The Key to Success is to Out-Hustle Everyone

I won't take credit for this quote, but I absolutely believe in it. A friend of mine saw this and sent it to me because the article reminded him of me. What a compliment, right?!

I strive to kick ass no matter where I am and it's usually a positive thing, until I'm on the same playing field as others. At work or in school, people find me as this super threat because I work my butt off and typically, no matter what anyone does or says, I keep at it at a supernova speed. Well, I'm sorry to say, maybe I am a threat. No, I don't have super powers (if I did, I'd want to fly!), I'm not crazy (yet), and no, I don't go all out to throw it in your face. I don't boast about my wins, but I will continue to work hard to reach my next bench mark.

Finding Inspiration Again

It’s been awhile and don’t get me wrong - I’ve been inspired, but wow! The year has just blown by. I’ve been through my first year as an MBA student, been at Yelp through the wild ride it’s been, and even spent a month in Europe!

I was on such a high when I came back from Europe. The culture, the history, people, food - the list goes on. I was so inspired by what I saw and learned; I just couldn’t hide it upon return. But then, disaster struck and I dove way down. I was incredibly sad to not be in Europe any more, surrounded by about 50 people from across the world who also decided to take the MBA class like me.

There was no drama. At all! Weird? I thought so too, but we all clicked like we’d known each other for ages. You could morph into any group for meals, trips during the week, or long excursions on the weekends. I couldn’t have planned a more successful trip!

What am I missing here that makes me long for that again, or long for school to start up again? It’s people I’m surrounded with that inspire me, challenge me, and genuinely enjoy similar things as me (well mostly outdoor, crazy things!). Most of my close friends have munchkins, significant others, or partake in activities that are true to my character. Totally not judging and so love everyone of them, but I feel like I’m missing something.

100 Things I Learned About Nebraska or What It Has Taught Me

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1. Huskers or Bust.
2. “Farmers” grow crops. “Ranchers” raise cattle. “Trucks” are semis. “Pickups” are the things most people drive. 
3. Farmers never get tax refund checks.
4. Slow life is comfortable. Big cities are normally unnerving.
5. Many have never been farther than 100-200 miles from home, let alone in a plane.
6. Can't stand to be indoors.
7. Always willing to help. Even with the not-so-fun jobs.
8. Dogs are house hold commodities. Cats are a given (outside) for mousing purposes.
9. Small animal 4-H is a joke. Livestock showing is their art.
10. Can start driving at 13.
11. Beer is always available after a day of work.
12. To gain respect fast, don't be afraid to get dirt under your fingernails. Eating a fresh rocky mountain oyster does the trick too.

Ideas for Lasting Relationships

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I read an article the other morning about lasting relationships, which perfectly enough, I quoted in a conversation later that day. One of my students was having a bad day, not knowing why she would just all of a sudden start crying for no apparent reason. I told her to come find me if she needed to talk. I had a sneaky suspicion, but sometimes it’s hard for people to say things out loud because it makes it real. I know that all to well from my own personal relationships. But I also know that not talking about the things on our minds, the harder it is to logically think through the madness.

She showed up in my office a few hours later. We had our initial small talk session and then I went right into what was going on. I nailed it. She was having personal problems with her boy friend, but she didn’t want to really deal with them because she cares so much for him that she kept locking the frustrations away, only to finally break down “without any apparent reason.” The ever-present, yet constantly consciously forgotten, “Love is Blind” came into full swing. Why is it that so many people try to rationalize issues that will later destroy a relationship just because they remember “the good times?” Anyway, I pulled out the listed characteristics and gave it to her straight.

When considering a “soulmate,” you better have these characteristics figured out:

Don't Just Settle with a Job

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The other day I went over to a house, which I consider a home, in Curtis with people I feel are my family. The Wetzels were the first couple I met in Curtis while I was flying back and forth from Dallas when my boss and I were trying to do business from afar. Instead of staying at the local hotel, George insisted I stay with the Wetzels to feel more welcomed and a part of the community while I was visiting. Maybe he had some sort of intuition knowing I’d end up moving to this tiny American rural and dying town.

The Wetzels knew George when they went to the agriculture high school together back in the early 1950s, which is now a University of Nebraska branch campus. The Wetzels’ kind hearts reeled George in and gave him a place to share and relax without worrying about being politically correct. They have been a godsend as they’ve continued that with me. I always know I’ll get a warm welcome and hugs all around when I visit. The Wetzels are truly the most genuine, kind, and loving people I’ve met here, and honestly don’t know if my sanity level would be the same without them.

Helping Others By Telling Your Story

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I think the most humble and selfless act in life is to tell your story to help others. Whether that's to express the pain you went through to hopefully save others or enable those who've been through the same thing to feel like they aren't alone, that is true character.

A friend of mine, Matt Pipkin, was sexually assaulted when he was 5 years old. Just a child. A young boy. Many of you could never imagine such pain and suffering to hold something like that in for years and years. I can't even imagine it myself. However, he was finally able to open up about it two years ago and is doing really well!

The reason I'm writing about this is that he's flying for AT LEAST 65 days WITHOUT landing (world record) and somehow conned his dad to fly with him. Bathrooms and showers? Well, even I have no idea how that will work. The cool and most important part about this is the national platform he's flying for: childhood sexual abuse. 1 in 3 young girls and 1 in 6 young boys have been sexually assaulted prior to the age of 18. It's a serious problem and Matt has taken it upon himself to raise awareness to show others that if it happened to them, it's not their fault.

But he needs your help!! Share his story on facebook, twitter, to your family and friends. Watch him on the Today Show, follow his story as it unfolds. It's such an inspiring story and I want you all to get engaged!

The easiest thing for you to do is spread the word! If you feel so inclined to help financially, that would be amazing as well! He has 53 days left and needs to raise $50K. Every dollar counts!

Of course, I can't give justice to his story. Watch this short presentation to hear his story in his own words!

So get excited and help stop this national tragedy!

Visit http://commit365.org/ for more information.

Matt Pipkin

Twitter: @commit65 and @themattpipkin

Facebook: search “Commit 65”

Matt's email: purduepipkin@gmail.com

Matt is Boldly Challenging Status Quo. How about you?

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