The Curse of Being Woke (ft. Curtis Haley) | Real College Talk Ep. 11

Real College Talk

Welcome to Real College Talk! RCT is your destination for honest and relevant college and postsecondary conversation. We’re dedicating this episode to the victims and affected communities of the El Paso and Dayton shootings. When tragedies like these occur, it’s no time to simply move on - it’s time to lean in and take what action we feel most called toward. So in efforts to #KeepItReal, Real College Talk will be matching any donations that our listeners make to the Dayton or El Paso foundations (or any related funds). To be a part of this movement, share your support of these communities on your Instagram story with a personal message or screenshot of your donation. Be sure to tag @realcollegetalk and use the hashtag #KeepItReal. Together, let’s do just that. Keep it real.

In this episode, Morgan brings on a guest who knows a thing or two about leading himself and leading others toward success in college and beyond. Meet Curtis Haley. As President of the DECA Inc. Board of Directors and Director of Youth Development with TeamTRI Leadership Services, Curtis coaches, trains, and mentors the best and brightest emerging leaders in high schools and colleges across the country (2:52). Among the many things that make him unique, Curtis put himself through school at the University of Oregon with $0 in student loan debt and never completed a job application (3:00)! Like many of us, Curtis had no idea what his passions or future career might look like when he was in high school (4:00), but he learned some game-changing life lessons about independence and success early on. From his storytelling of first joining DECA, working on a golf course, running the Obama presidential campaign in three Oregon counties (as a 20 year-old!), and founding his own 501(c)(4) non-profit (www.makepoliticspositive.com) Curtis emphasizes the importance of seeking independence as a young adult (20:18). He reminds listeners that “comparison is the thief of joy” and that the key is to follow A path not THE path (21:10). Curtis closes by sharing what he calls the “Curse of Being Woke” (30:20) - that despite the overwhelming volume of information we have access to and seeming endless life decisions we are faced with, it's never one person's job to save the world (31:45). Instead, what makes a difference is many people staying dedicated to being their best selves and making a positive difference in whatever small or large way they can.

Real College Talk is a podcast that you won't want to miss! To catch every episode, make sure to hit the subscribe button and turn on our notifications. You can follow us on Instagram @realcollegetalk and follow our co-hosts @morgs__anne and @nikhil.vn. Be sure to connect with Curtis through Instagram too (@curtishaley)! We are always working on new content, so be on the lookout for our latest episodes. In the meantime, Keep It Real!