James Traylor

James Traylor

I met James during my tenure at the State University of New York at Geneseo. A few mutual friends of ours kept urging us to connect, but in the haste of our ambitious lives, we kept delaying. Until one afternoon we finally met over lunch at Miceli’s Deli on Main Street in Geneseo.

Since that point, James and I have developed a close personal and business relationship. His unique view of the world and desire to add value meshes considerably with my own. That correlation keeps us thinking bigger and motivating each other in our respective pursuits!

James recently made a difficult, but rewarding, decision to move his financial services practice from Northwestern Mutual Financial Network to the MassMutual Financial Group in Rochester, New York. There he will pursue his intense passion to better serve the disabled community by directing the company’s Special Care program. This same passion is what inspired me to make James my personal Financial Advisor.

James’ intelligence, work ethic, and sense of humor truly make him a pleasure to be around. He is well on his way towards making his mark on this world we live in! ~JWN

VIP: What is your definition of success?

James Traylor (JT): Success to me isn’t something you feel in the moment. In fact it usually takes a third party to point out my own successes. If you can look back at something with genuine awe; feel that it represents your best work and that you are ready to move on to bigger and better things…that’s success to me.

VIP: Who are some people that inspire you? Why?

JT: Much of my work of late has centered around the disabled community. There are children in Rochester living with cerebral palsy that have more courage and strength than anyone I know. To wake up every morning and struggle with daily tasks like putting on clothing or brushing your teeth –things we all take for granted—and then have the courage to face a society that looks down on you or feels sorry for you when in fact you are a perfectly normal person with just different abilities… that to me is inspiration.

VIP: What do you consider to be some of your strengths? Weaknesses?

JT: Learning has always come easy to me. As long as I can remember I have been obsessed with novels, textbooks, magazines, papers, radio programs… you name it. I did not have cable television until I was 14 (don’t have it at 23 either) which probably explains why I can’t recite any Saved by the Bell episodes but I can tell you about U.S. foreign policy since the 1900’s.

I consider myself a very confident and outgoing person. This has served me well in many different ways and actually is a bi-product of all my years of competitive swimming—or more specifically in a Speedo. From the time I was 12 I was heckled by all of my friends who played football, soccer, etc. for wearing Speedo bathing suits. Over the years I built up a pretty thick skin. I’ve since shed the tight suits for real suits but the skin still stuck.

As for weaknesses there are plenty. I get so focused on what I want to accomplish that sometimes I can lose sight of other people’s feelings. I lose patience with individuals who are lazy, ignorant and expect results without work. I have been working very hard on being more tolerant though! I get anxiety about many things and worry entirely too much about things that are out of my control. I’m also a food and wine snob!

VIP: Where do you want to be in 1, 3, 5, 10, and 20 years from now?

JT: I am a very goal oriented person and have a vision board of all the things I want to accomplish. With that said my biggest goal professionally is to build the largest special needs planning organization in Western New York within the next five years. I am extremely excited about the progress I have made thus far (progress not success) and look forward to building something bigger than me as a person.

Personally, I want to continue to grow and mature in my relationship with my girlfriend Courtney. No target date for marriage, kids and all the other facets of the American dream. However, I will certainly be buying my first house in the next 12 months.

As for the more eccentric goals: I want to have a fully stocked 1,500 bottle wine cellar complete with a tasting room. This will be attached to my Gentleman’s Lounge where I will have a mahogany bar that properly pays tribute to my one true vice—single malt scotch.

VIP: If you could pass any bit of information on to the world, what would it be?

JT: Thinking you are too old or too young to accomplish something is foolish. Stop making excuses and go take on the world!

VIP: Now, I know you recently made a difficult decision in terms of your career. You switched from your financial services practice at Northwestern Mutual Financial Network to Mass Mutual. What is your new role at Mass Mutual and what are some of your career goals with this move?

JT: You are right in that it was an extremely difficult decision. I really struggle putting things in perspective sometimes but nevertheless, I left something great for something even greater. All in all it was the right decision.

I will be directing the Special Care program for MassMutual here in Rochester. Special Care is a program that serves to help families and individuals with special needs plan for the future. In Rochester we have a host of resources for the disabled community yet there is a tremendous gap when it comes to long term planning.

Families fail to realize that assets in excess of $2,000 can completely jeopardize an individual with disabilities from receiving the benefit of programs such as Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare & Medicaid.

Furthermore, no one takes the time to help a family figure out how they are going to pay for the cost of health care for their child with special needs down the road. Other key measures include; where he or she going to live and how they keep the benefits they already have for their child. And, they still need to plan for their own retirement! It can be overwhelming.

This program really is my baby so to speak. I am building our process, image, team, business and marketing plan – the works. While I have several financial planners who will be helping me with the casework and to get up and running--after that this is my show.

VIP: What is your personal motivation behind your work with the Special Care program at Mass Mutual?

JT: I think to really do a good job for families you have to demonstrate a certain level of understanding that can only come from personally seeing how challenging life with a disability can be. For me this understanding and empathy comes from my youngest sister Nathalie. Nathalie is a beautiful, outgoing 12 year old with various developmental disabilities. For example, she can play Mozart on the piano, recite entire Disney movies and yet can’t tie her shoes or count money. She just has different abilities.

VIP: Tell me a little bit about your family?

JT: My parents had me relatively young (age 23), my sister Emily 5 years later, and then Nathalie much later in life. We were the quintessential struggling American family growing up. Both my parents worked very long hours just to make ends meet. As a result, I found myself in the role of a “third parent” from an early age. For example if we wanted dinner at 6 it was up to me to get things cooking. Emily and I have the typical brother/sister relationship while Nathalie sees me as more of a caregiver. We have always been a very close family and I am very grateful how things have worked out.

VIP: If you could meet three people from any time period, who would they be?

JT: Sir Ernest Shackleton. I encourage anyone to read about the fate of his Antarctic exploration; quite possibly the most incredible demonstration of human will ever! The other two would be Sam Adams and Marco Polo.

VIP: What are some books, quotes, or audio sets you would recommend?

JT: I listen to a lot of personal stories of individuals that struggled in financial services and then went on to become great. I am in an extremely challenging industry and knowing others have struggled too is very valuable.

As for a book and move, I am a tremendous believer in Rhonda Byrne’s “The Secret.” Positive thinking is a powerful thing!

And, the audio version of A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn. It is narrated by Matt Damon and as he would say, “It will really blow your skirt up.” (from Good Will Hunting)

VIP: Final thoughts?

Dream BIG!

Everything is negotiable.

Age means nothing.

All Americans should read more.

Obama in 2008.

James Traylor

MassMutual Financial Group

E: James.Traylor44@gmail.com

C: 518.598.4847

JWN: Success is a Choice

Success is a Choice

By: Joseph W. Norman

“Look at the word responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.” – Stephen Covey

In our lives we make choices every moment of everyday. We decide how we react to the situations that come across our path. Will we let that negative occurrence ruin our day? Or, will we empower ourselves with the minor setback and let it propel us to success? As Covey references, we have a responsibility to ourselves to understand the power of our choice. What do we choose to do with our gifts? These decisions create our reality.

My thought inspiration this week comes from a few places. The first is an article, “What Successful People Believe,” which was given to me by a wonderfully insightful young woman I recently met. The piece summed up my last six weeks of thought in approximately one single spaced page. Humbling. I know. The other source is the great Tony Robbins. His thoughts and videos focused on human needs and the power of choice have absolutely captivated me.

Now that I’ve referenced my sources and framed my thoughts, what does all of this lead to? It is the fact that success is a choice. Who we are is derived from a series of decisions we made days, months, or even years ago. You have to make up your mind as to how you will respond to what comes your way. And, you need to decide how you will try to make new things happen. The history of our beautiful world is the result of these decisions. Makes you think a little bit, huh? What you are doing right now matters.

Tony Robbins breaks down our responses to the six human needs. This has been the study of his life over the last thirty years. The first four needs are of the personality. They are “Certainty, uncertainty, significance, and connection and love.” From the spiritual side, we need, “To grow and to contribute beyond ourselves.”

Let’s take it further:

Certainty. We need to have some consistency in our lives. Sureness of things like our health or financial resources needs to be there. Otherwise we may lose control.

Uncertainty. Despite our need for stability, we also need variety and challenge. Without that we can become bored.

Significance. We all need to feel important, special, and unique.

Connection / Love. Most people settle for connection because love is too scary. Nonetheless, we need it. It can be through intimacy, friendship, or prayer. It could even be from a walk through nature.

The next two are foundational needs of the human spirit and they work in conjunction with each other. These are the most powerful needs because through them we find fulfillment in what we do.

Growth. The reason we grow is so we have something to give of value. The person we dream of becoming is most likely not who we are today. We must grow to attain this goal!

Contribution. The secret of living is giving. It is not about ‘me,’ but ‘we.’ We must make decisions in our life that allow us to contribute with our unique gifts.

These six needs define who we are and they filter what decisions we make on a daily basis. How we prioritize them provides our life with direction. What needs we choose to focus on frames our reality.

Personally, my top two priorities for quite some time have been significance and contribution. My chief aim is to add and create value for people. Hence, my personal philosophy: “I aim to make a consistent positive influence on the people and communities I associate with on a daily basis.” And, although a bit narcissistic, I enjoy being recognized for these actions. Can you blame me though? We all enjoy being desired. It helps us validate our actions. My passion for notoriety and value creation is what motivates the entrepreneur in me.

On another note though, it is crucial to develop balance in our lives with the six needs. Thus, I am now taking a more active approach towards connection and love, an area which I’ve always appreciated but sometimes neglected in my past. We must manage our human needs so we can find our own personal fulfillment.

You can know what to do intellectually, but not do it. So, decision is the real power!

ACTION PLAN: What are your priorities? Which needs are at the top of your list? This choice moves you through everyday of your life! Think about it carefully!

“Life is a gift. It offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” - Tony Robbins

We must savor that gift! Our personal fulfillment depends on it! Choose to be who you truly desire to be; not for someone else, but for yourself. “All this can make your world a different place. That is for sure!”

Joseph W. Norman, resides in Macedon, NY, and is Chief Enthusiasm Officer and Editor of The VIP Profiles. He offers lectures and keynote talks on leadership, personal, and professional development and is always up for a business lunch.

Joseph can be reached at Joseph.W.Norman@gmail.com or 607.743.8569.

Kevin Skidmore

Kevin Skidmore

I have known Kevin Skidmore since we were very young. We grew up and attended school and church together through our early years. Being a couple of outgoing nerds, we connected quickly and maintained that relationship all through high school. When college hit, I ended up at Geneseo and he stayed in the area to complete his Associates Degree at Broome Community College. Then, he ended up at Geneseo. My housemates were gracious enough and jointly invited him into our home at 69 Second Street in Geneseo.

Although his personality, on the surface, is rather laid back, Kevin, deep down, is a caring individual with noble aspirations. He is off to Ohio State University in the fall to start his grad work in Optometry. He no doubt has a promising future ahead of him. It is my pleasure to feature him and continue the series of the 69 Second Street graduating seniors! Enjoy some of his insights! ~JWN

VIP: What is your definition of success?

KS: Being happy. I would love to be a millionaire, but more importantly I want to settle down and have a family. Money doesn’t always bring success. Dying happy, for me, would be a success.

VIP: Who inspires you? Why?

KS: All sorts of people inspire me. There are many individuals, but I feel that the type of person that inspires me is someone who sets goals and does what they need to achieve them, without blaming others when they fail. I know I’m not the perfect example of this but, that’s why these people inspire me. J

VIP: What do you consider your strengths? Weaknesses?

KS: When I really set my mind on something, I can buckle down and do what I need to do to complete the task, no matter what. Along the same lines, I can get discouraged by failure pretty easily. Unfortunately, my life is a too even mix of these too. I’d like to move the scales over more towards my strengths and less on my weaknesses!

VIP: Now, I know you are planning on pursuing a career in Optometry, having been accepted to The Ohio State University’s nationally renowned program. What interests you about optometry? What do you hope to bring to that profession?

KS: I enjoy the medical field as a whole, but I like optometry because everyone has eyes, and most everyone uses them every day. I’ve had glasses most of my life and I know what it’s like to be visually impaired, so I hope to be able to help others be able to see and prevent some from having to deal with different debilitating eye diseases. What do I hope to bring? Well with my degrees in Math and Engineering, maybe I can do some inventing. Hopefully figure out a way to help everyone see, no matter what condition their eyes are in.

VIP: Tell me a little bit about your family?

KS: My parents, Terry and Tonya, are celebrating their 25^th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. My older brother Kyle is going back to school. My mom’s parents are retired, healthy, and enjoying life and my father’s parents just retired about a week ago, and are preparing to have a another kid…me! I’ll be staying at their home in Ohio over the next four years while I attend school out there. Meanwhile, my Great Grandmother is living on her own down in West Virginia, at 96 years old. She’s a trooper. J

VIP: What are some short term and mid term goals for you?

KS: Short term – graduate at the top of my class at OSU. Long term – get married, have two kids that grow up to be good, contributing citizens. Own at least one optometry business and travel into space; whether it’s with NASA or with Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic. I don’t care how I get there, but I will be in space, even if it’s just my ashes.

VIP: What are some compelling books, movies, or shows, that have made a lasting impression on you?

KS: Well this may sound nerdy, but anything that is Star Trek. I’ve watched, not necessarily read, but watched, attended, and listened to most of the Star Trek material out there. It gave me my love for space and technology, and I feel it will help me with my life goals.

VIP: What are some of your hobbies?

KS: Computers and technology. I also love cars, car electronics accessories and their installation. I really enjoy adding aftermarket equipment inside cars. I also like spending money on all of the above.

VIP: Who are three people, from any time period, that you would like to meet?

KS: Muhammad Ali, Will Smith, Neil Armstrong.

VIP: If you could pass one piece of information on to everybody in the world, what would it be?

KS: Get over it, life’s not fair but take what God gave you and make the best of out it. If you don’t like where you live or your job, or your situation, do something constructive to change it, don’t just look for free handouts. Don’t get me wrong, take the handouts when they’re given, but don’t make that your life.

JWN: The Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect

By: Joseph W. Norman

"Few have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and, crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." - Robert F. Kennedy

Everyday our words and our actions send out waves through the world. With my recent curiosity of thought power and the wonders of the mind, I’ve come to believe that our thoughts do this incredible act as well. Everything we do sends impulses away from us; through people, places, things, and even ideas. What does this all mean though? What impact are the conversations, thoughts, and actions we carry through everyday having on the world around us?

I have conviction in the fact that what we do has more of an influence on the universe than we could ever imagine. Strangely enough, in this creative act of writing, I’m trying to decipher the concept which I just declared unimaginable. A paradox indeed! Nonetheless, it is not always about finding the perfect solution, but rather defining and toiling with the problem which creates the most value. My act here is putting the issue on the table for all of us to ponder.

First, a situation described to me recently by my friend Tricia. While in Switzerland, she had a conversation with a man in Italy who was coming back from a job interview. He was describing his situation as follows; the company was offering to keep him in Milan, Italy or send him to do similar work in Spain. In their conversation, the man changed his mind from staying in Italy to taking the chance and moving to Spain. The course of that man’s life was altered with that dialogue. All of this came about from an interaction with a complete stranger!

My executive coach, Jenn Sertl, consistently tells me, “When someone gives you their ear, they lend you their world.” That’s a powerful thing to think about. It always puts life into perspective for me when I hear it. What it helps me remember is the validity of one of my personal mantras; “Our words and our actions will always do one of two things, build people up or tear them down.”

To this day I recall things that people have said to me which have influenced my life. Some of them are more negative then others but they propelled me to great triumphs. Once, an individual who need not be named said to me, “You can’t get into SUNY Geneseo. Don’t even bother applying.” About a month ago after I walked across that stage as a graduate from the College Honors Program at Geneseo with a B.A. in English, I remembered those words and I smiled because all along I knew the truth.

What matters though is not my triumph, but rather the idea that those two sentences stuck with me for five years. Though I did not dwell on them and make them the reason for my drive to complete my undergraduate experience at Geneseo, they did make their mark on my life. What I took from that experience was that most often in life it is the negative quips that people use against each other which live the longest in our psyche. They strike so quick, but the wound they leave can take years to close.

Reflecting on that fact over the years has really made me think about the power of our words. It has even moved me to my personal philosophy; “I aim to make a consistent positive influence on the people and communities I associate with on a daily basis.” But, why do I think this way? It is because I know that my words and my actions, like my friend Tricia’s, could change the course of somebody’s life. And, that change could end up meaning the world to someone who will now cross their path.

When you start to weigh out the depth of this concept, you begin to think a little more before you speak. Your planned actions are suddenly more important. That witty insult you were going to make in jest at a colleague loses its luster. Your heartfelt discussion with an old friend over lunch reverberates a little deeper. And, the casual conversation you strike up with the woman in front of you in the security line at the airport takes on a little more meaning. Your world is changed the second you begin to consciously consider the ripple effect.

“There is a ripple effect in all that we do. What you do touches me. What I do touches you.” - Author Unknown

Thank you for lending me your world. My sincere hope is that you believe you are a better person for it.

___

Joseph W. Norman, resides in Macedon, NY, and is Chief Enthusiasm Officer and Editor of The VIP Profiles. He offers lectures and keynote talks on leadership, personal, and professional development and is always up for a business lunch.

Joseph can be reached at Joseph.W.Norman@gmail.com or 607.743.8569.

To receive the weekly eZine, The VIP Profiles, email viprofile@gmail.com or visit http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/

JWN: Switzerland Photo Montage

Switzerland Photo Montage

By: Joseph W. Norman
Media Credit: Meghan Nolan, Tricia Hackett

First, I find it necessary to explain the purpose of this photo montage. Sometimes, I feel it is important to get away from the words a little more and enjoy the scenery. While I traveled in Switzerland with many of my good friends over the last two weeks I had an opportunity to see some of the most beautiful sights middle Europe has to offer. Our group went paraglidin through the Swiss Alps in Northern Switzerland, ventured through medieval castles in Belinzona in the South and travelled through the fashion center of Milan, Italy all the way to the tremendous city of Venice. I would be remiss if I denied you the opportunity to experience this visual extravaganza with me.

As I previously mentioned in my article on global citizenship, the world is becoming our stomping grounds. We must expand our minds passed the human made borders and think about what is happening on the other side of the world as well as up the street. My hope is to pay tribute to my fellow travelers and provide a little piece of Switzerland for you to take away. ~JWN

The Switzerland Travelers

(From left to right) Andrew Pollock, Tricia Hackett, Kristin Wayman, Eugene Peterson, Shane Zanetti, Meghan Nolan, Joseph Norman, Grandpa John Zanetti

The Duomo in Milan, Italy. This is a brilliant church with some of the most beautiful artwork I have ever seen inside of it. Truly a remarkable experience and on of pure Italian nature.

Wandering the streets of Lugano, Switzerland. This city is marked by spacious walkways and open plazas. The feel is one of relaxation. Far from the haste of many cities in the United States although financially, Lugano is right on par.

Yes. Even George Washington makes it to Lugano, Switzerland.

A medieval castle in Bellinzona, Switzerland

Shane Zanetti adventuring on one of the castles in Bellinzona

An award winning Gelato stand just outside of Lugano. This man was incredible and he truly loved his job. He waited over 45 minutes after when he was supposed to close for us to finish dinner so we could come enjoy his creations. Truly amazing!

Wandering the streets of Venice, Italy. This was truly a heavy tourist scene with shops all over the place.

St. Marks Cathedral in Venice, Italy. This historic Italian church is filled with the most beautiful mosaics I have ever seen. Literally, every inch of ceiling in this church is covered in mosaics. Remarkable!

Joseph, The VIP Guy, standing on top of San Salvatore mountain and looking over Lugano, Switzerland. The group hiked this mountain on its third day in the country.

Another shot of Lugano from San Salvatore

The harbor in Venice, Italy. The entire city is surrounded by water and can be traversed either on short cobbled streets for walking or by one of the few streams that runs through the city. Here is the home of the famous "Gondola Ride."

I think this is a fitting finale. We went paragliding off this cliff and into a valley in the Swiss Alps. Absolutely breathtaking.

Shane Zanetti

Shane Zanetti

I’ve had the pleasure of living with Shane for the last three years at SUNY Geneseo. He’s been a great friend of mine since one of the first few months we were at school together. We met as teammates on the Cross Country and Track teams while we attended school at Geneseo.

Shane possesses an incredible discipline when it comes to taking on his life pursuits. Much of that stems from his passion for a healthy lifestyle and a desire to live a well balanced life. Recently while we were traveling in Switzerland with some of our other friends from Geneseo, Shane accepted a job to teach ninth grade Global Studies at Campbell-Savona High School. There, he intends to begin his career as a High School Social Studies teacher and coach.

Although he often says, “I waste zero seconds,” in a joking tone, there is a part in all of us who know Shane and realize he isn’t kidding. His dedication, creativity, quick wit, and intelligence will no doubt have a tremendous impact on many of America’s youth in the classroom. It is an honor to know him and a pleasure to feature him in The VIP Profiles. ~JWN

VIP: What is your definition of success?

SZ: Success is goal setting. Accepting challenges and then meeting or exceeding them. You need to personalize them by basing then on your own desires for achievement. If you tell yourself that you want to mow the lawn once a week and you accomplish that, you have found success. Then you have been personally successful. In an effort to achieve more, you need to continually push yourself though; setting higher and higher goals.

VIP: Who inspires you? Why?

SZ: My family inspires me. My Grandpa John Zanetti is both very inspiring and motivating. He was an educator for over 30 years and now works hard as a consultant for schools building their master schedules. He has shown me the importance of building relationships and maintaining them. My parents are both very hardworking. My father has owned his own business for 20 years and my mother does every little thing that keeps our family going. My brother and two sisters are extremely talented and all of the great things they have ahead of them inspires me.

Finally, my peers, teammates, and fellow students from SUNY Geneseo are important to me. I’m a person who gets satisfaction from the growth of others and I get inspired when other people find success, especially when I had a part in helping them achieve that goal. I saw that happen countless times at Geneseo.

VIP: What do you consider your strengths? Weaknesses?

SZ: Strengths: not afraid to work hard, not afraid to stretch myself to the limits to achieve a goal. This also leads to a weakness though; sometimes I do stretch myself too far and try to do too many things. But, I think that hard work along with the desire to influence the people around me in a positive way help fulfill me. Putting others interests’ in front of my own desires is a strength I would say. In addition, I try to keep a good sense of humor which gives me an ability to roll with the punches. I don’t get too bent of shape by things.

VIP: Now, I know you are planning a career in secondary education. Why do you want to be a teacher?

SZ: I had good influence from people in my family. My Grandpa John has worked in education for five decades. My grandmother was a teacher for a long time. And my dad was going to be a teacher before he went into business for himself. I had a great social studies teacher at Saratoga Springs, David Patterson. He was an inspiration. I always had a dream to be a pro-athlete, but when that dream died I decided coaching was the next closest thing. So, teaching was a natural outgrowth of the coaching. When I realized I wasn’t going to be Michael Jordan or run in the Olympics, I took the next best step.

VIP: What are some things you want to bring to the classroom?

SZ: I think it is important to instill in people the value of an education. Never shy away from opportunities you have to be a global citizen and be acceptable to new ideas and diverse thought and understand that you may be in a small isolated part of the state; small town, big town, but there are always ways to contribute and things to give to society and culture around you. Being active, aware, and educated are all valuable traits to have and I want my students to take those things away. You don’t have to be a good student to be a good person. You don’t have to be able to name off the state capitals to be a good citizen, but you do have to understand the importance of participation.

VIP: I know you’re a dedicated athlete, having competed for SUNY Geneseo in three sports (cross country, indoor and outdoor track) for all four years of college. What inspires this motivation and discipline? How does that relate to what you want to do with life?

SZ: It comes back to my earlier definition for success. I had goals set to become a great athlete. For me, it took such a long time to break 2 minutes in the 800m, so it kept that drive going for a long time. I was lucky at Geneseo to have great teammates and Coach Woods. I learned a lot from all of them and was able to give a lot back. I liked the idea that I was a senior and was able to set the tone for the next generation and I was inspired to stick with it so I could get to that point.

My family has always been active and competitive. I never had parents that were the little league coach or anything, but I was always pushed to do my best, have fun with it, and put it all out there. Also, the idea of health and personal fitness is a big part of having a healthy lifestyle. We were never pressured to participate in sports, but we were competitive with each other. We were lucky because we were blessed with some talent, and with success came more desire, so it built on itself over the years.

VIP: What are some short term and mid term goals for you?

SZ: In the short term, I want to successfully complete my first year of teaching at Campbell-Savona; settle into a new place and become a part of that community, meeting the expectations of my peers at the school. I want to consistently try to learn and develop; become a better educator, coach, and person. It is pretty general, but it is a good baseline for laying the foundation for my professional life and complete independence in my personal life; hopefully without too many problems.

Midterm would be to find a good school district to settle down in and become a part of a community full time. Find the place where I can really begin the next phase of my life. Move out of the stepping stone phase and whatever that phase may consist of.

VIP: If you could pass on one piece of information to the people of the world, what would it be?

SZ: This might be a little different from my classroom answer, but I don’t like the idea of people wasting their talents. It distresses me when I see people who take their strengths for granted. It is something that has been passed down in our family; you have a responsibility to use your talents to the best of your ability. I think people will find happiness this way. You will find achievement, fulfillment, and success by pursuing these strengths. I think that is why runners are drawn together because there is that common ground of pursuit. At Geneseo, I know I felt that with my colleagues on the team.

VIP: Why running?

SZ: Why running? I was good at it initially. I was successful. So, after I found that success, I set goals that I wanted to be the fastest in elementary and middle school. With that attitude of lifetime fitness, I would workout with my father very early in the morning. With the talents I was blessed with, combined with a little push in the right direction and some goals to get after, I started to enjoy it. At Saratoga Springs, I had the opportunity to achieve a lot because they had a strong program.

You can really immerse yourself in the sport there so it just built up. We won a state championship in tenth grade and I made great friends who kept up with it; for example, my friend Sean Curran who ran for Colgate. You have friends that you meet in class or out, but when you have a group of guys that finish a nasty workout on a tough day or race together and put it all on the line on a Saturday, it creates a strong bond. You completely expose yourself and from that you often find true friendship.

VIP: Who are three people, from any time period, that you would like to meet?

SZ: I often got asked on interviews, “Who would you like to bring in to lecture?” One of my answers was always Teddy Roosevelt. His love for pursuing and protecting wildlife in the country was a remarkable thing that he was able to do. It stood out much when we were in Switzerland. You see so much beautiful scenery over there that it makes you appreciate what Teddy did for the United States that much more. I really think Teddy understood that.

Next is Muhammad Ali. He had such a revolutionary personality. He understood and was active in the world around him. He was charismatic, talented, but he understood the importance of hard work. He inspires me because he came up from nothing really.

That last is a classic runner answer; Steve Prefontaine. He had similar characteristics to Ali; charisma and passion. He was an inspiration to so many other athletes, enabling them to pick up the sport and really create an American running revolution.

VIP: What are some compelling books that you have read which have made a lasting impression on you?

SZ: Teacher Man by Frank McCourt because it really shows a person the influence a teacher can have if they decide to truly dedicate themselves to the students. It was truly inspiring to me. Also, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Sinclair. When I looked at it from the aspect of a teacher it moved me. It is crucial to understand that your students are going to come from so many different backgrounds and influences in their life. It is crucial to understand that personal connections will help enable your students to achieve success.

Finally, the book Once a Runner by John Parker, Jr. It is an inspiring book and reveals that love and passion for a personal interest can have a tremendous influence on your life; helping you find great success and fulfillment along the way.

VIP: Final thoughts?

SZ: This is something I learned from our friend Scott Allen (Law School student at University of Maryland) and it is advice I recently told our friend Matt Koennecke; “I’m jealous of you because you’ve got three years left, but I’m excited about the next step.” Whatever you do, always do it with no regrets and to your best ability because you never know when something will spark the next interest for your life and could lead to something truly special for you.

Never take things for granted. Always push for that extra little bit. Don’t be afraid to take a few steps back to make a big leap forward at some point. The results could be truly phenomenal. If you live life without regrets and always do your best, you will always guarantee the best outcome. You want to be able to look back and be content with things as they were in high school or college, or any other time.

JWN: Global Citizenship

Global Citizenship

By: Joseph W. Norman

As I write this, I’m sitting at the restaurant Sayonara in downtown Lugano, Switzerland. People are walking past my small table in the back of a “piazza” (plaza) and speaking everything from Italian, to German, to French, with the occasional out of place American or neighborly European who converses in one of the many forms of English. It’s incredible to think about such variety right in front of me. Did I mention the women are beautiful here?

Lugano is like the New York City of the southern part of Switzerland. It boasts financial prowess in both its inhabitants and its businesses. For those of you scoring at home, that means the drinks are a lot more expensive; not the first thing a fresh college graduate on his self-funded twelve day graduation trip wants to hear. Nonetheless, I’m glad I’m here because it is an incredible opportunity to experience yet another culture.

For this being the New York City of Ticino (the southern region of Switzerland), it is pretty darn relaxing. Where in the United States would a fancy restaurant like Sayonara allow a young man in a pair of flip flops, grey shorts, and a long sleeve shirt have a beer and take up one of their precious tables? Not many. The irony is American pop music is playing in the background. This brings me to the point of this missive; global citizenship.

We can be anywhere we want to be in the world in an instant using the internet and within 24 hours by plane (barring inevitable delays). I think this possibility of global journeys puts a lot of pressure on a person, although this is often not the first thing that comes to a person’s mind. No doubt, it is easy to get caught up in your daily pursuits and neglect the scope of influence other people and countries can have on you. Too often we catch ourselves in this self-inflicted, narrow minded way of life and I’m right there with you!

Today it is time to reflect and take action though. We have a responsibility to learn about what it means to be a global citizen. Every person we meet, rich or poor, American, Asian, European, Russian, or African, can teach us something that can benefit our life if we open ourselves to the possibility of it.

My friends and I ate a three hour dinner the other night and it was amazing. We weren’t rushed and we weren’t expected to tip. Having worked in food service, I know that people at a table like that in America are called “squatters.” In America and Long Island where I worked, we want to turn and burn the clients so we can bring more money into the house. If it is on the waiters or waitresses minds here it sure does not show. It is crucial to experience that feeling first hand!

I challenge you to take a look around and learn about another culture. You could have a relative or a friend from another country. It may be a co-worker that just transferred from your European branch or it may be the man who produces your business cards who fled from Vietnam literally one day before the war started over there. (Thanks Nam!) No matter who it is or where they came from, please talk to them about their experience living in the culture you both live in now compared to how it is different from their previous customs.

After you do that, I want you to purchase a book on a country and culture that interests you. Read it and then go there to experience it. NOTE: Try somewhere a little more user friendly first. Please, don’t fly into the Sudan for your first international excursion, but do go somewhere that interests you.

If you’re making excuses and you “don’t have time to do it,” then make time to do it. Tell your boss and give yourself as much a preparation window as you need, but design it into your life. Say to him or her, “In November of 2009 I will be taking a week and a half familiarization trip to Costa Rica. No ands, ifs, or buts. I’m going. Let’s plan for that starting now.”

I’m not saying this because I’m a bleeding heart liberal, but rather because I have a strong conviction that we have a responsibility to learn about and connect with the other inhabitants of our world. Why? Someday your Japanese host who has remained your pen pal since your visit to his country ten years prior might become your business partner. You can quote me
on that.

That’s what our world is coming to. Want a second opinion? Read Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat. Get on board with global citizenship or get left behind. As for me, I’m going to finish my trip in Switzerland with some paragliding through the hills of Interlaken, vigorous exploration of the castles in Bellinzona, and a journey through the streets and shops of Milan and Venice, Italy. Not a bad start to June.

___

Joseph W. Norman, resides in Macedon, NY, and is Chief Enthusiasm Officer and Editor of The VIP Profiles. He offers lectures and keynote talks on leadership, personal, and professional development and is always up for a business lunch.

Joseph can be reached at Joseph.W.Norman@gmail.com or 607.743.8569.

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