Who Would Have Guessed?

I had the opportunity and pleasure to speak to 75+ college men at a dinner at UNC–Chapel Hill. They were a delightful range of races, nationalities, areas of interest, and future hopes and goals.

I was candid about my more-than-checkered college academic career and reasonably open about the successes I've had during the 40+ years since my undergrad days.

Most of the folks who knew me back in the early '70s might not have predicted my life would turn out as it has.

I told them I'd love to have a device that would allow me to see them all 20 years in the future because I knew many of them would become extraordinary successes.

My final point was that, so often, the key to success is simply trying; making the effort. Being willing to risk — or not care about — the possibility of failure.

And, the trying doesn't have to be a huge step ... it can be a small one ... a first one ... that leads to the second step, and so forth.

Neither you nor I are 20 years old with the majority of our lives in front of us. But, if we're breathing ... we can try. Something small. A first step.