Because
I didn't have the opportunity to attend college after
high school, I made the decision to return to school
when I was in my 30s and raising my three children. This
was one of the hardest things I've ever done and the one
decision that made the biggest difference in my business
life.
In
starting, I set a goal to graduate with honors by the
time I was 35, and I did graduate the day before my
35th birthday...summa cum laude with a GPA of
3.95.
But
here is what made it really tough: because my husband
was on a fast-track corporate career, I attended three
universities in three different cities during that
four-year period. Each time I transferred, I lost
credits and considered giving up...but I hung in and
that made all the difference in my life.
What
got me through it all was just moving from semester to
semester keeping my eye on what I had accomplished and
the distance remaining. Of course that's also what made
it particularly tough about moving so many
times...because as I could just start to see the finish
line on the horizon, we would move and that image would
blur.
During
my final year, because I was anxious to finish before we
moved yet again, I took 18-20 hours each semester, and
did independent studies through the semester and holiday
breaks. Finally, during my last semester, which was a
condensed 4-week summer session where classes met four
days a week, I had a 7AM class and also a 7:30PM class.
When you add in drive time, I left my house at 6AM in
the morning and returned home at 10PM at night. But I
was determined to get these last two classes
in.
After
my last exam I called my husband and told him I'd meet
him to celebrate after I sold my last textbook back. I
can still hear his voice on the other end of the phone,
"Sell the book? Sell the book? You go out to the quad
and you SPIKE that book!"
In
that instant I realized what I had achieved, and coming
from that experience I gained a sense of "If I can do
that, I can do anything! Bring it on life. Show me
something I can't handle!"
My
favorite quote is one that's reflective of this
experience. It also ties in to my impatience with people
who complain about situations rather than doing
something about them. Teddy Roosevelt said, "Do what you
can, with what you have, where you are." This. In my
mind, is the secret to happiness. No matter what your
lot in life, don't complain about what you don't have.
Just focus on what you DO have and capitalize on it.
And
that's the message that I send every time I write or
speak. Figure out what you're passionate about, what
differentiates you from the rest of the world, what you
DO have. And then craft your life around it.
I
like to use the word "craft" in describing the decisions
we make as we go through life. Rather than just moving
through life, think about what you are doing as
deliberately "Crafting your life." Here's an
example. As an author and professional speaker, I'm
always on a plane, but I love living in the country.
When my youngest son left for college, my husband and I
sold our big yuppie house and found the perfect lot in
the country where we built our dream house. It's not at
all an extravagant house. It's actually very simple. But
it is exactly what we want with wide expanses of glass
overlooking ponds and waterfalls. And, here's the icing
on the cake...we're only 15 minutes from an
international airport.
A
lifestyle like this doesn't just happen. Nor does
getting a college degree in your thirties while raising
three kids. You have to "craft" this kind of a life. You
have to ask the question, "What would my perfect life
look like." And then you have to have the guts to go
after it.
In
what ways are you crafting your life? In what ways are
you doing, "...what you can, with what you have, where
you are?"
Mary Cantando
Growth Expert
WomanBusinessOwner.com
1013 Erin's Way, Raleigh, NC
27614
info@womanbusinessowner.com
www.WomansAdvanage.biz
Mary Cantando is a
nationally-recognized expert on women business owners.
She has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street
Journal and O, The Oprah
Magazine, as well as CBS and NPR Radio and TV. As a
member of the National Speakers' Association, Mary
delivers keynotes and workshops for women who want to
grow their businesses.
Mary's current book
is The Woman's
Advantage: 20 Women Entrepreneurs Show You What it Takes
to Grow Your Business.(Kaplan Publishing: 2006) And
her newest product is The Woman's
Advantage Page-a-Day Calendar. www.WomansAdvantage.biz/calendar
