"Engaging in the Fight"
Dec. 17, 2016 Winthrop University Commencement Address
By Dan Mahony, President
In deciding what I wanted to talk about today, I looked at what has been happening
in the last year. Regardless of your personal beliefs, I think we all have seen a
level of anger, discontent, and anxiety that exceeds any typical year. The natural
reaction to all of this is to want to do something.
And guess what? We do want you to do something. We sincerely hope that your experience
at Winthrop has prepared you to have a significant impact on your community, your
state, your country and even the world.
So, please go forth and have an impact. The question many struggle with is, "How can
I best have an impact?"
Focus your efforts. My wife recently shared with me a Jana Stanfield quote: "I cannot
do all the good the world needs; but the world needs all of the good I can do." I
am sure all of us have a long list of things we want to change, but we have only a
limited number of days on this earth, and if we try to address every issue we care
about, we will likely go about an inch deep on each and fail to have any lasting impact.
While you certainly do not have to limit yourself to just one issue, you will need
to have some focus to have an impact.
In the movie, "Biloxi Blues," two privates in training for World War II are talking
about having an impact. Arnold Epstein tells Eugene Jerome that he must "make a contribution
to the fight." What fight, Jerome asks. "Any fight. One that you believe in," Epstein
responds. My advice is the same: Make a contribution to the fight, any fight—the one
or ones that you believe in.
Have clear goals. It is often hard to define what will really have the impact that
you are seeking. But the reality is the leaders of the successful movements in history
all had clear goals, and that was critical to their success.
Make sure your goals are achievable. Don't misunderstand me. I am not suggesting that
you shoot low. We want you to think big. However, I have seen some efforts fail simply
because the goals were never really achievable.
Take actions that are clearly tied to the goals you identified. I used to be a wrestling
coach and had some wrestlers who were very aggressive but rarely won. Their problem
was they engaged in a lot of frenetic movement, but it was not really related to scoring
points, which, frankly, was the goal. Be precise and efficient with your actions and
constantly ask the question, "Will this action really help me achieve my goals?" If
it will not, then it is a waste of time and will simply divert energy and resources
away from actions that will.
Use your resources and build your resources. Those who succeed are good at growing
resources and using them effectively. I believe one of the most valuable resources
is people. The more people who support your cause, the more likely you are to be successful.
This means when you think about the actions you take, you have to ask the question,
"Will this increase those who support my efforts or decrease them?"
All of the successful movements across history have found ways to increase supporters.
Also, I think it is important to note you may find supporters where you do not think
they exist.
Be prepared that real change — important fights — take time. I understand that this
works against the age we live in, where people today expect everything to happen immediately.
Always focusing on short-term effects distracts us from the hard work that is needed
for long-term change. Again, all of the major movements in history took time, often
years, and sometimes decades.
We do truly hope that you will have an impact after you leave Winthrop and that you
will make a real, meaningful difference. While it will not be easy, I can guarantee
it will be worth it — especially if you focus on your fight, the one you believe in.
Good luck!