This "Academy Award" speech was all about YOU! (2025)

When I took the podium to accept my award, I began just like those fancy Hollywood actors.

"I'd like to thank my incredible, resilient students -- the gigantic horde of managers, tech nerds, engineers, nuclear Einsteins, entrepreneurs, game inventors, and the remaining motley crew of smarty pants who endured my teaching methods, which make as much sense as a chocolate teapot. These brave souls are now revolutionizing the world (except for a handful of you couch potatoes... don't worry, I'm just pulling your leg)."

But, let me stop you right there: This wasn't the Oscars or some similar extravaganza where black tie is mandatory and you need a GPS to dodge the paparazzi. There were no bags of glitzy freebies or parties wild enough to make a rockstar blanch. I playfully refer to it as my Academy Award because "UCLA Extension Distinguished Instructor Award" is the verbal equivalent of running a marathon. My shiny trophy was for a stellar performance in the Engineering and Technology category, handpicked from a sea of hundreds of Extension instructors.

Just to set the stage: Since 1986, I've been playing part-time professor, running short courses on campus or on-site via UCLA Extension. In these courses, I share my pearls of wisdom in strategic thinking, strategic project management, personal reinvention, and career/life planning.

I relish this gig as every participant signs up with the burning desire to become a better version of themselves. Plus, I get to hear about all the industry drama, learning what's going wrong, and pick up on their personal dreams, fears, and the occasional nightmares.

Sounds like odd advice for those gunning for the stars, but trust me, it's a game rigged for disappointment. There will always be someone smarter, faster, better looking, or luckier. Some people are even better at being luckier. Instead, concentrate on buffing up your unique potential. That's a game rigged in your favor.

Set your eyes firmly on your targets. Scribble them down – think it, ink it, link it. Fill your goal bucket with a rainbow of aspirations – personal, family, financial, career, relationship, fun, and perhaps world domination. Kick off with the rocking chair test… when you're 95, reminiscing over a life brimming with success, what will you feel proudest about? (Besides being the best bingo player, of course.)

Think like a one-person business, because you are. Your company is your biggest hot dog buyer, you deliver the goods, and you get paid. But you have competitors. Embrace the hot dog vendor's mindset. Start with your purpose statement, your special sauce if you will. Manage your functions– marketing, service delivery, finance, R&D (learning), human resources, and technology -- like the boss you know you are.

Sure, you're a top-notch systems engineer, but so are 50,000 others, and to the recruiters, you guys might as well be clones. Don't let yourself become a generic brand. Stand out, and add some glitter and sparkle. The systems engineer who can also assemble an incredible team will always be headhunted. Make 30% of your learning outside of your main field. Be a hybrid, a mean keen learning machine if you will.

It's super easy to become our own worst critic, especially when we stumble. But hey, give yourself a break. Try your best, but if you fall short, don't wallow in a puddle of self-loathing. The key to success is to fail earnestly and learn to get better. Learn, improve, and remember to laugh at your faux pas. When you F.A.I.L., it stands for 'Fascinating Attempt In Learning'.

Tune into your inner dialogue and listen to your wild Monkey Mind. Notice how it's often a broken record of self-doubt, criticism, and you can't? If you spoke to your friends in this way, you'd soon find yourself talking to a cactus. Refresh your internal playlist with motivating and meaningful messages.

Are the people you hang out with gunning for their dreams, or are they as uplifting as a lead balloon? Does your tribe cheer you on, and do you return the favor? Or are they more likely to steal your lunch? Surround yourself with positive, go-getter types. Painful as it may be, you may need to distance yourself from the drama kings and queens in your life. Give them a polite wave, and wish them well, but guard your spirit.

The world is a treadmill at high speed. Remaining static is not an option. Keeping pace with change demands constant learning, agility, and a strong inner game. Sticking to the same old trail only lands you in a rut. Within each of us, there are dormant qualities, secret superpowers, waiting to be awakened. It's time for the grand reveal.

The express lane to your dreams often involves helping others reach theirs. When you sprinkle positivity and assistance to others, you nourish your soul. Pay it forward, because karma is a boomerang.

Get the ball rolling! Make Schmidt Happen! The universe has a soft spot for action. Perching on the fence, waiting for the stars to align is a fast track to self-esteem shrinkage. What can you do today that has a fast-forward ripple effect on your future?

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Terry Schmidt is a recognized expert in helping clients sharpen their strategic plans and turn them into actionable projects. He is the author ofStrategic Project Management Made Simple, which features a breakthrough systems thinking methodology to get better results faster. He helps leaders and teams to sharpen their strategies and deliver outstanding results.www.ManagementPro.com