President’s Column – September 2013

Chris Smith, Greater Fort Worth PRSA President
csmithcommunications@gmail.com

Because change is the only constant, we must keep abreast of the latest trends and best practices in our profession, but how many of us have a systematic way of doing this?

Someone on Facebook recently shared an article that listed 20 Things the Rich Do Every Day. Not that the rich have all of the answers to life’s questions, but a majority do tend to maintain good habits and a fairly systemic way of keeping current. Who knows?

Perhaps there is a correlation between these rituals and their success. Among those habits and beliefs listed, relevant for our purposes were: listening to audio books during their daily commute; writing down their goals; reading 30 minutes or more each day for education or career reasons; networking five hours or more each month; and believing in lifelong educational improvement.

Correspondingly, in his book “The Power of Habit,” Charles Duhigg says that experts now know “why habits emerge, how they change, and the science behind their mechanics.” He adds that we know “how to make people eat less, exercise more, work more efficiently, and live healthier lives.” Certainly, he acknowledges that changing habits isn’t easy, quick or simple, but that it is indeed possible.

Given the premise that it’s wise to have certain habits and integrating these into our overall routines can help lead us to success, the question I pose to you now is, “What’s your system for continual professional improvement?”
If you don’t have one, PRSA has the tools to get you started. Each month we offer one or more events for networking and continuing education. Our membership benefits include subscriptions to informative publications and daily emails with news links to keep us on top of current events in our field. Our APR certification provides you with a professional, attainable goal. This didn’t start out as a PRSA sales pitch, but if it works . . .