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On Monday, March 17th, Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYUH) was privileged to hear from Scott M. Kaufman, founder & CEO of Humanintelligence and New York Times best-selling author. Kaufman, a renowned entrepreneur, is an inspiration for young minds everywhere with his focus on helping young adults to discover their passions and to make goals that will lead them to successful careers and relationships.
He spoke to a modest sized audience consisting
mainly of students, and focused on the opportunities placed before them as
young adults preparing to enter society’s work force.
He explained that a positive aspect about being a
young adult is that they are “allowed to not
know what their passions are yet.” “You still have time to figure it out,” he continued, saying that this age is a prime time to determine future plans before
later adulthood marginalizes opportunities.
Impressed with the students here at BYUH, he
encouraged them to find their passions and bring their knowledge and skills to
the world to help serve and improve those who are less fortunate.
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“Tie
your passion into what is needed,
not wanted”
“We need more people who ‘get it,’ like you,” he
noted. He then emphasized that “as long as we are doing this out of a pure
heart and a desire to serve others,” then lives will be changed because of the
service and love they receive.
He summarized that being a successful student arises
from discovering, “every day, how [they] can get in touch with what [they’re]
truly passionate about,” and then finding a way “to connect that passion out in
the real world that serves other people.”
Additionally, he spoke on analyzing one’s needs and
wants. “Tie your passion into what is needed, not wanted,” he expressed.
“It was an intriguing presentation,” says Annelise
Eddy, a sophomore studying psychology. “It definitely opened my eyes up to
different ideas.”
Kaufman spoke on an acronym that he advocates for
young people to be successful: CARING. (Respectively, it stands for Communication,
Authenticity, Relationships, Integrity, Nature, and Gratitude.)
Three of the prominent traits of success were
Communication, Relationships, and Gratitude.
When introducing Communication, he affectionately
noted, “Communication is not a skill, it’s an art.” He also advised to “learn
to communicate via volunteering,” as that is an ample opportunity to develop
effective interactions.
For Relationships, he emphasized that “the real
currency of the world is relationships,” that relationships help to meet the
needs and wants of others. He also believes that because the United States and
other countries in the world are decreasing in ethnocentric values, “we had
better learn about what it means to be international.”
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“Communication
is not a skill, it’s an art”
And finally, for Gratitude, he cautioned students to
evaluate the gifts they may take for granted, asking, “When you complain, what
are you complaining about?” “Gifts have already been given to you,” he added,
“You just have to recognize it.”
Tyler Larson, a senior studying psychology believes
Gratitude was “the most helpful trait” Kaufman discussed. “It helped me to
recognize opportunities available to me here at school and as a member of the
church,” he said.
Kaufman concluded his presentation with an
invitation not only to practice the skills and gifts that students have, but to
practice “with the right intentions.”
The students and
faculty at Brigham Young University–Hawaii are thankful for Scott Kaufman’s
presentation. We hope for more enlightenment from him in the future and to work
closely together in using our passions to reach our goals.
Article by Kyle Evan Madsen
