Prepare for Life

10 Prepare for Life

Once you get a job, not only will your work life be shifting, so will your life in general; therefore, you will always need to develop and stay informed. Life is challenging, so again, remember your toolbox. If you keep calm and carry on, stay focused on your goals and never give up, you will succeed! The following list shows the ten main points raised in a speech to the graduating class of 2014 by Naval Admiral William H. McRaven at the University of Texas at Austin. Put the list in your toolbox and take action in your life!

"Changing the world can happen anywhere and anyone can do it". McRaven (2014)

Before listening to the text, read the ten points. Discuss what you believe will be said about them. FIND COURAGE TO CHANGE THE WORLD If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle. If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers. If you want to change the world, get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward. If you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses. If you want to change the world, sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first. If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks. If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moments. If you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud. If you want to change the world, don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

ACTION WRITING KEY WORDS 23 Find and watch a recording of the speech online. Pause after each number and write down key words. 24 Make two columns, one for your personal life and one for your work life. Write down key words in each column on how these tips can affect you. SPEAKING 25 Discuss in pairs: What do the ten points mean? Explain each in your own words. 26 Is this mindset typically American or can it be global? If so, why? See chapter 4, page 172, for help. 27 Discuss which of the tips can benefit you the most. EXTRA CHALLENGE 28 Pretend you are 15 years older and create a story about how you used one of these points to handle a situation at work. Name your story: “How I changed the world”. 29 Be inspired by the spoken word poetry “High School Training Ground” by Malcolm London at TED Talks Education, 7 May 2013. Make a creative presentation based on the main content. Use SOURCE McRaven, W. H. 2014. Speech to the the title "Remember to learn to swim while at Graduating Class of 2014. University of Texas at training!" Austin