As Roger Quinlan told us at the Month of Service SAP Talk on Thurs, “get away from your desk”, “inspire your peers” and “give your time”. Volunteering can help us to find new passions by reaching out and getting involved in something that we normally would not have had the time to do with the constraints of the work week.
Just a reminder, if you have not yet signed up for an event – just go to https://sap.benevity.org/, click on Silicon Valley and you will see a list of exciting and fun things you can do. And the greatest thing is that SAP supports this cause. An amazing opportunity and it says a lot about the great company that SAP is.
To start off the month of service Roger invited with a wonderful and inspirational guest speaker Jessica Jackley. Jessica is the co-founder of an organization KIVA. The mission of KIVA is to advance and connect people around the world through lending to alleviate poverty. KIVA makes micro-loans to people to start a business. These small loans some even as little as $100, provide a way for people living in poverty to start up a business and most importantly to improve their lives.
Jessica shared with us her insights about what it is that makes an entrepreneur successful. Some people possess that entrepreneur spirit and others are road blocked by their own fears. Jessica said that it boils down to the stories we tell ourselves. To be successful, you have to believe in spite of the lack of resources, the naysayers and roadblocks, people that believe.... succeed.
Just fake it til you make it. And before you know it you have figured out how to get what you want done.
For those not on twitter, Moya Watson @moyalynne captured some of the classic quotes from the Jessica Jackley SAP talk. Like a good glass of wine, savor each idea, twirl it around in your brain, smell it and see if the message appeals to your senses, and commit to the bottle if it is good. One sip at a time, one step at a time, achieve who you want to be in life.
INSPIRATION JESSICAS QUOTES:
- “How do you inspire creativity in your kids? It is already there. Your job is to not mess it up.”
- “Sometimes you have to redefine success to be successful. Resist pressures to be who you’re not. In work and in relationships.”
- “Don’t perpetuate the stories that make us poorer – that convince us that less, not more, is possible.”
- “What is entrepreneurship? The pursuit of opportunity regardless of resources currently controlled.”
- “Why do some people not achieve their full potential? It comes down to the stores we tell and your entrepreneurial spirit.”
I want to thank Roger for bringing Jessica to SAP. Her message was clear. Let go of your old stories. Look inside and find your entrepreneur spirit. Put yourself in a mind-set to learn and improve our world. We can all make a difference.
Enjoy October month of service and get out and volunteer.
Find your passions
Make the world better.