President Obama addresses the Class of 2009
Yesterday President Barack Obama addressed more than 60,000 Arizona State University graduates, their family and friends, as well as many more who attended just to hear his words. Though his message was directed toward new graduates, it extended beyond them to working mothers too.
Address challenges head on, and with humor if you can.
Obama was not awarded an honorary degree, which is customary for those who deliver commencement addresses at many universities. This created a flurry of controversy and debate in the weeks preceding the ASU commencement ceremony. Yet, Obama immediately addressed the situation saying, "I come here not to dispute the suggestion that I haven't yet achieved enough in my life." This is followed by a humorous remark, "Michelle concurs with that assessment. She has a long list of things that I have not yet done waiting for me when I get home." The challenges working moms face every day can be met with similar humor. Sometimes we take ourselves and our challenges far too seriously, which ultimately saps the joy out of our life. Embrace the challenges, laugh them off and press on.
You will always have more to achieve; don't quit.
Obama quickly returns to the true issue at hand, "No matter how much you've done, or how successful you've been, there's always more to do, more to learn, more to achieve," as he urged graduates to avoid the complacency that can come after completing a rigorous degree program. Working moms who find themselves in the rigors of raising a family alongside a demanding career, know the feeling of working hard to achieve success and wanting to take a break. Yet "your own body of work is yet to come," Obama says. Whether you've been a stellar success in the past, or are still waiting for your moment, you can and will do more. As parents, it's your responsibility to demonstrate this principle to your children.
Redefine and pursue a new definition of "success."
Obama encouraged graduates to avoid falling back on the usual markers of success - being on a top 100 list; how much money you make and the size of your corner office; whether you have a fancy enough title or car in the driveway. Working moms can learn from this advice as you compare your life alongside others and wonder if you've done enough, have enough or are enough. Yet, to find true success, Obama suggests that you must be willing to follow your passions, regardless of whether they lead to fortune or fame. Don't let external indicators be the measure of your success. Instead, commit to what is meaningful to you, what helps others and what makes a difference in the world.
Focus on your body of work.
Obama defines "body of work" as cumulative individual acts and choices, large and small, that add up to a lasting legacy. As a working mom, what is the legacy you hope to leave behind for your children? Yes, you will have set backs, challenges and failures - they come with the territory. When you pursue your passion and seek to do the right thing ("decency" as Obama says), over what will earn you more money or status (and potentially lead you astray), you will add to your overall body of work, which ultimately creates a positive legacy.
It's not all about you.
This may be stating the obvious to working moms who often sacrifice their dreams and desires. Yet, these sacrifices cause you to look at life from a "what's in it for me?" point of view as you search endlessly for a return on your investment of time and energy in others. Obama appealed to new graduates to look at moments of challenge, especially when in service to others, as opportunities "to try harder, to dig deeper, to discover gifts we never knew we had - to find the greatness that lies within each of us." One of the many gifts of working motherhood is to make a difference in the lives of others. As you face challenges and give in to sacrifice, look at these as opportunities to contribute and add to your own body of work, which translates into a life well-lived.
Watch video of Obama's ASU Commencement Speech
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