Read-Think-b4-u-Write

Diana in The Adventures of Johny Bunko says, "There is no plan." The author, Daniel Pink, is not saying "Don't make a plan." He's simply saying, "Don't count on all (or any) of your plans working out." Many students and young professionals have a hard time coming to terms with this quote, but if you think about it realistically it seems apparent. For example, do you think that 50 percent of the people who get married plan on getting divorced? No! But that's the average rate of failed marriages in the U.S. So, after thinking about "There is no plan" versus "Don't count on all your plans coming to fruition," do you have a different view of what your future holds? Are you willing to adjust your plans in order to make way for the future?

No one lives forever. As you get older, you look back at your life and ask yourself, "Did I make a difference?" "Did I contribute something?" "Did my being here matter?" In other words, did you do something that left an imprint? Do you ask yourself these big questions? Or do you avoid them? And more importantly, what imprint do you want to leave? Are you going to be a force for positive change through your life and career choices?

What kind of excellent mistake have you made that led you to a later success? As Daniel Pink, author of The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need says, "The most successful people make spectacular mistakes--huge, honking screw ups! Why? They're trying to do something big. But each time they make a mistake, they get a little better and move a little closer to excellence." Are you willing to make mistakes on your road to success?

How can persistence trump talent? Talent alone won't get the job done and for some people, work will out do talent. But if you never try you'll never know! As college students, you are going to have to be persistent to gain the talent you will need to succeed at your career goals. Great musicians, artists, and authors may be born, but they won't get anywhere if they do not practice a lot. Is there a time in your life when you succeeded because of your persistence, rather than your talent? Explain.