I’m going to start with a story from my own background that took place in 1995
own background that took place in 1995
own background that took place in 1995 my closest faculty friend at the first
my closest faculty friend at the first
my closest faculty friend at the first college I served in such a role that I
college I served in such a role that I
college I served in such a role that I do here now
do here now
do here now was Larry bright board it’s a professor
was Larry bright board it’s a professor
was Larry bright board it’s a professor and chair of anthropology and he had
and chair of anthropology and he had
and chair of anthropology and he had after 20 years or so secured an
after 20 years or so secured an
after 20 years or so secured an opportunity to become the chief academic
opportunity to become the chief academic
opportunity to become the chief academic officer at a college a little south of
officer at a college a little south of
officer at a college a little south of where we were in Wisconsin Knox College
where we were in Wisconsin Knox College
where we were in Wisconsin Knox College and kales burg Illinois Larry had been
and kales burg Illinois Larry had been
and kales burg Illinois Larry had been invited in 1995 prior to his departure
invited in 1995 prior to his departure
invited in 1995 prior to his departure to deliver what was perhaps a precursor
to deliver what was perhaps a precursor
to deliver what was perhaps a precursor to tedxtalks
to tedxtalks
to tedxtalks this was common on college and
this was common on college and
this was common on college and university campuses and it was called
university campuses and it was called
university campuses and it was called the last lecture series the premise was
the last lecture series the premise was
the last lecture series the premise was an esteemed faculty member or staff
an esteemed faculty member or staff
an esteemed faculty member or staff member from a college was invited by the
member from a college was invited by the
member from a college was invited by the community to deliver a lecture under the
community to deliver a lecture under the
community to deliver a lecture under the premise that it would be the last one
premise that it would be the last one
premise that it would be the last one that they would ever deliver so in Larry
that they would ever deliver so in Larry
that they would ever deliver so in Larry bright board’s case it was indeed his
bright board’s case it was indeed his
bright board’s case it was indeed his last lecture at Beloit College and what
last lecture at Beloit College and what
last lecture at Beloit College and what he spoke of was to his students mainly
he spoke of was to his students mainly
he spoke of was to his students mainly that he had it that he was still
that he had it that he was still
that he had it that he was still changing that he was still growing that
changing that he was still growing that
changing that he was still growing that he wasn’t done yet he wasn’t finished
he wasn’t done yet he wasn’t finished
he wasn’t done yet he wasn’t finished yet that he was a work in progress
yet that he was a work in progress
yet that he was a work in progress and I’ve always remembered that and so
and I’ve always remembered that and so
and I’ve always remembered that and so when I was invited to deliver a TEDx
when I was invited to deliver a TEDx
when I was invited to deliver a TEDx talk here given what dr. Kennedy
talk here given what dr. Kennedy
talk here given what dr. Kennedy mentioned that I’m retiring in three
mentioned that I’m retiring in three
mentioned that I’m retiring in three months almost exactly and that I am 64
months almost exactly and that I am 64
months almost exactly and that I am 64 and 19 twentieths years old so in about
and 19 twentieths years old so in about
and 19 twentieths years old so in about 18 days I’ll turn 65 and it made me
18 days I’ll turn 65 and it made me
18 days I’ll turn 65 and it made me reflect myself on what unites
reflect myself on what unites
reflect myself on what unites what do I have to offer well you need to
what do I have to offer well you need to
what do I have to offer well you need to know that professionally is was
know that professionally is was
know that professionally is was mentioned I’m a career counselor and
mentioned I’m a career counselor and
mentioned I’m a career counselor and I’ve been doing that for 35 years and so
I’ve been doing that for 35 years and so
I’ve been doing that for 35 years and so I tried to narrow it down to one point
I tried to narrow it down to one point
I tried to narrow it down to one point that I could offer and thank you for
that I could offer and thank you for
that I could offer and thank you for letting me be a little self-indulgent to
letting me be a little self-indulgent to
letting me be a little self-indulgent to describe a little bit of my personal
describe a little bit of my personal
describe a little bit of my personal story and I just want to do a little
story and I just want to do a little
story and I just want to do a little more of that
more of that
more of that so 1995 was 22 years ago and Here I am
so 1995 was 22 years ago and Here I am
so 1995 was 22 years ago and Here I am about to retire it’s pretty surreal and
about to retire it’s pretty surreal and
about to retire it’s pretty surreal and you come to grips with that and you kind
you come to grips with that and you kind
you come to grips with that and you kind of rock back and forth between I’m ready
of rock back and forth between I’m ready
of rock back and forth between I’m ready and I’m not done yet
and I’m not done yet
and I’m not done yet at least with that word so I was on an
at least with that word so I was on an
at least with that word so I was on an airline a couple of years ago and I had
airline a couple of years ago and I had
airline a couple of years ago and I had a seat in the back and as I went to the
a seat in the back and as I went to the
a seat in the back and as I went to the back
back
back I used my person observation skills by
I used my person observation skills by
I used my person observation skills by the time I got to you know 33 a I had
the time I got to you know 33 a I had
the time I got to you know 33 a I had noticed all the folks and I said you
noticed all the folks and I said you
noticed all the folks and I said you know there aren’t any old folks on this
know there aren’t any old folks on this
know there aren’t any old folks on this plane and then I realized I’m the old
plane and then I realized I’m the old
plane and then I realized I’m the old folks and this was just a couple of
folks and this was just a couple of
folks and this was just a couple of years ago so there’s that I would
years ago so there’s that I would
years ago so there’s that I would contend that at age 64 in 1920s I have
contend that at age 64 in 1920s I have
contend that at age 64 in 1920s I have felt like an adult maybe four or five
felt like an adult maybe four or five
felt like an adult maybe four or five times and so I have to grapple with that
times and so I have to grapple with that
times and so I have to grapple with that as I look at the next chapter of my
as I look at the next chapter of my
as I look at the next chapter of my experience so here’s the topic I’ve
experience so here’s the topic I’ve
experience so here’s the topic I’ve chosen and I’m as laurel mentioned I’ve
chosen and I’m as laurel mentioned I’ve
chosen and I’m as laurel mentioned I’ve been curious about curiosity and this is
been curious about curiosity and this is
been curious about curiosity and this is framed by the work I do with
framed by the work I do with
framed by the work I do with undergraduates as they try and imagine
undergraduates as they try and imagine
undergraduates as they try and imagine their next chapter or their next summer
their next chapter or their next summer
their next chapter or their next summer and it comes to bear and that’ll I’ll
and it comes to bear and that’ll I’ll
and it comes to bear and that’ll I’ll shed some light on that in a little bit
shed some light on that in a little bit
shed some light on that in a little bit but where it all begins is I started
but where it all begins is I started
but where it all begins is I started with some definitions I looked up kiri
with some definitions I looked up kiri
with some definitions I looked up kiri in any number of dictionaries and other
in any number of dictionaries and other
in any number of dictionaries and other sources and I couldn’t find the
sources and I couldn’t find the
sources and I couldn’t find the definition I had hoped to see every
definition I had hoped to see every
definition I had hoped to see every definition of curiosity intellectual
definition of curiosity intellectual
definition of curiosity intellectual curiosity historical curiosity you name
curiosity historical curiosity you name
curiosity historical curiosity you name it
it
it focused on F being curious external of
focused on F being curious external of
focused on F being curious external of ourselves and I was looking for a
ourselves and I was looking for a
ourselves and I was looking for a definition that looked at curiosity
definition that looked at curiosity
definition that looked at curiosity within of what we have inside ourselves
within of what we have inside ourselves
within of what we have inside ourselves and how we use that and how we become
and how we use that and how we become
and how we use that and how we become curious about who we are and what we
curious about who we are and what we
curious about who we are and what we have and what our potential is I then
have and what our potential is I then
have and what our potential is I then looked at other words I lived up
looked at other words I lived up
looked at other words I lived up motivation I looked at purpose
motivation I looked at purpose
motivation I looked at purpose I looked up Drive and a number of other
I looked up Drive and a number of other
I looked up Drive and a number of other terms and I still didn’t find that
terms and I still didn’t find that
terms and I still didn’t find that internal focus on curiosity I reflected
internal focus on curiosity I reflected
internal focus on curiosity I reflected in my graduate studies in my counseling
in my graduate studies in my counseling
in my graduate studies in my counseling psychology cognate and I remember
psychology cognate and I remember
psychology cognate and I remember Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs now I’ve as you can probably tell I have
now I’ve as you can probably tell I have
now I’ve as you can probably tell I have eliminated the descriptions with the
eliminated the descriptions with the
eliminated the descriptions with the first four levels of need they’re rather
first four levels of need they’re rather
first four levels of need they’re rather basic so that we can focus on
basic so that we can focus on
basic so that we can focus on self-actualization and descriptions
self-actualization and descriptions
self-actualization and descriptions there are more morality creativity
there are more morality creativity
there are more morality creativity spontaneity problem-solving lack of
spontaneity problem-solving lack of
spontaneity problem-solving lack of prejudice acceptance of facts and
prejudice acceptance of facts and
prejudice acceptance of facts and there’s more and Maslow used another
there’s more and Maslow used another
there’s more and Maslow used another phrase as I recall that went to
phrase as I recall that went to
phrase as I recall that went to exceptional moments of performance so I
exceptional moments of performance so I
exceptional moments of performance so I thought about that and I’m going to
thought about that and I’m going to
thought about that and I’m going to invoke because it’s March Madness a
invoke because it’s March Madness a
invoke because it’s March Madness a sports a series of sports metaphors so
sports a series of sports metaphors so
sports a series of sports metaphors so I’ve imagined the distance runner in a
I’ve imagined the distance runner in a
I’ve imagined the distance runner in a marathon at Mile 20 two hits what is
marathon at Mile 20 two hits what is
marathon at Mile 20 two hits what is called the wall pushes through it finds
called the wall pushes through it finds
called the wall pushes through it finds a different level of oven within
a different level of oven within
a different level of oven within themselves and makes it to the finish
themselves and makes it to the finish
themselves and makes it to the finish line
think of a diver
think of a diver who shoots for that perfectly clean
who shoots for that perfectly clean
who shoots for that perfectly clean entry the gymnast who sticks our landing
entry the gymnast who sticks our landing
entry the gymnast who sticks our landing and because it’s March the hoops folks
and because it’s March the hoops folks
and because it’s March the hoops folks who dig within themselves rise to the
who dig within themselves rise to the
who dig within themselves rise to the occasion and find their weights in a
occasion and find their weights in a
occasion and find their weights in a next level of performance so it sounds
next level of performance so it sounds
next level of performance so it sounds pretty good so far well it’s not easy
pretty good so far well it’s not easy
pretty good so far well it’s not easy you have to overcome fear you have to
you have to overcome fear you have to
you have to overcome fear you have to start somewhere and you have to take
start somewhere and you have to take
start somewhere and you have to take risks so I want to talk now and kind of
risks so I want to talk now and kind of
risks so I want to talk now and kind of bring it to to the end in terms of
bring it to to the end in terms of
bring it to to the end in terms of looking at our capacity my capacity your
looking at our capacity my capacity your
looking at our capacity my capacity your capacity what if you applied those same
capacity what if you applied those same
capacity what if you applied those same concepts because again I’m a career
concepts because again I’m a career
concepts because again I’m a career counselor by training in nature and
counselor by training in nature and
counselor by training in nature and passion what if you applied those same
passion what if you applied those same
passion what if you applied those same concepts of extreme peak performance in
concepts of extreme peak performance in
concepts of extreme peak performance in looking at your own capacity and through
looking at your own capacity and through
looking at your own capacity and through my lens what if you looked at your next
my lens what if you looked at your next
my lens what if you looked at your next chapters of that next internship of that
chapters of that next internship of that
chapters of that next internship of that next job search of applying to graduate
next job search of applying to graduate
next job search of applying to graduate or professional school of seeking a
or professional school of seeking a
or professional school of seeking a fellowship and went to that concept of
fellowship and went to that concept of
fellowship and went to that concept of looking within ourselves aren’t you
looking within ourselves aren’t you
looking within ourselves aren’t you curious to know what you have inside you
curious to know what you have inside you
curious to know what you have inside you of what your next level is and it can be
of what your next level is and it can be
of what your next level is and it can be it won’t be something that’s sustainable
it won’t be something that’s sustainable
it won’t be something that’s sustainable over time like many other aspects and
over time like many other aspects and
over time like many other aspects and facets of life it comes and goes
facets of life it comes and goes
facets of life it comes and goes happiness comes and goes is another
happiness comes and goes is another
happiness comes and goes is another example of fleeting and ebbing and
example of fleeting and ebbing and
example of fleeting and ebbing and flowing but what if you push your
flowing but what if you push your
flowing but what if you push your capacity in terms of your next chapter
capacity in terms of your next chapter
capacity in terms of your next chapter in life so here’s where I want to
in life so here’s where I want to
in life so here’s where I want to conclude with this and that is I see so
conclude with this and that is I see so
conclude with this and that is I see so many of the students I’ve worked with
many of the students I’ve worked with
many of the students I’ve worked with over the years and decades going through
over the years and decades going through
over the years and decades going through a computer looking at all the jobs or in
a computer looking at all the jobs or in
a computer looking at all the jobs or in ships that are out there and they have
ships that are out there and they have
ships that are out there and they have one of three reactions for some they see
one of three reactions for some they see
one of three reactions for some they see thank goodness they say yuck for others
thank goodness they say yuck for others
thank goodness they say yuck for others they see occasionally they’ll say
they see occasionally they’ll say
they see occasionally they’ll say something like well that’s cool the one
something like well that’s cool the one
something like well that’s cool the one I always worry about is the third and
I always worry about is the third and
I always worry about is the third and that is when you look at an opportunity
that is when you look at an opportunity
that is when you look at an opportunity and you say I guess I could that’s the
and you say I guess I could that’s the
and you say I guess I could that’s the one that freaks me out a little bit but
one that freaks me out a little bit but
one that freaks me out a little bit but what if you didn’t take that approach of
what if you didn’t take that approach of
what if you didn’t take that approach of just looking online or doing things in
just looking online or doing things in
just looking online or doing things in addition to that and that when you’re
addition to that and that when you’re
addition to that and that when you’re applying for opportunities and you get
applying for opportunities and you get
applying for opportunities and you get to the point of the interview so many
to the point of the interview so many
to the point of the interview so many people worry that the interview the
people worry that the interview the
people worry that the interview the interviewer has all the power I would
interviewer has all the power I would
interviewer has all the power I would contend that that’s not the case my
contend that that’s not the case my
contend that that’s not the case my contention is you have the power and
contention is you have the power and
contention is you have the power and that’s what the interviewers are looking
that’s what the interviewers are looking
that’s what the interviewers are looking for and hoping to see and rarely find
for and hoping to see and rarely find
for and hoping to see and rarely find ask yourself have you ever been accused
ask yourself have you ever been accused
ask yourself have you ever been accused of being arrogant and I would say the
of being arrogant and I would say the
of being arrogant and I would say the vast majority of students Dennis and
vast majority of students Dennis and
vast majority of students Dennis and their answer would be no so what’s the
their answer would be no so what’s the
their answer would be no so what’s the risk there push yourself take that risk
risk there push yourself take that risk
risk there push yourself take that risk and instead of the driver bait to figure
and instead of the driver bait to figure
and instead of the driver bait to figure out what the interviewers and employers
out what the interviewers and employers
out what the interviewers and employers and grad schools want to hear instead
and grad schools want to hear instead
and grad schools want to hear instead let your internal driver be how can I
let your internal driver be how can I
let your internal driver be how can I make sure that they understand who the
make sure that they understand who the
make sure that they understand who the hell I am and what I bring to the table
hell I am and what I bring to the table
hell I am and what I bring to the table and what I have to offer it’s through
and what I have to offer it’s through
and what I have to offer it’s through that internal power and internal
that internal power and internal
that internal power and internal strength that you can find your next
strength that you can find your next
strength that you can find your next level start now life is short goes by in
level start now life is short goes by in
level start now life is short goes by in a blink don’t wait that
a blink don’t wait that
a blink don’t wait that self-actualization frame that pinnacle
self-actualization frame that pinnacle
self-actualization frame that pinnacle of the pyramid most of us look at that
of the pyramid most of us look at that
of the pyramid most of us look at that and say well that’s way later in life no
and say well that’s way later in life no
and say well that’s way later in life no it’s now start now power up you’re
it’s now start now power up you’re
it’s now start now power up you’re needed out there
needed out there
needed out there okay so with that I just want to close
okay so with that I just want to close
okay so with that I just want to close with a couple more personal reflections
with a couple more personal reflections
with a couple more personal reflections never let anybody subjugate your
never let anybody subjugate your
never let anybody subjugate your internal strength your power your Verve
internal strength your power your Verve
internal strength your power your Verve your charisma your mojo okay and show
your charisma your mojo okay and show
your charisma your mojo okay and show them who you are so I’m done because I
them who you are so I’m done because I
them who you are so I’m done because I have to go figure out what I’m going to
have to go figure out what I’m going to
have to go figure out what I’m going to be when I grow up
be when I grow up
be when I grow up Thanks
”
Be First to Comment