Readjusting to 2020 vision

I was asked to write and deliver a speech for my commencement ceremony at the EU Business School in 2017. I remember it was the day before and I had still not written anything... Not because I was procrastinating, but because I genuinely didn’t know what I was going to say to the 300+ students, parents, faculty members and honoured guests that came from every part of the world. With such a diversity of people in attendance, it became clear what the topic of my speech should be: identity.

The following is an extract of that speech, with minor adjustments.

For the most part, I had a pretty normal ride through school. Elementary was a slice of fun, I barely made it out of high school, and I finally crashed during College. At the time I was playing for my schools basketball team, and was a star athlete. What I didn’t understand, is that I was first and foremost a STUDENT-athlete. I learned that the hard way by failing 3 out of 5 classes, which made me ineligible to play basketball for the first time in my life.

I was stripped of my identity. If I was not a basketball player, then who was I ?

It was at that moment that I began my journey to find myself, my true Self. 

No matter our age, we go through life and often get lost in the gist of things. We lose track of the important elements that make up our life. We start to wonder if the path we are on is the right one. We value things that, in the grand scheme of things, are not very important. We are influenced by others, while influencing those same people. 

Losing my basketball identity allowed me to find my true identity. I started asking myself: How do people/my friends influence me ? How am I influencing others ? Am I simply a replica of someone else ? Am I spreading joy or am I spreading negative vibrations? These things are all in your control.

You decide everyday what kind of person you will be and will become. There are things in life that you simply cannot control: the weather, the actions of others, or whether or not a company has decided to hire you. What you DO control is your REACTION to all of these.

If it is raining, are you the type of person who complains about it? Or are you the person who thinks, well, the flowers will get some water and besides, the Sun is still shining above those clouds.

Once I understood this very simple fact, I began to reinvent myself into a positive, ambitious and loving person. I began to see the good in everyone, I began to judge less, I began to love myself, my true Self. Interestingly enough, people seemed to appreciate me more and good things were happening to me. 

Of course, I’m still a basketball player. I played for the Bayern Munchen Basketball club during my time in Munich, and currently with Telstar Hesperange in Luxembourg’s National 2 league, but instead of placing basketball at the center of everything, I valued the relationships I made with my teammates and it just so happens that the 2019-2020 season is one of my most successful along with the most fun I’ve had. 

Our world works in mysterious ways. Bad things will happen, changes will occur in your life through your relationships and through your experiences. Whether you believe in God, in some kind of higher power, in science or simply in the natural order of things, our minds all work the same way. They are shaped by the thoughts that we feed it, by the actions that we repeatedly do (Aristotle), and by the words that we speak.

So ask yourself: are your thoughts and behaviors aligned with your life-goals? If they are, congratulations, you are more advanced than most of the population, if not, don’t worry.

Every day we get to reinvent ourselves. We have the chance to become the absolute best version of who we want to be.

Make the conscious effort of tracking your positive and negative thoughts, and turn those negative thoughts into positive ones, and be good to the people around you. 

I’m in no way perfect. There is still a long way to go from where I am to the person I wish to become. A teacher of mine once taught me this important lesson:

Whatever you believe, will become your reality.

Surround yourself with positive-minded people, because none of us are perfect and we need the help of others to succeed. 

My life has changed in many ways since these lines were written: I moved to Europe indefinitely, I have a career, and am happily married.

Three years ago, I was praying for the things I have now.

As we enter this new decade of the 2020’s, it’s important to take a step back and acknowledge the road that was travelled. Make sure to take a moment and reflect on your own progress and to ensure that your actions align with your vision for your future.

Now, do it everyday.

Zach Traer is a Talent Acquisition Consultant at THE RECRUITER in Luxembourg. Originally from Chelsea, Québec (Canada), Zach is passionate about sports (especially basketball), positive routine-building, personal development, and the World.