Creating a Purposeful, Passionate Life in Higher Education

1. Creating a Purposeful, Passionate Life inHigher Education Bill Johnson, Retreat Facilitator Educational Support Services Northern Arizona University August 6-7, 2013

2. Inspirational Poem… So, Why Am I In College?

3. Workshop Overview Day 1: Know Thyself Day 2: Visionary Living Most Important Questions Who am I? Who am I meant to be? What am I meant to do?

4. A little bit about me… • Job title – Student Success Coordinator, Personal Development Coach, and Instructor • What I do: • Teach • HHS125 (current) • HHS126, HHS130, HHS250 (proposed) • Workshops (Find Your Why, Visionary Living, Dream-Filled Life) • Conferences (Educating for Purpose, Inspiring for Life) • Other: Weekly Journaling, Meditation for Staff, Life Coaching

5. Retreat Guidelines • Engage fully – allow yourself to be fully present for the two days. • Be attentive to time, since we are on a set schedule for breaks, lunch, and the end. • Be mindful of equal sharing of time for self and for others. • Please turn off cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc. • Have fun! • Anything else?

6. Before we begin… • On the index card, write down your name at the top, then your thought to the following: • What do you hope to learn, discover, achieve, and/or realize by the end of this retreat? • Complete the following statement: • My intention for the two days…

7. Paper Mingle • Exercise to connect with others. • Engage in meaningful dialogue. • Promotes genuine conversations. • Provided by my dear friend Marin Burton Rules: • Find a partner. • Each person share his or her question. • When both have shared, exchange questions. • Raise hand to find next partner.

8. Quick thoughts… • Answer Yes or No (to yourself)… • Do you feel inspired getting out of bed every day? • Do you create something more significant than the services you provide? • Do you care more about doing the job right or getting the job done? • Are you on a trajectory to be better tomorrow than you are today? Do you feel the same about your unit, department, or the college in general? • Do you live your life based on something bigger than yourself – professionally and/or personally?

9. Inspirational Video So, what are your thoughts about education? Bring on the Learning Revolution Sir Ken Robinson (Space for reflection and notes on page 4)

10. Why “Purpose and Passion?” • About 80% of college students not sure what they want to major in – even those in declared majors. (http://dus.psu.edu/md/mdintro.htm) • Over 75% of college students want help finding their purpose. (http://spirituality.ucla.edu/docs/reports/Spiritual_Life_College_Students_Exec_Summary.pdf) • Between 50% and 60% of college students change their major at least once. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/education/edlife/choosing-one-college-major-out-of-hundreds.html?_r=0) • About 40% of college students around country graduate from college (30% bachelors degree, 10% associates degree). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_United_States) • According to Gallup, about 70% of employees are either not engaged or actively disengaged at work. (http://businessjournal.gallup.com/content/125036/Despite-Downturn-Employees-Remain-Engaged.aspx)

11. Why “Purpose and Passion?” • At UNCG: • 76% of students are retained from Year 1 to Year 2. • Graduation Rates: • Four year: 29% • Five Year: 49% • Six Year: 54% • Approximately 50% of students change their major at least once during their college career.

12. Exercise: “How I Am…” • The exercise, “How I Am…” • Located on page 4 and 5 of the workbook. • Provides an initial opportunity for you to reflect on your life at the present. • Challenges you to think about the important things in your work and life. • The goal is to complete as much of the exercise as you desire over the next 10-15 minutes.

13. “How I Am” Reflection • Find a partner (someone you don’t know well) and talk about these questions: • What did you learn about yourself from this exercise? • How did you feel as you completed the sentences? • Was there a question that really challenged you? • Based on your answers, what do you hope to achieve: • At this retreat? • In your work and in your life?

14. Inspirational Quote “All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don’t discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.” Danny Thomas, founder, St. Jude’s Hospital

15. Exercise: Kick-Ass Questions • “Prime the Pump.” • Free Write Exercise. • Seven sets of questions. • One minute time limit for each question. • Write the first thoughts that comes to mind (usually most raw and most honest).

16. Question Set #1 What am I really good at doing? What comes really easy for me? What activities make me feel like I’m “in the flow?”

17. Question Set #2 Who do I admire most? Who inspires me? Who do I envy? Why?

18. Question Set #3 When am I my authentic self? When am I most genuine? When do I feel like the “real” me?

19. Question Set #4 What pisses me off about the world? What drives me crazy? What do I want to change in the world?

20. Question Set #5 Who do I want to help most? Who can I make the biggest impact upon? Who can benefit most from my help? Why?

21. Question Set #6 If I were given unlimited resources, how would I choose to contribute? If I were given $1,000,000 to give away, how would I distribute the money?

22. Question Set #7 How do I want to be remembered? What do I want my legacy to be? What would I want people to say about me at my funeral?

23. Kick-Ass Reflection • What do you notice about your answers? • Do your answers : • Relate to the “work” you’re doing on a daily basis (within your organization, volunteer work, etc.)? • Reflect how you are living your life right now on a personal level? • Reveal what you want to do and/or how you want to be in the future?

24. Inspirational video What drives your life on a daily basis? What’s most important to you? Rick and Dick Hoyt The Story of Team Hoyt

25. Exercise: Values Tags • Value Tags • Answers the question, “What are THE MOST IMPORTANT things in my life right now?” • Your values are the principles, standards, and qualities you consider worthwhile or desirable. • Values typically guide your actions and decisions on a daily basis. • Your values are an integral part of your purpose, since both values and purpose are at the core of how you live every day.

26. Bill’s Top Values • Fitness/Health • Personal Development /Growth • Wisdom • Knowledge/Learning/Education • Spirituality • Family • Creativity/Self-Expression • Friendship • Accomplishment/ Achievement • Expertise • Integrity • Harmony

27. Value Questions • Why are these particular seven values most important to you? • What is (are) the biggest challenge living your life according to your top values? • How are your current choices and actions aligned with your values – for better or for worse? • Now that you’ve identified your most important values, how might they impact your life in the future?

28. Living Statements • Your living statements are words and sentences that guide your life. It may be the words that define your job/career/calling/vocation and/or your actions and decisions on a daily basis. By the end of today, you will create the following: • Life Motto (how you want to live every day) • Mission Statement (heartfelt work that impact others)

29. Characteristics of Statements • Original. These are your words that describe you, not the words of what you think others would like to hear. • Personal. It describes how YOU really want to live your life on a daily basis. • Emotional (in a positive way). When you read it and say it, it brings a smile to your face and joy to your heart. • Purposeful. It gets you excited to get out of bed every day and compels you to do something good.

30. Characteristics of Statements • Descriptive. When you say it to yourself, it really describes you. When other people hear it, they say, ‘Yep, that’s you!” • Easy to remember. Your statements should be easy to say and easy to remember. You want statements that rolls off your tongue easily. • Everlasting. Your statements could be the words that describe your legacy - may even be the words you would want written on your tombstone!

31. Exercise: Impactful Words • 4 screens of impactful words. • 33 words per screen. • These are words that: • Are important to you. • Describes you – or others use to describe you. • Resonates with you most. • Could be related to your values and strengths. • In your workbook (p. 8), choose 3-6 words from each screen that appeal to you the most.

32. Impact Words 1 • Abundance • Acceptance • Accomplish • Achievement • Adventure • Appreciate • Attractiveness • Authenticity • Balance • Beauty • Believe • Change • Children • Choice • Clarity • Comfort • Communication • Community • Compassion • Competition • Contentment • Counsel • Courage • Creativity • Curiosity • Discipline • Discover • Diversity • Dreams • Education • Encourage • Energy • Enthusiasm

33. Impactful Words 2 • Environment • Equality • Excellence • Excitement • Experimentation • Exploration • Facilitate • Faith • Family • Fitness • Flexibility • Forgiveness • Freedom • Friendship • Fun • Giving • Global • Goodness • Grace • Gratitude • Growth • Hard Work • Harmony • Happiness • Heal • Health • Honesty • Hope • Humility • Humor • Individuality • Influence • Innovation

34. Impactful Words 3 • Inspire • Integrity • Intelligence • Joy • Justice • Kindness • Knowledge • Leadership • Learning • Legacy • Leisure • Lightness • Longevity • Love • Loyalty • Luxury • Mastery • Motivate • Nature • Nurture • Organize • Openness • Optimistic • Originality • Partnership • Passion • Patience • Peace • Perform • Persistence • Perspective • Play • Power

35. Impactful Words 4 • Prosperity • Purity • Purpose • Quality • Reflect • Relax • Relationships • Religion • Resilience • Respect • Responsibility • Risk • Security • Self-Control • Sincerity • Speed • Spirituality • Spontaneous • Sports • Stability • Strength • Structure • Support • Teamwork • Transformation • Trust • Truth • Unity • Vision • Volunteer • Wealth • Winning • Wisdom

36. Impactful Words Choices • If you have any words that aren’t listed in this section that you would like to include, write them down. • Once you have your list of words, narrow down your list 4-7 words that resonate with you the most. • Circle, place a check, or write down these words.

37. Exercise: Life Motto • The Life Motto: • Describes – in seven words - how you want to live your life every day. • Focuses on the present and future. • Inspired by the Six Word Memoir project through Smith Magazine.

38. Life Motto? • Why a Life Motto? (from dictionary.com) • A motto is: (1) a maxim adopted as an expression of the guiding principles of a person, and (2) a sentence or phrase expressing the spirit or purpose of a person. • Why seven words? • In numerology circles, the number “7” is seen as being spiritual, reflective, introspective, and possessing wisdom and completeness. • Note: Write the Seven-Word Life Motto book with 777 life mottos that’s 77 pages by 7-7-2014.

39. Creating a Motto • As you review the answers to your kick-ass questions and your list of impactful words, pick out a few that stick out the most for you. • Your Seven-Word Life Motto can be: • One statement; • A series of small statements; • Seven individual words; • Or any combination of statements and/or words that work best for you. • If you aren’t sure what to write, ask for help in constructing your motto.

40. Bill’s Life Mottos How I live my life every day Dream Big. Live with Purpose. Inspire Others. How I serve others in my work Cultivating heartfelt purpose and dreams every day.

41. Life Motto Examples • Improve myself. Strive for growth. Satisfy dreams. • Never be afraid to make an impact. • Help others. Bring about change. Show success. • Clearly conscious, serving God and people faithfully. • Keep perspective. Inspire. Be joyful. Live today. • Live intentionally. Be for others. Cultivate peace. • Persevere through challenges. Achieve success. Gain wisdom. • Make each moment inspiring with life’s beauty. • Ambition should be stronger than any fear. • Play every day. Live for each moment.

42. Exercise: Interest Areas • 3 screens of areas you might be interested in working in or knowing more about. • About 25 Interests per screen. • Make your choices based on: • Areas you could see as your chosen profession. • Things you want to learn more about or do as potential projects. • Gets you excited and inspired! • Might be tied to the things you value most. • Write down 1-3 choices from each screen that appeal to you the most (p. 9). Note: It’s okay if you don’t choose any interests from a particular screen.

43. Interest Areas 1 Agriculture Animal Care/Animal Rights Architecture/Gardening Art/Design/Creativity Business/Entrepreneurship Clothing /Fashion Communication/Broadcasting Construction/ Home Repair Counseling Dance/Creative Movement Culinary Arts/Food Defense Economic Development Education Energy Engineering Entertainment Environment/Nature Family Issues Finance Government/Politics Health/Nutrition History Hospitality/Event Planning Information Systems/Services

44. Interest Areas 2 Justice/Law/Human Rights Landscape/Plants Leisure/Play/Recreation Transportation Life/Health Sciences Social Media Management/Administration Managing Money Music Organizational Development Peace/Conflict Performing Arts Exercise/Fitness Philosophy Physical/Natural Sciences Politics Psychology Global/International Issues Sales/Selling Religion/Spirituality Sports Teaching Technology/Computers Trade Travel/Tourism

45. Interest Areas 3 Employee/Employer/Labor Issues Immigration Interior Design Charities/Non-Profits Children Issues (Care, Protection) Philanthropy Disease Housing Morals/Ethics/Character Literacy Movies Personal Development Life Coaching Public Safety Real Estate Relationships/Sexuality Research Violence/Terror Volunteerism Women’s Issues Investigation Journalism Community Development Writing/Publishing Beauty Men’s Issues

46. Interest Areas Choices • If you have any interest area that isn’t listed in this section that you would like to include, write it down. • Once you have your list of interest areas, choose up to 3 that have the most significance for you. • Circle, place a check, or write down the 3 that resonate with you the most (p. 9).

47. Exercise: Interest Area Statement • Describes the interest area(s) you would like to explore/investigate/learn more about – in 1 sentence! • Your sentence should encompass the following: • Your interests area… • Why you have an interest in that area • or • What you can provide in that area • When complete, write out your sentence (p. 9). • Note: You may want to write a sentence for each of the areas you have chosen.

48. Interests Sentence Guidelines • Things to include in your interest area sentence: • I am here to… - I offer… • I provide… - I do… • I share… - I create… • I facilitate… • Remember to include: • Your interests area… • Why you have an interest in that area or • What you can provide in that area • Remember, only 1 sentence!

49. Exercise: Serving Others • 3 screens of individuals/groups of people you might want to help. • About 25 Groups per screen. • Make your choices based on: • People/groups you want to impact. • People you want to serve. • Write down 1-3 choices from each screen that appeal to you the most (p. 10). Note: It’s okay if you don’t choose any groups from a particular screen.

50. Serving Others 1 Athletes Blind/Visually Impaired Business Owners Cancer Patients Small Children College Students Communities/ Neighborhoods Creative People Deaf/Hearing Impaired Delinquents Disaster Victims Elderly/Seniors Entrepreneurs Females People with Heart Problems Gangs High School Students Homeless People Business Executives Farmers Middle Class Families Specific Ethnic Groups People with Speech Problems People from Other Countries Kids in Foster Care Student-Focused Organizations