Do What's Valuable

Benjamin Todd
Jan 2, 2017
2 min read

Reflection:

In my BUSN 205 class last year, General Van Alstyne challenged us to ask ourselves, "What is it that only I can do?" In our jobs, we often try to focus on what we want to do or even what we are good at. Instead, he advised we identify the needs of the organization and understand how we, with our skills and experience, can uniquely contribute to fulfilling those needs. In this way, we can add value to our organizations and create the most impact through our work. Our purpose (or "point of greatest contribution") is found where our passions and abilities meet the world's greatest needs.

This parallels Benjamin Todd's message of "doing what's valuable." He clarifies this slogan as "[focusing] on getting good at something that genuinely helps others and makes the world a better place." Emphasizing achievement and meaning, Todd encourages listeners to explore and learn about the world, gain transferable and desirable skills, and use your abilities to solve the problems you see in the world.

Again, I come back to the General's wisdom. At the end of our course, the General told us that we have a choice: we decide what we do with our education and our abilities. We are free to be "the lord of our own heads," or we can choose to be attentive and aware, to truly care about the people around us and to serve them in small and great ways every day. He concluded by quoting Clayton Christensen: "The only metrics that will truly matter...are individuals whom I have been able to help, one-by-one, to become better."

General Van Alstyne's words changed how I view my work and future. When I started school, I was excited to be learning more about myself and the world around me. Yet, till his class, I hadn't tried to connect my education to how I could contribute to the needs of others. His words hit me like a slap in the face, as I realized how self-centered my perspective had been. The General's challenge has helped me become more intentional in recognizing the pressing problems around me and developing skills that will allow me to contribute to solving them. This video was a good reminder of what I learned in the General's class and communicated many similar ideas in a new way.