What Will You Become?

What Will You Become?

By John Hagerman “Dr. Seuss provides great career guidance to adults,” Jeanne Mock said at a recent presentation to adult students enrolled in the Takoda Institute Public Relations Specialist program in Minneapolis. During her presentation, Mock read several quotes from Suess’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Book. As Director of National Accounts for the Kids in Need Foundation, former Director of Community Relations for Target Corporation, as a former teacher, and as a full-time, life-long learner, Mock is a bit of an expert when it comes to where she’ll go next. The theme of the event Mock was addressing was, Who Will You Become? Appropriately the first quote she used was “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” I never knew Dr. Seuss and I were such kindred spirits! I’ve been teaching public relations writing at the school for the past eight months and knew all the students in the room. They were instantly intrigued with Mock, and the quote. It resonated with me, too. One of the consistent themes in my lectures to the group has been, “It’s up to you to invent the future you want,” and the quote supported the theme. As Seuss implied, if you’re not going to steer your own course, then who’s going to do it for you? Next up was, “Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you. And when things...