At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, USA rifle shooter Matt Emmons was poised to win his second gold medal. He had one shot left, and only needed a score of 7.3. The lowest score on his last nine shots was 9.3, so the gold was certainly to be in his hands soon. Sure enough, Emmons took the shot, and hit a bullseye... on the wrong target. He was awarded 0 points and finished fourth in this particular competition.

Dan Roth, the executive editor at LinkedIn, sent an email inviting people on Linked In to write a post with the theme of "If I Were 22" as a message to college graduates. I smiled, because every year about this time I get more reflective about where my life journey has taken me. I was even given the chance to share my thoughts as the student commencement speaker at North Carolina State University (see picture above) way back in 1989. I often think about what I would do differently if I were starting my professional career again-or what choices I am thrilled that I made. So in honor of all the "22ish" college graduates (wanted to include those on the 6 year plan), here are my 22 reflections from that Linked In article:

It was the most incredulous thing I had seen in quite awhile. I kept looking to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me. I even rechecked the Diet Coke I was drinking to make sure someone hadn't added something to it. There were at least ten teenage and early twenty-somethings standing and sitting idly nearby... and not ONE of them was texting or staring into a mobile device. They didn't even have one with them! Was this a flashback to the 90's? Was I hallucinating? No. They were lifeguards. And to be successful in their roles, they can't afford to have any distractions.

Last week we exhibited at the Association for Talent Development (Formerly ASTD) conference and exposition in Washington DC. We had numerous conversations with individuals who are struggling with their productivity in an environment where there are limitless distractions. One particular interaction was truly telling.

We noticed the lady walking slowly along the aisle where our booth was located, seeming a bit lost or not sure what to do. Greeting her with a warm smile, she stopped at our booth and we began talking about her role with training and how our products and services could be of benefit. A few minutes later she commented, "This has been so nice. Thanks for the conversation." Seeing the curiosity in my face as to her reasons for making such an unusual comment, she continued.

One of the TV shows I relish watching is American Pickers on the History Channel. Frank and Mike are two "Antique Archaeologists" who are searching for rusty gold in barns, buildings, and anywhere else people might have stored things of value or simply items from their past. The "pick" is the actual search through boxes, piles, or shelves. They then bargain with the owners, attempting to buy the item at a price they can then resell to someone else-or keep as a treasure of their own. I enjoy the history given on the items and always learn so much. Mike and Frank's banter is also engaging and endearing.