Convention Tips

This weekend I was able to enjoy with my wonderful family the annual Virginia Homeschool Convention, hosted by HEAV.  This convention hosts many speakers and covers many topics which we all enjoy.  My sister and I attended one session by Woody Robertson, the co-founder of CollegePlus!, about after high school.  I would like to share some of what I learned below.

The title of his session was called, "Eight Practical Steps to Life After High School".
Step #1~ Identify Your Purpose.  God has a purpose and a plan for each one of us and it's our responsibility to find out what it is and to follow it with the best of our ability.  One way to discover what your purpose is to know your passions.  What books, music, movies, speakers do you gravitate towards?  These things could easily point out your passions and interests.  Your purpose will always have something to do with people.  Unfortunately the world today defines purpose by what you possess, what is pleasurable, and the pride of life.  God's Word says differently.
Step #2~ Build a Foundation of Character.  "People don't care how much you know until they see how much you care."  Here is a list of character traits he believed were most needed in today's society.
Diligence
Creativity
Initiative 
Enthusiasm
Wisdom
Committed to Excellence
Honor (make others successful) 
Step #3~ Develop Communication Skills.  People form 75% of their opinion of who you are in the first 5 minutes.  Attempt to be slightly above everybody else in the way you dress (that is the first thing a person sees :).
Step #4~ Find A Mentor.  Not just a spiritual mentor but perhaps a mentor in business or something else you're interested in.
Step #5~ Land an Internship.  The best way to learn is in a one on one relationship.
Step #6~ Be Purposeful in Marriage Relationships (young men); Guard Your Heart (young women).  Marriage is a huge step in life and we need to seriously consider all angles of a relationship.
Step #7~ Know What Businesses Are Looking For.  Like my daddy always says, "It's not hard to find a job you just have to be willing to do what nobody else wants to do."  If you see a need see if you can fill it (if that's the Lord's will for you).
Step #8~ Land Your First Job.

Well, that's a little bit of what I learned this weekend.  Next post will be about my graduation (with my sister)! :)  Stay tuned....

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah