Do you want to live a big, bold life? If you want this kind of life you need audacious goals. The kind of goals that Kelly Conway describes as “kind of embarrassing to say out loud.” I found Kelly’s comment so instructive. Articulating audacious goals has oddly become some act met with stigma or shame. As if being irrationally ambitious is threatening, delusional, or self-centered. Better to fit in, think small, settle, and live just an ordinary life. Taken to the extreme, this is a sad commentary on what it means to be an American. I thought what it means to be an American is to aspire. To believe in possibility. To dream. A place like Western Michigan University is a place where changing this attitude can produce outsized returns for our country. Let’s be honest, this is Western, a regional school. It’s not Michigan. It’s not Notre Dame. It’s not Harvard. Regional universities often suffer from self-doubt, an inferiority complex, and a feeling of being “a back up school.” Perspectives like this breed a culture where audacious goals face headwinds. The upside is regional universities are settings with outsized opportunity to unleash potential in American society. What inspires me today about my work at WMU is creating spaces where expressions and acts of professional ambition are seen as virtuous. Become a CEO? Go to Wall Street from Western Michigan University? Jump out of plane? Let’s get after it and make it happen. I have discovered that central to creating these spaces is courage. By their nature, audacious goals have high risk of failure. Whether it’s talking about them, or actually pursing them, audacious goals require a toughness, a willingness to be vulnerable, and a quasi religious leap of faith. In Leadership and Business Strategy at WMU Haworth I am learning so much about creating a culture that empowers courage and makes it infectious. Core to this culture of courage is wellness, authentic and meaningful relationships, public displays of courage, public appreciation of couage, and role modeling. It has been amazing to watch Megan Hause as President of LBS continue to nurture this part of our program. Jumping out of a plane has long been discussed in LBS but had never been seen. This semesters group made it a reality. Shoutout to Edward Montgomery for his support and belief in our program. We have even bigger things to come. Get After It!
We’re honored to support our amazing Western Michigan University Broncos at the Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy’s Registered Student Organization skydiving event! I’m especially excited to see the Broncos take to the skies for such a memorable experience. Take a look at the experience in this video—it’s exhilarating! Congratulations to the LBS RSO for organizing a fantastic event—Broncos truly soar!
Inspiring!
Kevin Bing
5d
Well written Doug.
Nancy Owens
3w
Awesome!
Western Michigan University | Major: Marketing & Leadership and Business Strategy Minor: General Business email: megan.e.hause@gmail.com
3wI’m very thankful for all that you do Doug and all that you have done for me. You truly are the best.