One of my coaching clients asked me the other day if I was excited to be going to TS this coming week.  The answer, of course, was a resounding YES.  We carried on for a few more moments and I realized that the life changing moments of TS were far more vivid in her perspective than they were in mine. Her world was shaken and stirred to the core and her transformation from that program has been nothing short of miraculous. In those same weeks and months since we parted company on the mountain, my life has chugged along, as planned.  Damn, I miss the jolt of not knowing what is around the next corner!

This brings up the lifelong dilemma of whether to be fully engaged in the short lives we lead or to chose the comfy path that leads to a retirement villa in Florida. I am currently helping my 17 year old daughter fill in the endless applications for Universities and scholarships as she preps for her next jump into the unknown. We jokingly defer the decision of which faculty or school she will attend as being inconsequential, in the whole scheme of things.   In reality it is a decison that will most likely frame her life path and so that is why we are trying to let our emotions and desires play second fiddle to her needs and desires. As we pass the baton to her, we can only hope that the values of our familyand our faith will be the beacon for her to follow.

As my old friend, Dave Mager reminds me, its Gameface time, all the time!  I have been fortunate to have children that love the learning experience and buy into the principle of hard and challenging work as being a gift. These kids are so well prepared for their next steps in life.  They are instantly connnected to every bit of information available. They have been granted every comfort and opportunity to ease into life and are more than capable of making  big decisions. Its hard to imagine that I ended up in this career with such limited resources to draw from.

 As part of the application process for a scholarship, my daughter Cara, wrote these next 300 words.  They remind me of how capable our youth are and how we really need to embrace what is around the next corner, with awe and wonder.  I hope you enjoy the optimism of youth and ask yourself the same question, “What drives you”?  Perhaps in a few words you could express your optimism and feel the power that awaits. That can be your homework, on a Sunday night.

What drives me

By Cara Fletcher

From my earliest memories I have always wanted to be involved. If you were to ask my parents they would tell you that there were few moments when I wasn’t asking,” why” or “how can I be  a part of this or that”.  What drives me is the great experience of exploring my world.  I love to feel the exhilaration of success contrasted with that sinking feeling of failure.  I know that even with these setbacks I can find a way to make something work.  There is so much to see, so many people to meet, so many places to explore and things to experience.

 I have been lucky growing up in a family and school environment that has allowed me to challenge myself and gain the confidence to make a difference.  The past few years have confirmed that helping and serving others to be better and to think higher of themselves is my passion.  Through the lessons learned from babysitting young children to the community outreach programs that I volunteer at, I realize how much we all have to share with one another.  I have skills that can help others to become leaders.  I can inspire those disadvantaged to see a brighter future and I can roll up my sleeves and build schools for the children who have little else to look forward to.

My values and my attitudes are what drive me. I come from a family whose motto is stuck to the fridge, to remind us that it’s better to, “choose be kind rather than being right”. I have learned to value the joy that families bring and the success that learning and mentoring can unleash.  I know that we are a new generation of young and talented achievers who can make a difference in a world that needs us now.