Lessons Learned From Galactus, Jared & Gatsby

Here’s a riddle for you. Aside from becoming very wealthy, very famous American figures, what do Shaquille O’Neal, Jared Fogle (of Subway fame) and Jay Gatsby all have in common? C’mon you know.

They’re all masters of self-reinvention.

As far as hoop stars go, no one needs to watch the highlight reels to understand why Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greats. However, in the twenty plus years since he came on the scene, O’Neil has successfully added venture capitalist, actor, musician and even doctor of education to his increasingly impressive Curriculum Vitae. Jared Fogle transformed himself quite literally from a publicly unknown, 425-pound college student to a health hero for many and pop culture icon when he decided that he was finished with always “planning ahead to avoid embarrassing situations.” And in case you skipped your high school reading and are awaiting for the May 2013 feature film release date to uncover the wonder of The Great Gatsby, let’s just say Jay “came up” big time.

So, why have you wasted five minutes reading about three men, who probably mean nothing to you?

Because this week, and for the rest of your life, you must challenge yourself to emulate them… In a sense.

Long gone are the days when minimal education, hard work and dedication could buy you a house in the suburbs and send all of your children to college. With even some of the most stable jobs in danger of becoming obsolete, Americans at all stages of their careers are learning that they will not be able to go on much longer living with the status quo.

Luckily, there is help.

This Sunday, Deborah Shanley, dean of the School of Education at Brooklyn College and Dr. Carole Berotte Joseph, president of Bronx Community College guest star on One Hundred Pennies on AM970 The Answer. Tune into the show for a lively discussion about self-reinvention and for tips that people in all career stages can employ to fortify their experiences to remain relevant in this progressively more competitive economy and jobs market.

Answer the poll below. Then, join the conversation by calling 866-970-9622 during the show, leaving your questions and comments here, tweeting to Michael Robinson @msrobinsonny or liking his Facebook page.

Take Our Poll

 

Special thanks to guest blogger, Kimberley Bainbridge.

Filed under: Follow up, Job Search, marketing, Michael S Robinson, Strategic Planning