Pay it Forward
There are all sorts of age old adages that people say such as “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Or “Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” People say them flippantly, never really stopping to take the time to internalize these pieces of wisdom. Last week, I was able to sit down and focus on the idea that “It is little things in life that make life worthwhile.”
You can take that and interrupt it how you like, but for me I saw firsthand how taking some time out of your day for someone else can mean a world of difference. Last week, we had a guest speaker in our marketing class. He came in with some impressive credentials on his resume and was able to give some real world applications to our theory based class.
His career had taken him all over the globe, from the UK to Africa, to the US. I found this very intriguing, because I have always wanted to push myself to something new and different. Working abroad has always been something that appeals to me.
After his lecture, I approached him, saying that I had some questions and would love to ask him more about his time abroad and his career path. He gave me his email and by noon that day, I emailed him with some questions.
He responded back that night, and got up early the next morning to spend time with me over breakfast to cover my questions and he also helped me to frame what I should do going forward. This man had no allegiance to Ohio State, or to me. But the fact that he sat down with me, took me seriously- even though he was C-level at a major corporation, and gave me advice, meant the world to me.
It was on my drive to school after our meeting that I realized the power of the “little things.” He said I could email or call with more questions when I needed to and who knows if we will ever meet again. But the fact that he was able to listen to me and help me out, gave me more confidence in my search. I cannot thank him enough for that same gesture and I hope someday I can pay it forward to someone else.