I came across a Toastmasters speech a while ago called “Dare to be Different”. It points out that there really isn’t a difference between a 50 year old and an 18 year old nowadays except for their age because everyone falls into the same rhythm, going through the same motions. I always liked it, especially when I was in the corporate world, because I always said it was just a high school that you got paid to go to. You can find the entire speech here http://www.motivation-for-dreamers.com/motivationspeech.html but I’ll highlight the parts that I found most relevant:
I did not know it then, but over the years I have come to see that the reason people don’t change is simply that they do not dare to be different.
WHAT DOES BEING DIFFERENT MEAN?
Being different means:- Not being afraid to challenge the norm.- Being willing to take a chance.- Asking why.- Making your own track, not just following the well trodden path.- Charting your own course and destiny.- Being the person that you were meant to be.
I believe that everyone is born unique. But through the years we work very hard to be like everyone else. We conform to society’s so-called “common-sense.” Unfortunately it is just that – “common sense.” That does not mean its “good sense.”
I think it’s great that Mavidea (in my opinion) is “Daring to be Different”. We ask questions, we research, we do not just follow one path for years, decide it’s not working and pull a random shift to another path. We actually take the time to examine things as a whole and pick the great ideas from multiple paths and apply them to the company. That shows good sense, not just common sense and makes us a lot more adaptable.
THE FOLLY OF EDUCATION.
If I were to take just the people in this room, it is likely that most of you have spent anything from 15 to 20 years getting an education so you can get the jobs you have. Doesn’t it strike you as irresponsible that one can spend so much time getting an education and yet so many people don’t make any deliberate effort to develop their greatest asset – themselves!
Most people think once they have a qualification that’s it. They have arrived. Is it any wonder they don’t grow? They are stagnant. Stuck at 18!
Most of us won’t even read unless there’s an exam in sight. But you know what? Everyday of your life is an exam. Everyday you either pass or fail the test of life. Everyday is an opportunity to grow beyond your present barriers and circumstances. Everyday is a chance to become a better person.
The saddest part is most of people don’t realize this. If they had to be graded at the end of their lives you know what they’d get? D, D and more D’s. And yet they thought they were doing very well. They let society’s “common sense” grade them.
I love this part because I saw it all the time. People got their “real job” and just sat, doing the same thing for 30 years. They never once thought about continuing to grow, or even improving how they did their day-to-day work. They just mindlessly followed along, using “common sense” instead of “good sense”. I am constantly challenged here to improve myself and more importantly I am in an environment that makes me WANT to improve and challenge myself.
Society celebrates mediocrity so much that it does not take much to set yourself above the rest.
This is sad but true. I don’t ever want to be a mediocre employee, person, cook, whatever. Mavidea does not want YOU to be a mediocre employee, person and the company definitely does not want to be mediocre. I see steps to prevent this from happening with things like the daily e-mails from Jake (and guests), the Culture Club, and the focus on customer LOYALTY, not just satisfaction.
Everyone here has the spark inside them to help themselves and this company be even more special and great…
You just gotta ignite the light…and let it shine…just own the night…like the Fourth of July…
Cause baby you’re a firework!
Come on show ‘em what your worth!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw
-Chris Nichols, Mavidea Network Engineer
