May is a busy month with Mother’s Day, College Graduation, and the rite of passage known as Senior Prom.
Whether you understand what is happening at the time, or are just oblivious and along for the party, prom teaches us great life lessons.
1. Reservations are required – You may believe that life just happens. Yet over and over you will be surprised or taken aback at how life is much more structured and waiting for the right moment to stand up and create obstacles to your journey. Making a reservation is an intentional act. It says “I am going to do something at a certain time, and it is a promise to you and to someone or something else”. Being intentional in life will set you apart from the crowd.
2. Take Pictures – Memories fade over time, but pictures tell the story throughout. In today’s fun technology-filled world, pictures and video continue to tell the story. Share the pictures with your family and friends. They will have a completely different story about your pictures than you do and this leads to great conversations. Sharing them with others is easy. We use Instagram and you can find our fun pictures right here: Michael Tannery on Instagram or Buddy on Instagram (while you won’t find any prom pictures of Buddy, you’re bound to be entertained).
3. Shine your shoes – aka – the last 5% – Unless you rented the tux and also rented those awful patent leather shoes, you need to take a few moments to shine your shoes (this is for girls as well). Nothing is worse than to meet someone who appears well dressed, wearing a good looking suit or dress, and you gaze down at their unpolished, scuffed shoes. All of the work they may have done to impress you with their 7 seconds in making a strong first impression is gone and will never be recovered.
The last 5% of a project is often the most important, the most difficult, and what you will be judged on in your work and life. Take the time to take care of the last 5%. If you don’t own shoe polish go the grocery store, buy some polish, and take care of your shoes.
4. You are not invincible – 18 and bullet proof – I know you think that you have the greatest plan in the world for your Prom night and you think that you can outthink your parents. We have all lived that dream and realized that we are all feeble and susceptible to what life gives us. Take the time to get to know the people around you in your life. Introduce yourself to your classmates and neighbors. Learn their names and something about them. There will come a time in life when you are going to either be called on to help them or you are going to need their assistance. Life is not a one man show, and we are all vulnerable to accidents – a lesson we continue to learn over and over again.
5. Life Happens; Be Prepared – Prom has been a blast and everyone has had a great time, then it happens – something goes wrong. It could be a flat tire on the limo or your date gets sick during the evening. While the Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared,” you cannot be prepared for everything. Being prepared for life is being engaged and taking part of what you are doing. In our daily work, we focus on having plans with our clients. Do the plans always work 100%? Of course not, but that is when you learn to alter your plan and adjust to the circumstances. Be flexible and able to bend to the changes in life and you will find that the surprises in life are not so difficult to deal with.
Have a great time at Prom this weekend whether you are attending, a parent watching the rite of passage, or like many of us seeing the young men and women dressed up and remembering our proms.
I would enjoy hearing your Prom story and life lesson, and even to have your pictures shared with me on Instagram.
And now, for your entertainment and enjoyment, here is our Tannery Team’s fantastic prom photos:
Enjoy,
Michael
