Journal/Reflection: What Should I Do With My Life?

Once again, I have the privilege of teaching a section of GT1000 (Freshman Seminar). As part of the GT1000 experience, we ask the students to keep a journal so that they may reflect on what they are learning. Below is the first journal assignment for my class. Since Tech is going through our strategic plan as an organization (President Peterson has asked us to consider what "we want Georgia Tech to look like in 25 years"), I thought that this same journal/reflection assignment would be beneficial for more than just Freshmen.

You do not have to turn in this "Assignment" (the students do!), but I encourage you to take a few minutes and read these articles and see how you might apply them to your work here at Tech and to your life in general. I'd love to hear what you think (and also, if you have any good ideas for journal/reflection questions for our students). I also encourage you to get involved with the Georgia Tech strategic planning process, starting with the President's Investiture on September 3rd.


Journal Assignment

Part 1
Read Po Bronson’s articles “What Should I Do With My Life? The real meaning of success -- and how to find it.” (Fast Company, Issue 66, January 2006, pg 69) and the follow-up "What Should I Do With My Life, Now?" (Fast Company, January 13, 2009)


Po Bronson states:

“Most of us don't get epiphanies. We only get a whisper -- a faint urge. That's it. That's the call. It's up to you to do the work of discovery, to connect it to an answer. Of course, there's never a single right answer. At some point, it feels right enough that you choose, and the energy formerly spent casting about is now devoted to making your choice fruitful.”

Have you heard a whisper? Do you have any ideas yet on what answer is right for you right now?


Part 2 -- Life List/Goals

Create a life list. Write down 10-42 places to go, things to do, skills to acquire, and/or people to meet. Do not limit yourself to short-term goals. Think about the things that you want to accomplish throughout your life.

How can you use your time and resources while here at Georgia Tech help you to reach some of these goals?

Do You Love What You Do?

Like many faculty and staff members here at Georgia Tech, I am privileged to teach a section of GT1000: Freshman Seminar. One of the first things I ask my students to do is think about the things they want to do before graduating from Georgia Tech. I ask them to create a Life List as well as read Po Bronson's Fast Company article "What Should I Do With My Life? The real meaning of success -- and how to find it." (Fast Company, Issue 66, January 2006, pg 69). http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/66/mylife.html and reflect on ideas in the article in a journal entry.

In his article Po Bronson says:

"People don't succeed by migrating to a 'hot' industry (one word: dotcom) or by adopting a particular career-guiding mantra (remember 'horizontal careers'?). They thrive by focusing on the question of who they really are -- and connecting that to work that they truly love (and, in so doing, unleashing a productive and creative power that they never imagined). Companies don't grow because they represent a particular sector or adopt the latest management approach. They win because they engage the hearts and minds of individuals who are dedicated to answering that life question."

Do you love what you do?

Take a few minutes put yourself in the shoes of a Freshman: read the article and answer the following questions.

Journal Assignment: Read Po Bronson’s article “What Should I Do With My Life? The real meaning of success -- and how to find it.” (Fast Company, Issue 66, January 2006, pg 69). http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/66/mylife.html

Po Bronson states:

“Most of us don't get epiphanies. We only get a whisper -- a faint urge. That's it. That's the call. It's up to you to do the work of discovery, to connect it to an answer. Of course, there's never a single right answer. At some point, it feels right enough that you choose, and the energy formerly spent casting about is now devoted to making your choice fruitful.”

Have you heard a whisper? Do you have any ideas yet on what answer is right for you right now?

Please share your thoughts in the comments. I would love to know what you think.