Goal Setting.

The same note that I wrote in 2009!

Wow. As I sit in my room, thinking about how good God is, all I can say is wow. During my freshman year, I attended the 35th Annual NSBE Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. As I sat in one of the general sessions, I took out my iPod, and began to outline my leadership goals, DJ goals, etc. At the top were my NSBE goals (shown right but please ignore that horrible spot on my screen). Although the timing was way off, I have achieved every goal except one, which is to get my high school active in NSBE. During this year’s convention, I was the DJ for the Gospel Explosion and I ran for a position on the National Board, crossing off the rest of my NSBE goals and I’m still in awe that this has really happened.

It’s funny because after I became Chair of the Black Students Board (BSB), my leadership goals changed and NSBE was not included. As chair of the BSB, I was motivated to run for President of the Union Activities Board. The Union Activities Board is NC State’s student run programming board that has 6 boards under its umbrella. To become President, you have to run in the student body elections. I decided to step out on faith and run for the position. Unfortunately, I did not win and it was at that moment when I decided to run for a position on the NSBE Region II Executive Board. Fortunately, there were positions still available after elections at the Annual Convention. I went through all of the necessary steps to get appointed and became the Region II Publications & Public Relations Chairperson. It was not easy at first because the position was new. In the past, it had been two separate positions so I was really confused about what my role would be. It was also tough trying to balance both positions because while a lot of the duties overlapped, a lot of them were completely different from one another. Once I caught the hang of what I was supposed to do, I found myself gravitating towards the PR side more. I’m not sure what my final push was to apply for National PR, but I’m sure it had something to do with an unofficial agreement I had with my Zone Leader Melanie. I told her she should run for National Secretary awhile ago so when she made the decision to go to grad school upon graduation, we agreed to both apply for the National Executive Board since we would both be eligible. We both got elected at convention and I am eager to see what changes we can make in the next year!


The Moral
When you want to do something, write it down. Even if you don’t have a plan about how to do it, write it down anyway. That is literally what happened to me and I’m still in awe. Even some of the DJ goals I made came to life. Don’t limit yourself and don’t be afraid. I recently told a group of young men that if someone can see something in you that you may not see at the moment, believe them anyway. That is how I am here today. People saw things in me that I could not see in myself, but I was crazy enough to believe them. (that also explains why I am now considering a PhD program...but that's another story for another day :)

Matthew & I in Pittsburgh

Special Shout Out

I have to give a special shout out to Matthew E. McFarland for encouraging (well forcing) me to be apart of the NC State NSBE Executive Board. I say forcing jokingly; however, he didn't leave me with any other option. Every time Matt saw me he asked what position I was running for. Again, he saw something in me that I didn't see in myself and pushed me to apply. This was the starting point of my NSBE Leadership and I will always give him credit for it. 


I leave you with my favorite leadership quote:

"A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position"

- John Maxwell

Dream! Believe! Achieve! 

-KMB