Seth Godin’s tag line is “GO Make something happen.” He writes quick, short blog posts that encourage his readers to take action, which you can see in the post copied below.
Godin’s recent post relates to Project Leadership, I think. Read it below.
It’s not a problem if you prepare for it
Buffalo famously gets a lot of snow. Growing up there, though, no one really freaked out about it, because we had machines to get rid of it and the attitude that it was hardly a problem worth hyperventilating over.
Most problems are like that. When we prepare for them and get used to them, they’re not problems anymore. They’re merely the way it is. – Seth Godin
Godin’s post gets me wondering: How do we prevent problems?
Can this idea of preparation preventing problems be true?
Like Godin, my dad has experienced some winters in Buffalo, NY. In middle school, my dad moved there from Indianapolis. Dad always tells the story of first shoveling the sidewalk after moving to Buffalo. The neighbor yelled over to him, “Throw it further. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get through by the end of the winter.” My dad still chuckles at the warning, 50+ years later.
My dad wasn’t used to shoveling in Buffalo. In Indianapolis, a foot of snow is uncommon. Often, the snow melts between snowstorms. But not in Buffalo. The neighbor’s help allowed my dad to be prepared for something he didn’t know to prepare for himself.
In addition to preparation, you also need knowledge. You can’t prepare for something you don’t know or can’t anticipate.
So, what do snow storms in Buffalo have to do with Project Leadership?
When you think about preparing for college, if you come from a family where no one has gone to college then you may not ‘know how far to throw the snow,’ if you know what I mean. Like my dad, without the perspective that experience brings, some students aren’t prepared for the ‘storms’ that college and college preparation will throw at them.
Project Leadership mentors understand many of the snowstorms of college. Because of that, our mentors help their mentees prepare for the ‘snowstorms’ they don’t know are coming. By walking alongside their mentees, PL mentors help students prepare for their futures. Mentors may be able to help predict problems before they arise and identify the right tools and solutions. No mentor can prevent the storms, but they can help find the right tools to weather the storms that come up in the pursuit of their college and career goals.
Do you agree with Mr. Godin? Do you have an example of a problem you’ve prevented by preparing? Share your thoughts on Project Leadership’s Facebook page.
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