What exactly do I mean by true voices? I look at this as being very cognizant and aware of the times, opinions and events that surround you, but also maintaining a true sense of who you are - listening to your heart, going with your gut, remaining true to yourself.
This is very interesting to me because it is something my mother has been telling me for years and years. I would like to describe this special breed of people as the 'humble humans.' No matter their rank and annual revenue, there remains a internal and external genuineness.
Next, I would like to say good-bye to my thoughts of thinking that global CEOs are on a different level than my peers and I. It is true that many students look for instant gratification and look to the end of the journey as a signifier of success. We like to look at the CEOs of McDonald's and Best Buy and believe that we too, can reach their level, which we can, but we generally fail to realize the path and journey that was taken by these individuals. We tend to forget the hard-fought battles and pain that these individuals might have suffered. We tend to remove the realities which probably lasted much longer than the time that these individuals have actually been top dogs in their respective fields. As a recent college graduate, I have to understand that I cannot focus on the end result because it is the journey and the path that truly matters. I realize that there will be many battles to fight, a few people I may not agree with and even a few broken spirits. Life is tough, but our power to get through hard times can be even greater and tougher.
CEOs ARE on my level. They are NOT akin to gods. In fact, they are akin to us, 'normal people.' With hard work, a great network, luck and a never ending zeal to learn something new, you will one day be a global CEO (that is, if you want to, of course.)
Below, you will find a snippet of the poem 'If,' by Sir Rudyard Kipling that I learned during my process of joining the great fraternity of Alpha Phi Alpha. I want you to really take in the meaning of the excerpt and apply it to your life.
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,Go forward and continue doing what you love. I believe in you.
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! [Woman, my daughter]
