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Advice from One Alumnus to You

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Dan Wilson is an Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author, and CSU Global graduate who wanted to share some of the best things college had to offer him. He also has shared a free e-book he wrote on the subject of relationship building that you can download below. 

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What is the best way to be successful at CSU Global?

The answer to achieving success is very simple and is accomplished in only two simple steps:

  1. Form a Connection – Get in touch with your professor and engage. Find out exactly what they are looking for. Ask good questions, and gather the information. Reach out to the professor and ask questions. Read all of their comments and then follow up with them to ensure you are understand what they are looking for. Their goal is to help you learn the content of the class. Make a genuine connection with them. After all, they are your lifeline and the expert on the topic.
  1. Do the Work – All the time spent trying to circumvent the system can just as easily be spent developing your content and implementing the feedback from your professor. Focus on developing the content that they are looking for in each class and your grades will reap the benefits.

Other than working hard in school, what other things make a person successful?

When it comes to creating the future for yourself, I think there are three simple principles that are important to remember in your academic journey.

  1. Don’t Stop at the Textbook – First, You don’t just have to only read books that are part of your curriculum. Apply what you learn in college in the real world and putting yourself on a path of personal development is the key to securing the future of your dreams. One of the most underestimated opportunities is taking the time to read good books. Imagine what you could accomplish if you sat down with all the richest people in the world for ten hours each. Almost all of these successful people have written a book to share the best of what they have to offer. Reading or listening to books written by successful people is literally like getting to sit with them for a day. It’s a simple and overlooked tool that is guaranteed to alter the course of your life.
  1. Learn how to Attract Success – Become the kind of person that everyone would want to hire; become an attractive person to the marketplace. Learning skills is a great way to become competent in an area of study or focus. However, the reality is that when it comes to hiring, education is a prerequisite. Your likability factor is the difference between who looks good on paper and who gets hired.
  1. Become a Contributor – All too often we go to college to “get” an education. However, we should also be focusing on contributing the best of what we have to help others. You can pay attention in class all you want, but you need to be participating in the things that you are good at and contribute where your skills are of value. Focus on what you have to offer. These fundamentals change everything when your focus is developing your best skills and helping others to see the best in themselves. By contributing with your talents, and elevating others into the spotlight, you will increase your credibility; and this puts you in a place of esteem in the mind of others! In everything you do ask the following questions:
    • What steps can I take to become a bigger contributor?
    • How can I reach more people with what I contribute?
    • What is the best information I can contribute?

What do you think the biggest missed opportunity in college is?

There are many reasons to attend college, a better job, personal development, because it is expected of you, or you simply that you enjoy learning new things. However, I have noticed one single opportunity that most people miss in their college education is relationship building. Everything we do and become as a person, is a result of the relationships we develop and the network of people we interact with. Want a better job? What if you personally knew the hiring manager at your dream company and they already knew you, liked you, and trusted you. The old saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is becoming increasingly true in today’s social environment. Everyone is connected, so the secret to attending college is not only to develop yourself, but it is to connect with and impact as many people as you can during your attendance. These people and the connections you form become your network. This network will ultimately define your success or failure in life. If you focus on building relationships and nurturing them over time, they will become the best thing you have. These connections and relationships will propel you to success and places you never thought were possible, both personally and financially. So take your finite amount of time during college and make it count; Allow it to impact you for the rest of your life. “Your Net worth is equal to your Network.” – Author Unknown

Want to Learn More?

This article discusses just a few of the principles that are part of Dan’s latest free Ebook “Relationship Marketing Blueprint”.