 80s so the traditional life model that
80s so the traditional life model that
80s so the traditional life model that we’ve all known that the experts have
we’ve all known that the experts have
we’ve all known that the experts have said is that from 15 to 21 you’re an
said is that from 15 to 21 you’re an
said is that from 15 to 21 you’re an early adulthood so that’s full time
early adulthood so that’s full time
early adulthood so that’s full time education from 21 to 65 that’s the
education from 21 to 65 that’s the
education from 21 to 65 that’s the career move potentially across three
career move potentially across three
career move potentially across three companies then from 65 to 80 retirement
companies then from 65 to 80 retirement
companies then from 65 to 80 retirement on the self funded pension so as a
on the self funded pension so as a
on the self funded pension so as a result of that lifestyle change what’s
result of that lifestyle change what’s
result of that lifestyle change what’s this going to mean for education is a
this going to mean for education is a
this going to mean for education is a huge shift in how we educate ourselves
huge shift in how we educate ourselves
huge shift in how we educate ourselves both on the job because we’ll be
both on the job because we’ll be
both on the job because we’ll be developing goes back to recuperation to
developing goes back to recuperation to
developing goes back to recuperation to upskilling ourselves and all the changes
upskilling ourselves and all the changes
upskilling ourselves and all the changes that new advanced technology and to be
that new advanced technology and to be
that new advanced technology and to be fair even sitting here today there’s
fair even sitting here today there’s
fair even sitting here today there’s probably technology we don’t know that
probably technology we don’t know that
probably technology we don’t know that will even be developed that could be
will even be developed that could be
will even be developed that could be here in less than five years so if we
here in less than five years so if we
here in less than five years so if we take it back to education education is
take it back to education education is
take it back to education education is not just the traditional route not
not just the traditional route not
not just the traditional route not saying there’s anything wrong with third
saying there’s anything wrong with third
saying there’s anything wrong with third level institutions but it’s open to us
level institutions but it’s open to us
level institutions but it’s open to us as individual it’s not for each person
as individual it’s not for each person
as individual it’s not for each person to go that route but there are other
to go that route but there are other
to go that route but there are other options available and here in the mid
options available and here in the mid
options available and here in the mid west of Ireland were very fortunate we
west of Ireland were very fortunate we
west of Ireland were very fortunate we have University Limerick we have
have University Limerick we have
have University Limerick we have Limerick and truly Institutes of
Limerick and truly Institutes of
Limerick and truly Institutes of nology our education and training boards
nology our education and training boards
nology our education and training boards the local development companies and we
the local development companies and we
the local development companies and we have a host of apprenticeship programs
have a host of apprenticeship programs
have a host of apprenticeship programs we also have the midwest regional skills
we also have the midwest regional skills
we also have the midwest regional skills forum which was founded in 2015 and this
forum which was founded in 2015 and this
forum which was founded in 2015 and this was part of the irish government’s
was part of the irish government’s
was part of the irish government’s national strategy skills strategy which
national strategy skills strategy which
national strategy skills strategy which was going to bring employers and the
was going to bring employers and the
was going to bring employers and the educators together to look at what are
educators together to look at what are
educators together to look at what are the emerging skill needs in each region
the emerging skill needs in each region
the emerging skill needs in each region because there’s nine regional skills for
because there’s nine regional skills for
because there’s nine regional skills for in ireland so when we look at that and
in ireland so when we look at that and
in ireland so when we look at that and all the different opportunities that we
all the different opportunities that we
all the different opportunities that we have there’s so many different paths
have there’s so many different paths
have there’s so many different paths that we can take they don’t all have to
that we can take they don’t all have to
that we can take they don’t all have to go straight from A to B as I said there
go straight from A to B as I said there
go straight from A to B as I said there can be many that have diversions you can
can be many that have diversions you can
can be many that have diversions you can take a long route it really depends what
take a long route it really depends what
take a long route it really depends what success is for you what do you want to
success is for you what do you want to
success is for you what do you want to do and how do you want to get there and
do and how do you want to get there and
do and how do you want to get there and if I look at someone who’s taken rather
if I look at someone who’s taken rather
if I look at someone who’s taken rather a long path to get to what they wanted
a long path to get to what they wanted
a long path to get to what they wanted to achieve want to share with use my
to achieve want to share with use my
to achieve want to share with use my brother Neil academically Neil thought
brother Neil academically Neil thought
brother Neil academically Neil thought he’d never finished school leaving cert
he’d never finished school leaving cert
he’d never finished school leaving cert on I think everybody breathes a sigh of
on I think everybody breathes a sigh of
on I think everybody breathes a sigh of relief so he decided because we were
relief so he decided because we were
relief so he decided because we were farming that he was going to farm and my
farming that he was going to farm and my
farming that he was going to farm and my mom stopped him one day and she said why
mom stopped him one day and she said why
mom stopped him one day and she said why are you doing farming he said because
are you doing farming he said because
are you doing farming he said because that’s why not that’s what we do and we
that’s why not that’s what we do and we
that’s why not that’s what we do and we have a farm I you know dad’s not going
have a farm I you know dad’s not going
have a farm I you know dad’s not going to be there forever he’s going to want
to be there forever he’s going to want
to be there forever he’s going to want to step down someday and she said but
to step down someday and she said but
to step down someday and she said but why are you doing it and he’d never
why are you doing it and he’d never
why are you doing it and he’d never thought about that because he wanted to
thought about that because he wanted to
thought about that because he wanted to that was it had to be done and she said
that was it had to be done and she said
that was it had to be done and she said what do you really want to do with your
what do you really want to do with your
what do you really want to do with your life is it farming and he said of course
life is it farming and he said of course
life is it farming and he said of course it is off he went and he did an
it is off he went and he did an
it is off he went and he did an interview because he had to do in
interview because he had to do in
interview because he had to do in agriculture course and my dad got a call
agriculture course and my dad got a call
agriculture course and my dad got a call to say he did really well but he
to say he did really well but he
to say he did really well but he actually talked about horses for the
actually talked about horses for the
actually talked about horses for the whole hour he was in there and this is
whole hour he was in there and this is
whole hour he was in there and this is specialization for pig farming don’t
specialization for pig farming don’t
specialization for pig farming don’t really know it’s my moment back to her
really know it’s my moment back to her
really know it’s my moment back to her conversation
conversation
conversation and so they think have you thought about
and so they think have you thought about
and so they think have you thought about this and he went I till want to let you
this and he went I till want to let you
this and he went I till want to let you down I’d love to work an IT because he
down I’d love to work an IT because he
down I’d love to work an IT because he was always breaking our toys and putting
was always breaking our toys and putting
was always breaking our toys and putting them together not so successfully
them together not so successfully
them together not so successfully sometimes so he decided then he was
sometimes so he decided then he was
sometimes so he decided then he was farming by day and with a government
farming by day and with a government
farming by day and with a government body called force he did nighttime
body called force he did nighttime
body called force he did nighttime courses in IT so after a year he then
courses in IT so after a year he then
courses in IT so after a year he then took up a job as a junior person with
took up a job as a junior person with
took up a job as a junior person with NIT he progressed through that and
NIT he progressed through that and
NIT he progressed through that and continued on his nighttime programs
continued on his nighttime programs
continued on his nighttime programs again the study but at least he was
again the study but at least he was
again the study but at least he was doing something he enjoyed for the first
doing something he enjoyed for the first
doing something he enjoyed for the first time today he’s a senior IT manager in
time today he’s a senior IT manager in
time today he’s a senior IT manager in an international security IT firm he
an international security IT firm he
an international security IT firm he works side by side with peoples who
works side by side with peoples who
works side by side with peoples who academically are much more successful in
academically are much more successful in
academically are much more successful in that sense of what he was they have
that sense of what he was they have
that sense of what he was they have masters and degrees he took a longer
masters and degrees he took a longer
masters and degrees he took a longer route but he got to where his dream was
route but he got to where his dream was
route but he got to where his dream was sometimes it takes a little help from
sometimes it takes a little help from
sometimes it takes a little help from somebody else and whoever said moms know
somebody else and whoever said moms know
somebody else and whoever said moms know best so if we look at that and look at
best so if we look at that and look at
best so if we look at that and look at it can be achievable it all depends on
it can be achievable it all depends on
it can be achievable it all depends on what route you want to take and if i go
what route you want to take and if i go
what route you want to take and if i go back to anna and her dream to be on Mars
back to anna and her dream to be on Mars
back to anna and her dream to be on Mars the other day we were talking and she
the other day we were talking and she
the other day we were talking and she was really excited NASA have just
was really excited NASA have just
was really excited NASA have just announced that they have a new program
announced that they have a new program
announced that they have a new program Mars program they’re going to put people
Mars program they’re going to put people
Mars program they’re going to put people on Mars by 2030 to 20 30 50 she’s there
on Mars by 2030 to 20 30 50 she’s there
on Mars by 2030 to 20 30 50 she’s there she’s getting ready her dream can become
she’s getting ready her dream can become
she’s getting ready her dream can become a reality so the fact that she goes to
a reality so the fact that she goes to
a reality so the fact that she goes to sleep at night looking at the solar
sleep at night looking at the solar
sleep at night looking at the solar system she can now believe actually one
system she can now believe actually one
system she can now believe actually one day I will be there so it’s up to each
day I will be there so it’s up to each
day I will be there so it’s up to each of us so if there’s one things that I’d
of us so if there’s one things that I’d
of us so if there’s one things that I’d like you to take away with you this
like you to take away with you this
like you to take away with you this morning it’s this ask yourselves what is
morning it’s this ask yourselves what is
morning it’s this ask yourselves what is success for me and when you’ve answered
success for me and when you’ve answered
success for me and when you’ve answered that ask yourself how do I make that
that ask yourself how do I make that
that ask yourself how do I make that happen
happen
happen and then when you’ve vast answered you
and then when you’ve vast answered you
and then when you’ve vast answered you know what your path is what you need to
know what your path is what you need to
know what your path is what you need to do to be successful remembering it
do to be successful remembering it
do to be successful remembering it different for each individual person
different for each individual person
different for each individual person that is here so to be very different for
that is here so to be very different for
that is here so to be very different for you for you and for you thank you
you for you and for you thank you
you for you and for you thank you [Music]
”
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