“You should go overseas.”
Four words shared by one of my university professors, Dr. Tony Epp, when I was a senior.
I was studying French and German, and Tony thought living abroad would give me the chance to really use the languages.
Honestly, the thought had never occurred to me.
But I took his advice … and it changed the trajectory of my life.
Since then, I’ve traveled to 100+ countries, led businesses in 50+, spoken and coached across 60+, and spent most of my adult life living outside my native U.S.
)And it all traces back, in some small but very real way, to those four words:
“You should go overseas.”
Years later, when Tony retired, I wanted to honor the incredible impact he had had on my life.
So I had a marble table and benches installed and dedicated to him on my undergrad campus.
On one of the benches are the opening words of a Henry Adams quote:
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”Because Tony almost certainly couldn’t have known, when he made that suggestion to a 21-year-old student, where those four words would lead.
It makes me think about the words we say to others – as leaders, teachers, coaches, mentors, colleagues, parents, and friends.
Sometimes we see a possibility for someone that they haven’t yet imagined for themselves.
And sometimes, one sentence is all it takes to open a door.
What’s one sentence someone said to you that changed the trajectory of your life?