Mark Twain said, “I do not regret the things I have done, but the things I did not do.”
I was in an industry for 10 years in which I made a comfortable living and gleaned invaluable experience, but I was miserable. Every Sunday evening around 4:00 pm I would begin to get a sick feeling in my stomach. That feeling was the angst from having to go to a job the next day that I couldn’t stand. I worked in a cut throat environment where you were only as good as the current day’s performance. I gave ten years of my career only to hear, “What have you done for me lately?” It seemed I was always one lost account or wrong decision away from losing my job. It kept me on my toes, but it was no way to live my life. My manager used to tell me, “What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger!” but it began to feel like a slow death. When I would go on vacation it would take about four days for me to finally turn the job off and start enjoying it. I knew something had to change.
Then someone asked me a simple question that I had never thought of. This question was the catalyst that helped me plot a new course in my career: “If you could write your own job description, what would it be?” I couldn’t answer that question. I had never really taken the time to consider what I would really enjoy. If I was given a pen and a piece of paper and told to write my own job description and that’s what I would be doing what would it be? This questioned helped me realize that I had been going about my career all wrong. I was like many people that decide what they want to do by looking at help wanted ads. Instead of writing my own job description I was settling for the job descriptions that other people had written and I am not alone. Since that day I have asked many people the same question only to get confused, blank faced responses. It rarely occurs to people that they can write their own job description.
I came to the realization that if I work 40 hours a week for 35 years, I will have spent 72800 hours at work. If I’m going to put that much of my life and energy into something, then I mind as well enjoy what I am doing. I have always wanted to labor with a sense of purpose. Sure, I am as interested in making a good living as anyone else, but I want to be passionate about what I am doing. I decided to turn my passion of helping others into my paycheck.
For some of you, it may be that you’re just sick and tired of that feeling you get at 4:00 p.m. every Sunday afternoon as the reality of another week of working at a company, doing a job that you cannot stand, answering to someone who does not appreciate you, and collecting a wage at the end of the week that barely pays the bills sets in. For others it’s not about money, you’re just ready to do something you truly enjoy and are passionate about.
Sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and write your job description. Think about the things you are good at and the things you are passionate about and merge them into a rewarding career. Once you have your job description in writing it’s time to put a plan together. Find people who are successful doing what you want to do and learn from them. Put a step by step plan together to achieve your dream job. You are not as far away as you think. Don’t live another day in regret!
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join today!Brooks Harper energized the crowd at the South Carolina Career and Technology Education Conference with his Keynote message of Why Should We Hire Your Students? Brooks kept approximately 1400 conference participants on the edge of their seats during his entire presentation. His humor along with his straight-forward and common sense Read more...
Brooks spoke at our annual state conference for School Counselors. He was a fantastic speaker and had the whole room laughing throughout his presentation. He was relevant, energetic and inspirational.
You were everything Family and Consumer Science Teachers enjoy in a keynote and session presenter!
As Vice President and Chair of the SC TRiO State conference committee, I want to thank you for the amazing job you did as our opening speaker at this past year's conference in March down in Charleston. Please keep up the great work!
If you get the opportunity to see this guy speak or bring him to your school for your students, you better take advantage of it. He was awesome!
Brooks Harper was an amazing, dynamic and engaging presenter. I hope to have him back here again and again.
Brooks Harper is an excellent speaker for educators, students and adults. His real life stories, tips and techniques are right on target with what today's hiring professionals are looking for. I encourage anyone wanting to promote career readiness, job seeking and interview skills to work with him. You will not Read more...
Brooks' presentation to the Freshman Academy students at LDHS was totally awesome! I am so grateful to him for reiterating important values and skills our students need to be successful citizens. The students and staff thoroughly enjoyed his one on one follow up sessions in the classrooms after the assembly; Read more...
Brooks Harper is fantastic! He is caring, genuine and our students responded to him. If our students take just half of this information to heart, they will be successful."
Brooks Harper captures the room from the minute he hits the podium … his enthusiasm, energy and words of wisdom registered equally with not only the students but also their parents and other adult guests.
One of the best Keynotes I have ever attended!
I wanted to say thanks for such an excellent presentation yesterday. We had 175 college and high school teachers in attendance. I received nothing but positive comments about your message. They thoroughly enjoyed your entertaining approach to soft skills.
Brooks Harper is dynamic, engaging and his suggestions were right on target.
Brooks Harper is entertaining, down-to-earth and a very insightful speaker to listen to!
What a phenomenal job Brooks did at the 2016 NC FBLA State Leadership Conference! His keynote was on the Mark!
Our Staff loved you! Thank you so much for helping us kick off the school year.
After hearing Brooks one time I was hooked on what he delivers to our teachers and our students across the state of North Carolina. I highly recommend what he does!
Brooks shared such a powerful message with our 8th grade students. He was able to engage, excite, and motivate in a way that I have never seen before. I had students begging for his book.
I felt the spark. I'm ready to go back to my class and start a wildfire!
After 20 years of conferences, this was the most relevant!
Awesome presentation - I would love to hear it all over again.
This is one of the most energetic, passionate, engaging and relevant keynote presentations I've ever heard!
Brooks Harper
Phone: 803-318-2315
E-mail: brooksharperspeaks@gmail.com
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