Folks, I must admit, that sometimes I get so used to passing along sports and life advice to others, that I must remind myself from time to time to listen to my own words closely, and beyond this, then apply them to certain situations in my life when they arise.
I tell young players and parents of such players that the journey toward playing collegiately is most certainly a two-way street. Yes, college programs are responsible for seeking out the talented student-athletes to whom they wish to offer spots on their respective teams. They look for players to fill their needs. But, almost as readily, players and their parents need to actively seek out, or recruit, the schools that represent the right fits for them. They need to seek out the programs that show the very same potential to fill needs for them. Again, we’re talking about the proverbial two-way street, here.
Recently, in my current profession, I was offered an opportunity to take a huge promotion. Further, the promotion had attached to it relocation to another part of the country. I liken this situation to a player choosing among scholarship offers. Are needs for both parties being filled properly? What is the opportunity cost? How will I fit into the team already in place there? These are questions that can be difficult to answer, no doubt.
Yet, they assuredly can be answered, with thought, and with honest introspection. My advice to readers, as well as to myself, is to take the time necessary to make the right decision.
What decision did Big E make? Well, let’s just say that NYC will never be the same.
DISCLAIMER: Big E is no longer accepting applications for admittance into his survey and lecture course, to be held this summer (June –late August) at a prominent Ivy League business school. His “STEIN 202: A Journey through Ethics, Space Travel, Methane Emission, Contract Litigation Theory, and all things Elvis” will, however, be recorded in entirety, transcribed, and then available for all to see by Fall ’08.