Finish Strong

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C.S. Lewis.

It’s hard to believe, but another school year is approaching the finish line. There’s always a desire amongst teachers and students alike to coast to the final school bell. A word of advice: don’t. Those who finish strong could find those last days of the school year the most rewarding. Early June could quickly become a time to slip into the comfort zone, but maybe it’s the best time to step outside of it.

To finish strong, it’s not always about a great start. It often is recognizing the need to change it up, make a stand, and focus on bringing things to a successful conclusion. Change starts here; it doesn’t mean the starting gun; it means the moment one realizes that change will bring success.

Dustin Odham, Managing Director at FranklinCovey and host of the Change Starts Here podcast, shared some inspiration from his nine-year-old son, Luke Taylor Odham, who recently reminded his dad of this lesson. Dustin admits that he finds it challenging, at times, to get into the kids’ zone and teach his children wisdom that can benefit them in their daily lives.

“Often I wonder if he hears the things I’m trying to help build in him,” Odham said. “A quote we talked about in February was from Dr. Martin Luther King. ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.’”

In this episode, Odham discusses:

• Odham’s son’s ability to overcome three straight walks while on the pitcher’s mound, regroup, finish strong, and strike out the next three batters
• Standing up to the challenge and having the courage to finish
• As educators, fighting through the desire to coast at the end of the school year and to finish strong 

About Dustin

Dustin Odham is a highly experienced and accomplished leadership consultant and trainer who works at FranklinCovey, a renowned global organization specializing in leadership development and effectiveness. With over two decades of experience in the field of leadership and management, Odham has helped countless individuals and organizations to enhance their leadership skills, increase their productivity, and achieve their goals. Odham holds a BBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University – Cox School of Business.