Do you have a girlfriend? Did your mom really slam a revolving door? Did you eat the shirako? How can I travel around the world? How can I teach English in Japan? Are you sure you weren’t dropped on your head or exposed to heightened levels of radiation as a child?

These are typical questions I get asked after presenting to audiences across the continent. There’s one question though, that I should take some time and answer.

How do I get started?

After a conference or assembly you leave pumped up and ready to take over the globe with your ideas. You get home and then sit down at your computer to get started with your plan for conquering the world.

Then you log on to Facebook.

Oh what’s this? Somebody answered a question about me on a quiz? Of course I want to check it out!

3 hours later, you try to remember why you got on the computer in the first place. You can’t remember. You shut it down, go watch The Hills then go to sleep.

—

There once was a group of turkeys. They spent their days doing turkey stuff. You know, hanging out, looking ugly, dreading Thanksgiving and NOT FLYING.

Then one day one of the turkeys announced that they were invited to a conference where there would meet a flying turkey. They were so stoked because this flying turkey was going to teach them how to fly! They couldn’t believe it. They got their stuff together and walked to the conference – hoping it would be the last time they would have to walk.

They stood around in a group waiting.

Then all of a sudden, one of the turkeys noticed something in the sky coming towards them. As it got closer, they saw it was a FLYING TURKEY!

He swooped down and landed in the middle of the group. It was incredible!

For the next few hours, the flying turkey taught them all about flying. He showed them how to use their wings and the wind to fly.

Later that day, he brought them to a cliff and one-by-one each turkey jumped off and flew. It was amazing. The turkeys couldn’t believe it. They soared through the air. They went above the clouds. They did flips and dive bombs, they did things they never could have imagined.

It was the greatest experience of their lives. They now knew how to fly. They were so excited. They would never have to touch the ground again! They felt amazing. This was so much better and quicker than walking. Why didn’t they learn this before?

The conference ended and they all landed back at the main conference area. The turkey’s waved good-bye as their flying instructor took off and flew to another turkey conference.

The group of turkeys then, picked up their stuff and walked home.

—-

At conferences and assemblies, you learn a ton of new stuff. You learn how to fly. The problem is that most people return back to their regular lives and forget all about the things they learned.

They walk home.

So how do you continue flying?

Decide to change. Decide to take steps to stay in touch with the people you met. Decide to use the ideas you learned to change your routines the world you live in.

If you learned something new about leadership, try using it in your next student council meeting. If you learned how to fly in your relationship, try it. If you learned something that inspired you to get involved, get involved. If you were inspired to build a school in Africa, don’t wait. Start the planning now.

You continue flying by deciding not to land.

Don’t be a turkey. Fly already.

Here’s Part II, enjoy!

PART TWO

Decision 2: Decide where you will go.

When I talk about the school year, I am not only talking about the time you are in the classroom. I am talking about from the first day of school until your last day of exams. This includes your weekends, evenings and holidays.

Where do you want to go this year?

Think about taking a road trip with some of your best friends. Maybe you could take a graduation trip to Europe or a spring break trip to a different city nearby. Why don’t you jump on the bus and go visit your grandparents in Chicago or uncle in Seattle. Get together with your friends one weekend, go stay in the city and volunteer for a group that builds houses for low-income families. Go to a state/provincial leadership conference to meet new people and get revved up for whatever club you belong to.

Decide to go somewhere.

It’s so important to get away during the school year. Taking a little weekend trip or spring break adventure can help rejuvenate you and help get you refocused on the things you are working towards. These trips can give you opportunities and experiences that you wouldn’t get anywhere else. Depending on where you go and what you do, it could be something you are able to flaunt on your resume or college application.

These trips have the potential to completely change your perspective.

Decide now, where you will go this year.

Decision 3: Decide what you will do.

Will you try out for the basketball team? Will you run for student council president? Are you going to study Spanish or enter the dance competition?

How will you leave your mark on this year?

School has so many opportunities for you to get involved. There is something for everybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re quiet, loud, artistic, technical, creative or organized, there’s something for you to do, some way you can us your skills and passion to do something cool.

Push yourself to go outside of your comfort zone a little. If you are deathly afraid of public speaking, maybe running for student council president isn’t for you. But you could always volunteer for the prom committee, where you may have to present an idea to a small group of your peers.

Decide to do something.

So many people go through high school without contributing. And by not contributing to your school, community or your future you are robbing yourself of experiences that could change the path of your future.

Decision 4: Decide who you will be.

This is the most important decision you could make.

When I moved to Japan, I had the opportunity to be whoever I wanted to be. Nobody knew me. I could’ve walked in my office on day one and been as cool as Jay-Z, as loud as Dane Cook or as personable as Ellen. I got to decide who I would be and how I acted and that in turn would affect how I was treated and remembered.

This school year, you get to decide who you will be. It doesn’t matter if you weren’t a leader last year, you can be one this year. If you were introverted and quiet last year, you can be more outgoing this year. If you were rude and obnoxious, you can decide to be polite and helpful. You can be whoever you want to be. I am not telling you to be a fake, I am telling you to be who you want to be.

Every school year (actually, every minute of every day) you get to reinvent yourself as the person you want to be.

Decide now, who you will be this year, then, be that person.

Leaving the school year up to chance or destiny is lazy. The only way you are going to have a great year, is by deciding to have a great year. The only way you are going to get what you want, go where you want, do what you want and be who you want, is by deciding and cutting off every option until you do.

Decide now to make this year the best year possible. Don’t do it for me, do it for Neo.

Neo, any final thoughts?

My name is Neo

Umm thanks…

You were right. It was inevitable.