Live like Interns

Live like Interns…

Today several of my colleagues and I spent a few hours with our nine Summer Interns, on the last day of their 10-week internship. 

Each individual gave a presentation on an idea, a project they’ve completed, an initiative they recommend, or a ‘key takeaway’ from their experience.   

Following their presentations, we congratulated them on an internship well done, with a nice reception overlooking the Las Vegas skyline.

Watching and listening to these nine talented, future hospitality leaders speak, and having spent some quality time with many of them this summer, I’ve decided…we should all live like Interns.

Interns are:

·      Inquisitive…and genuinely interested in learning  (they listen really well)

·      Enthusiastic…and full of ideas for the future

·      Fun…and they smile ALL THE TIME

·      Fearless…yet they’re just as friendly as can be

·      Passionate…and inspired by the simplest things, yet they still dream BIG

The older we get, we tend to talk more than we listen. 

With age comes more life experience, which sometimes (as we all know) gives way to ‘life’s disappointments’; and before we know it, our ‘bright ideas’ seem less and less “possible”. 

You and I often find ourselves spiraling into the tedious daily routine that used to be fun, but for whatever reason has lost its luster; and we don’t smile as much.  

Chelsey & Kassie, from Penn State

The more we get “burned” in our relationships professionally and personally, we’re less and less willing to take chances and go for it…and before we know it, we find ourselves shutting down, socially engaging and/or personally connecting with fewer and fewer people at work or in the community.

Those plans we once had and those dreams we used to dream can easily fade away as we slowly come to grips with merely settling for…whatever…just because it’s easier that way.

Well…I’ve decided.  If given a choice, I’d rather live like interns!

·      They listen more than they talk…and...people like them.

·      They dream.  Period.  Nothing is impossible to them, and they’re FIRED UP.

·      They connect and engage…with everyone they meet. 

( And did I mention…people LIKE THEM)

·      They don’t even know how to spell – FEAR

The irony is that today nine college seniors spent a couple hours telling my colleagues and I how much they learned from us…but I could write a book on how much I just learned from them.

In fact…I’m going to start, TODAY, being more like them.  Today, we should all go back to living like interns. 

Have a great day.

Taylor

Thanks to our new friends: Brianna, Anna, Mikael, Dominique, Ashley, Kassie, Patrik, Christina, and Chelsey, for not only 10 weeks of your service, but also for the inspiration we all need, from time to time, to have fun, learn new things, dream BIG, and smile through it all…

#PassionForPossibility