Greatest Lesson Learned From Someone Else

Throughout our one and only life time, we learn many lessons. These lessons can be taught from school, parents, friends or even random strangers. I was given the opportunity to attend the Me Inc Conference held at Four Seasons Hotel. During our lunch, we were able to meet delegates and ask them questions. Almost all the delegates that I had spoken to all gave me the typical answers to my questions. However, there was this one delegate (I don’t remember his name) who just sat down and asked us a question. He sat down and asked us why we are here at the Sauder School of Business. The three of us gave the same old answers like, “Oh my parents wanted me to come here” or “I thought commerce helps us make the most money.” I personally love commerce and I really don’t see myself in any other faculty. I almost feel like I was born for this. He then went on to explain that he used to be a rock artist and never went to University. He then re-educated himself and then came out to start his own company. His point was that too many people work in a workplace where they aren’t happy with what they’re doing. He told us that we only have one chance at life and if we aren’t happy with what we’re doing, then we need to get out immediately. Although I’ve heard that from friends and family before, it was nice for that point to be reinforced although I do love what I’m currently doing. Then one of the students asked him, “So how can we be different from all the other students we’re competing against?” The man was extremely ecstatic about the question and told us that it really isn’t difficult to be different. He went on to say that people in this world just don’t keep their word. For example, if someone says they’re going to be there at 10:30, they will show up at 10:35 or even 10:40. If someone says they’ll call next week, they don’t end up calling. He also went on to elaborate that if he was going to be late by 10 minutes, he would call the person and let them know so they don’t have to be there waiting. In those 10 minutes, the person could go for a walk, go to the washroom or buy a coffee. His point was that in order to be different, it doesn’t take a lot. By being a man of your and living to your word, you are already different and people will see and respect that. By the end of the twenty minutes, I still didn’t know what he did or which option he came out of, but that was the most rewarding networking opportunity I had ever gotten. As simple as it sounds, it’s true. Many people today don’t keep their words and in order to be different, we just need to live to our word. Although this happened recently, it truly was one of my greatest lessons learned from someone else.