Stand up straight!

"If every one else jumped off a bridge would you?" and "Stand up straight", are just a few of the standard things every parent has to tell their kids, right up there with "don't pick your nose" and "don't eat off the floor".

As we grow up we usually see the wisdom in their words and often find ourselves repeating them to our kids. While my parents passed on these and many other gems, one conversation I had with my Mother stands out. No, this wasn't THE talk but I remember she passed on several of the classics that still apply to me today and I hope those who are looking for work right now can use.

First, is "Stand up straight". Yes, very cliche but standing up straight is a something to remember when looking for a job. You need to be proud of who you are and who you want to become. If you are hunched over and negative why would someone want to hire you? As a side note, it has been proven that taller people get paid more.

Second, " only compare yourself to the person looking back at you in the mirror". No one else has your talents, priorities and value. Others may have more money or seem more successful but at the end of the day we all made trade offs to be who we are. You are unique and it is something to be proud of. So stand up straight.

Finally, "there will always be someone better than you". Maybe not today or tomorrow but someday there will be. She didn't mean don't try to be great. What she meant was we all have our day in the sun and those days are numbered. Brett Farve are you listening? So you always need to be learning new things to be prepared for the day when you are no longer the best. This builds humility and a realization that no one is successful on their own and that needing help is not a weakness.

Now that I have boys of my own and see them moving toward that peer driven world of middle school and high school, I hope I can pass on these gems in a way that will help them be better people. I do this with the hope that every generation has that my children will learn from my mistakes.