Own Your Zone: What Students Need to Succeed From School to Career

I believe that everyone has a unique gift that differentiates them from everyone else.  Realizing this unique gift will lead to the clarity and self-awareness needed to formulate a career path lined with success and happiness.  It is never too early or too late to plan for success.  

The following is an excerpt from my new book, Own Your Zone: What Students Need to Succeed From School to Career.  

Passion as the Differentiator 

Thanks to technology, in today’s rapidly changing world, information and knowledge are now readily available at anyone’s fingertips. This has leveled the playing field, making it even more important for young people to know themselves. What differentiates one smart person from another is the personal passion that individual exudes from doing what he or she loves.  

Today, irrespective of their formal higher education, each student has to be a storyteller, prepared to tell his or her story to a potential employer. Employers are looking for passion, commitment and leadership qualities. Once young people know who they are and what they need in order to feel fulfilled and personally gain important insights about themselves, they will have the ability to tell their story and to sell themselves. Finding their one truezone is the starting place for their story: “Once I discovered x, y and z about myself, I then made these choices about my education and sought these experiences to complement and apply my studies.” The passion and confidence they will emit when telling their story clearly will make a difference. 

John Schlifske, the CEO of Northwestern Mutual, gave students at St. Louis University the following career advice, which was highlighted in the May 27, 2013, issue of Forbes Magazine. The article, “CEO Wisdom Heard From The Top,” was written by Rich Karlgaard. This was Schlifske’s advice: 

This is a tough economy, but you can be successful if you do these four things: follow your passion, master your craft, study history and philosophy for leadership lessons, and live frugally.  

The world is changing and moving fast. My message to all of us parents, educators, college counselors, coaches, therapists and admissions officers is that we need our children to “hurry up and slow down.” This is meant as a wake-up call and a plea that we help slow things down enough so that young people can learn about themselves, ideally before they embark on a path towards higher education. Let’s guide them towards a course that will lead to success, whatever that looks like for each of them.  

About oneTRUEzone

If you or someone you love is struggling to find their way as they navigate from school to career, please call 201-337-2409 or email info@onetruezone.com.  We have individual and group sessions that will guide students in finding their unique gift and a successful career.  

We also have a workshop to prepare college students so they head back to college with driven purpose.  The College Reality Check Workshop will be held at Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes, NJ from 7:00PM to 8:30PM on Monday, July 22nd.  Please call 201-337-2409 or email info@onetruezone.com to reserve space.  

This is a FREE EVENT.  We will be accepting donations for Kula for Karma.  Students and parents are invited.

To obtain a copy of Own Your Zone or for more information on oneTRUEzone, please call 201-337-2409 or visit www.onetruezone.com