Dr. Chris Mulholland has developed a systematic approach to managing her demanding role as principal while maintaining work-life balance. She starts each day by creating a handwritten to-do list, emphasizing that she's 'old school' and prefers pen and paper over digital tools. 'For the first moment that I wake up, the first thing that I do is make sure I have my to-do list. I know each and every day what my focus is going to be,' she explains. She crosses off completed tasks and carries forward unfinished items to the next day's list, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
Dr. Mulholland is heavily influenced by Stephen Covey's principles, particularly 'beginning with the end in mind' and 'putting first things first.' She emphasizes the critical skill of prioritization: 'It's really important that you know exactly the difference between what must get done and what can wait a little bit.' In her role, unexpected issues arise daily that aren't on her planned to-do list, so she must constantly evaluate what requires immediate attention versus what can be deferred. Her approach extends beyond daily tasks to long-term goal setting, where she maintains both personal and professional goals in her notebook, regularly revisiting and adjusting them based on changing circumstances. She also posts school goals visually throughout the building to keep them front of mind for herself and her team.
Dr. Mulholland's primary message to students and early career professionals centers on embracing uncertainty and taking risks. 'It's okay if you're not 100% sure what you want to do,' she emphasizes, sharing that her own journey from wanting to be a judge to working in pharmaceutical sales to eventually becoming an educator proves that career paths are rarely linear. She strongly advocates for finishing school, even when students question the relevance of certain classes: 'You never know when you're going to refer back to some of the things that you are learning in that class you may be sitting in right now.'
Her overarching philosophy is that passion and fulfillment should drive career decisions rather than just financial considerations. 'Take those risks. Don't just set on one thing and think that that is exactly what you're going to be for the rest of your life. Try different things and then make sure that you're passionate about what you're doing,' she advises. Dr. Mulholland concludes with the reminder that 'we're only here once,' encouraging people to live fully and make a difference for themselves and others. She reassures those feeling uncertain about their path: 'It's okay not to know... that's what life and your experiences are all about. Those bad experiences we learn from them and the good experiences we learn from them.'
"I always saw what my father did and knew that i wanted to touch the lives of our future and wanted to make a difference and i didn't feel like i was making much of a difference with what i was doing i liked what i was doing uh but i didn't have that inner calling that i was making a huge difference"
— Dr. Chris Mulholland Explaining her decision to leave a successful pharmaceutical sales career to become a teacher despite her father's advice against it.
"Sometimes it's not always money it's really about how you feel about going into work each and every day and i knew right away when um i i had a former principal who took a chance on me you know someone with a business background now going into education and she's just like i get this feeling of you and um i knew day one that i was doing what i was meant to do"
— Dr. Chris Mulholland Reflecting on prioritizing fulfillment over financial gain when making her career transition to education.
"It's really important that you know exactly the difference between what must get done and what can wait a little bit in order to ensure that those things that you knew on your to-do list i've got to get done that you set the time to do that"
— Dr. Chris Mulholland Sharing her time management strategy as a school principal dealing with constant interruptions and competing priorities.
[0:00] so what my father did and knew that i [0:03] wanted to [0:04] touch the lives of our future and wanted [0:07] to make a difference and i didn't feel [0:09] like i was making much of a difference [0:11] with what i was doing [0:13] i liked what i was doing uh but i didn't [0:16] have that inner calling that i was [0:18] making a huge difference so that's when [0:20] i knew that [0:22] i wanted to get into the education field [0:30] in today's interview you will meet with [0:32] dr mahalin she's the principal of [0:35] goldsboro elementary school it's one of [0:38] the magnetic school in central florida [0:42] she started her career as a business [0:44] professional [0:46] but [0:46] later realized that [0:49] her calling is an education [0:53] her father [0:54] was a very successful teacher [0:57] he has earned a teacher of the year [1:00] awards [1:02] but he was the one who told her not to [1:03] go in education because she won't able [1:06] to in on enough money [1:08] but once she realized that [1:11] she her heart is in [1:14] education she changed her career [1:17] started as the elementary school teacher [1:19] and now she is the principal of [1:21] goldsboro elementary school [1:23] so without any further delay i want to [1:26] introduce you to dr mahalin [1:30] so my goal [1:32] is um to bring the stories from the [1:34] common people the people who we live [1:36] with okay [1:38] and everybody have gone through a [1:41] journey from their high school [1:43] to [1:44] high school to college [1:46] to uh their initial job [1:48] and to the position they are [1:50] they are now [1:52] and throughout this uh journey [1:54] either a situation or a person or a [1:56] mentor some something happened [1:58] that kind of directed their career to [2:01] what we're doing now and [2:04] what they were thinking about when they [2:06] were in high school and what they become [2:09] now is different right obviously a lot [2:11] of inspiration a lot of experience so [2:13] that's what i try to capture through [2:15] this um i asked question about [2:18] what you wanted to become in high school [2:20] and then [2:21] your journey from first job to this job [2:24] okay and then how you manage time uh [2:26] some some discussion around goal setting [2:28] and all right and then finally um [2:32] your message to the audience okay yeah [2:34] all right so let's begin with the first [2:37] question okay what do you wanted to [2:38] become when you was in high school [2:40] when i was in high school i wanted to be [2:43] a judge [2:44] i had planned on going to school to be a [2:48] lawyer and then eventually to be a judge [2:51] once i [2:53] got into college i started out at the [2:56] university of miami and then to stetson [2:58] university [2:59] and i had [3:01] all intensive purposes of taking those [3:03] political science and history classes [3:05] which i started out doing [3:07] and then i decided that um i wanted to [3:10] do something a little bit more so i [3:12] actually went into the scope of business [3:14] okay and so in fact when i graduate i [3:17] graduated with a business degree and my [3:19] first job out of school believe it or [3:21] not is not education which i'm doing [3:23] right now i actually did sales and [3:25] marketing i worked for a pharmaceutical [3:27] company okay for many years [3:30] so you listen to sales and marketing yes [3:32] so i utilized that business degree that [3:34] i had going into sales and marketing [3:37] then about 10 years in [3:40] i was traveling the world i um had lots [3:44] of accounts all over and decided that i [3:47] didn't want to travel anymore and i [3:49] wanted to get into something that i [3:50] always wanted to get into which was [3:52] teaching [3:54] my father was a teacher okay my father [3:56] said don't get into teaching because [3:58] you'll never make um the amount of money [4:01] that you will want to [4:03] um which is probably why i decided i [4:04] wanted to be a lawyer and a judge in the [4:06] first place but somewhere deep inside i [4:08] always knew i wanted to get into [4:10] education [4:11] so i actually went back to school [4:14] and earned my master's and my doctorate [4:17] in education okay in order to be able to [4:20] teach in the classroom so i was a [4:22] classroom teacher for 11 years [4:25] then became an assistant principal and [4:26] now i'm a principal [4:28] okay [4:29] wow [4:31] did you take a break from the job or you [4:34] you i did it i did it both oh wow yes so [4:37] i went um back to school while i was [4:39] still working it was hard yes it's [4:42] something that you really have to be [4:43] passionate about and have that drive for [4:45] um i knew that i i liked what i was [4:48] doing i loved meeting the people and [4:51] having conferences and working with [4:53] physicians but i knew deep down which [4:56] you know when you're marketing [4:57] pharmaceuticals in a way you are a [4:58] teacher because you are looking into um [5:01] what pharmaceuticals that you are [5:03] representing but i knew that i wanted to [5:06] do more i wanted to inspire more which [5:08] is why i decided that [5:10] i i wanted to get into the education [5:12] realm [5:13] that reminded me my own journey i [5:15] completed my engineering and electronic [5:17] communication [5:18] and when i was finishing up my [5:22] my engineering degree i was excited and [5:24] i'm gonna get a job and all and [5:27] everywhere i went [5:28] they declined [5:30] um they said you need three to four [5:33] years of experience and without a job [5:34] i'm not gonna get it [5:38] and so [5:41] my father always say that instead of [5:43] sitting at home [5:45] and trying to [5:47] wait for a [5:48] good job or best job [5:50] you do whatever you get first [5:53] so i got a um [5:55] epbx intercom system technician job and [5:58] from there they saw something and they [6:00] promoted me to a marketing job and me [6:03] being an introvert i [6:09] at that time which is hard because you [6:11] would have to be an extrovert when [6:12] you're in in types of sales and [6:14] marketing absolutely the first six [6:15] months was five months was horrible [6:18] because every time i come back to my [6:20] office and my manager was asking how [6:22] many calls you did and all i wanted to [6:24] do as soon as i leave the office [6:26] uh go sit at a coffee shop and i i [6:29] had to collect all the courage [6:31] to be able to go and face these uh [6:34] suspect and prospect and all that you [6:36] probably remember [6:38] i do [6:39] [Music] [6:40] but things change once i get to my first [6:43] customer and as soon as i get the first [6:46] customer [6:47] second and third [6:48] the entire uh the way people are looking [6:51] at me changed from the customer side as [6:54] well as well as this and then [6:56] those 10 12 months it still gave me uh [7:00] inspiration that i can go and talk to [7:02] people right and change [7:03] my own perspective about myself [7:06] how i was thinking about me being an [7:08] introvert and and not [7:10] somebody who can talk to people and [7:12] that's what's so hard because when [7:14] you're 16 17 years old you're in high [7:16] school and you can start having those [7:18] visions of what you want to do i was [7:20] always an extrovert and so that's why i [7:23] was like maybe with studying law you [7:25] know you're constantly with people [7:26] working with people [7:28] then going the business route i knew [7:30] that whatever i was doing in business it [7:32] would have to be something that i'm [7:34] around people that's just for myself [7:37] being extroverted i like being with [7:40] people i like working with people i like [7:42] making presentations so all of that [7:43] worked well [7:44] um but then i knew i needed something a [7:46] little more i wanted something that was [7:49] also fulfilling and i didn't feel the [7:51] fulfillment in what i was doing and [7:53] that's why i decided um you know [7:56] and dad i i know you said maybe not [7:59] teaching but you know sometimes it's not [8:01] always money it's really about how you [8:03] feel about going into work each and [8:06] every day [8:07] and i knew right away when um i i had a [8:10] former principal who took a chance on me [8:12] you know someone with a business [8:13] background now going into education and [8:16] she's just like i get this feeling of [8:17] you and um i knew day one that i was [8:21] doing what i was meant to do it took a [8:23] little longer to find that out but [8:25] i was about to ask i'm gonna move this [8:27] sure uh from here so that it's not in [8:29] the camera [8:31] uh two questions on that number one that [8:33] you i think you already answer [8:35] how did you find out that you want to be [8:38] in the teaching line and not in the [8:40] business [8:41] so i [8:43] decided that [8:45] i really i always saw what my father did [8:48] and knew that i wanted to [8:51] touch the lives of our future and wanted [8:54] to make a difference and i didn't feel [8:56] like i was making much of a difference [8:58] with what i was doing [9:00] i liked what i was doing [9:02] but i didn't [9:03] have that inner calling that i was [9:05] making a huge difference and that's why [9:08] i decided that you know [9:10] it's time for me to make a change i've [9:12] done this for many years and [9:14] you know maybe it's time to make that [9:16] career change and try something uh [9:19] different and so that's when i knew that [9:21] uh i wanted to get into the education [9:23] field and for 11 years you was [9:25] elementary school teacher yeah school [9:28] elementary yes so i was an elementary [9:30] teacher for 11 years of third and fourth [9:33] grade the majority of my years was spent [9:35] in the fourth grade and i absolutely [9:38] loved it i enjoyed getting up every day [9:41] i enjoyed the students that i worked [9:43] with every day i loved seeing how they [9:46] started the year with me and where they [9:48] ended with me and how much growth they [9:50] made and i just knew that um each and [9:52] every day that this was something i [9:54] needed to do and and so glad that i i [9:57] made that change and how do you decide [10:00] between the elementary and middle and [10:02] high school and college i mean education [10:03] sure yes because um you know you it's [10:07] hard so what i first did was i decided [10:10] okay i knew i wanted to be a teacher so [10:12] i started to be a substitute teacher and [10:14] i did a substituting in both high school [10:16] middle and elementary and i just knew [10:18] for myself that i had more of the [10:21] engagement with the younger kids and [10:23] focusing on getting them started i just [10:26] feel like you know if kids aren't [10:27] excited about school [10:29] in the younger age you have a long time [10:32] that you're in school so it's very [10:34] important that they get that feeling and [10:36] they want to learn um and so i felt like [10:38] i was really making a difference in the [10:40] younger grades [10:41] great my last question on the journey [10:43] sure [10:45] from a assistant principal to a [10:47] principal it's a big journey you need a [10:49] recommendation i mean there's a lot that [10:51] they look at yes so [10:53] how was that journey sure [10:55] so i had a different journey in that i'm [10:58] actually the assistant prince i was the [11:00] assistant principal at the same school [11:02] i'm now principal [11:04] yes so that does not happen often i was [11:07] actually the principal here for four and [11:09] a half years um and then [11:12] uh interviewed because i knew at that [11:14] point i finished all of my credentials [11:16] in order to become a principal and for a [11:19] principal you can be [11:20] either elementary middle or high school [11:22] you're certified k-12 and so i knew i [11:24] wanted to stay in the elementary realm [11:26] to become a principal and started that [11:28] process of interviewing little did i [11:30] know that i was interviewing for the [11:32] school [11:33] that i was the assistant principal at uh [11:36] and so uh very different whereas you [11:39] know you're the assistant principal and [11:42] stepping into the role of principal [11:44] where [11:45] everything stops with you [11:47] every decision that is made good or bad [11:51] it is your decision [11:53] that is making it and that's the big [11:55] difference between the assistant [11:56] principal and the principal whereas an [11:58] assistant principal um you know you work [12:00] just as hard it's just that you are [12:03] supporting the principal at the end of [12:04] the day uh when things um good or bad [12:08] happen um it's directed back at the [12:11] principal so uh but it was it's a neat [12:14] role in that i was able to continue on [12:16] with what uh my former principal and i [12:19] when i was the assistant principal [12:20] started and i was able to continue on [12:23] with the great things that we had going [12:24] on here at our school so just a [12:26] different journey than most may because [12:28] um the majority when you're assistant [12:30] principal you're you're out of school [12:32] and then when you become a principal you [12:33] usually be coming at [12:34] a different school so i haven't had that [12:36] journey yet i've only had all of my [12:38] administrative years um which i'm going [12:40] on it's been eight and a half years now [12:43] um have all been at the same school [12:46] changing the topic to the goal setting [12:48] okay so it's we'll start with [12:51] the time management you're busy you you [12:53] have hundreds of things hundreds of kids [12:55] thousands of kids actually yeah teachers [12:57] yes [12:58] how do you manage your time what you do [13:01] it's very important especially in a role [13:03] like this because you have to look at [13:05] both your job professionally and also [13:07] personally um [13:10] i have children myself and i have a [13:12] family myself so that always has to come [13:15] first and foremost but i'm also have a [13:17] huge responsibility and many many people [13:20] count on me each and every day so i [13:23] for the first moment that i wake up the [13:25] first thing that i do is make sure i [13:27] have my to-do list i know each and every [13:30] day what my focus is going to be i'm old [13:33] school so i sit and cross off on my [13:35] to-do list what is done [13:37] um i know a lot of people use technology [13:38] now and that's great too but um [13:41] i'm a little older yes so i will write [13:43] out my to-do list i cross off what's [13:45] what has gotten done whatever didn't get [13:47] done starts the top of my next day to-do [13:50] list um i'm also a huge proponent of [13:54] steven covey's work [13:56] and so i i take a look at beginning with [13:58] the end in mind and putting first things [14:00] first what is the most important things [14:02] that i must get done because in the role [14:04] that i'm in lots of things come [14:07] um throughout the day things that you [14:09] wouldn't expect that aren't on my to-do [14:11] list but all of a sudden um are [14:14] important for me to do so then at that [14:16] point i've got to decide what must get [14:17] done [14:18] at this moment and is it something that [14:20] could wait maybe a little while until i [14:22] finish what was on my to-do list so [14:24] that's really important that you know [14:26] exactly [14:27] the difference between what must get [14:29] done and what can wait a little bit in [14:32] order to ensure that those things that [14:34] you knew on your to-do list i've got to [14:36] get done that you set the time to do [14:38] that and so um to me it's that [14:40] organization it's the to-do list it's [14:43] setting those goals [14:44] so i know that for instance um in my [14:46] role i've got to be in classrooms and [14:48] that's a top priority i've got to see [14:50] what learning is happening in my [14:52] classroom so i've got to set that time [14:54] to ensure that i'm able to do that even [14:56] though i might have parents that need to [14:58] come speak to me or or you know there [15:00] may be an issue at hand so it's just [15:02] really important that you prioritize and [15:04] know exactly um what it is that you must [15:06] accomplish each and every day and you [15:09] using the notebook i use the notebook [15:11] yes yes i'm old school i have my [15:13] organizer i put my to-do list i cross [15:16] off and again if it's not done then it [15:19] starts the the beginning of the next day [15:21] it's so amazing that everybody have i [15:23] spoken to [15:25] pen and paper pen and paper [15:27] um i said technology is great i have my [15:30] calendar people can add things to my [15:32] calendar but at the end of the day for [15:34] myself personally if it's not me [15:37] setting my own um goals and things that [15:40] i need to accomplish on a daily basis [15:42] other things tend to get in the way [15:44] and so that's why i make sure that [15:46] old school pen and paper i know exactly [15:48] what i need to get done [15:51] um so that's about uh your daily uh [15:54] cross list uh to-do list how about uh [15:58] the big goals [15:59] so again the big goals uh [16:02] i'm again uh setting my my own personal [16:05] goals and professional goals i think [16:07] it's important to have the two [16:09] because they they entwine a lot um [16:12] throughout [16:13] anybody's journey but as far as those [16:15] goal setting i set those goals and i'm [16:18] constantly going back and referring to [16:19] those goals where am i at because it's [16:22] it's doesn't do justice to just set a [16:24] goal and just think okay [16:27] once i achieve it great it's important [16:29] to see your journey along the way where [16:31] you add in achieving that goal maybe for [16:34] instance there's been times too they [16:35] might have to rework the goal a little [16:37] bit depending on what may be going on [16:40] outside factors um that may um hinder um [16:44] you know what what i want to accomplish [16:46] and so again it's really setting that [16:48] goal um for myself for those around me [16:51] for the school and then revisiting it [16:54] constantly to ensure that we're on the [16:56] right path and to achieve that goal and [16:58] that's again on pen and paper pen and [17:00] paper [17:01] pen and paper in my notebook you know i [17:03] also have i sometimes will put sheets up [17:06] you know around so that i can constantly [17:08] see and be reminded of the goal you know [17:10] our school goals i have posted [17:11] throughout the school so that way you're [17:13] constantly knowing it and revisiting it [17:16] not just having it um somewhere that you [17:19] might see every now and again to be [17:21] reminded of it [17:24] and you follow any [17:26] goal setting [17:28] process or you have your [17:30] is that is there a method that you're [17:32] following like you you talk about is [17:34] stephen covey [17:35] i'm huge again proponent um beginning [17:38] with the end in mind it's really knowing [17:40] that what is it that i i want and need [17:44] to achieve and then building those steps [17:46] on how to get there [17:48] and so for myself that that's really the [17:51] integral part of of setting a goal [17:53] whether again it's personal or [17:55] professional [17:56] is ensuring that [17:59] you look at all factors [18:01] um that may be a part of that um both [18:04] good and bad [18:05] and and then at that point how are you [18:07] going to go about [18:09] achieving that goal and to me that's [18:11] where beginning with the end in mind is [18:12] so important you've got to know exactly [18:15] where where you want to end before you [18:17] even begin definitely [18:21] slightly different connected question [18:24] um [18:26] so the execution part that i want this [18:29] and this is how i'm going to achieve it [18:31] sometime it's really hard to even find [18:34] what you really want who you are and [18:36] what you want um [18:39] sure and and you know it's funny because [18:42] um i'm a little bit older than than some [18:46] and you know things that i thought i [18:49] might have wanted at 20 at 30 even 40 um [18:53] have changed throughout the years and so [18:55] it's really important that um [18:59] i don't want to say go with the flow but [19:01] you kind of do go with the flow because [19:02] life changes [19:04] things that i thought were important 20 [19:06] years ago have changed since then and so [19:10] as you're looking at setting those goals [19:12] and expectations for yourself of where [19:14] you want to be it's important to know [19:16] that um sometimes um it's called life [19:19] you know life gets in the way and so [19:21] it's important to take a step back and [19:23] see is this something that i truly [19:26] am inspired to want to do or is it [19:29] something that i you know may want to [19:32] change a little bit we're only here once [19:34] and so to me uh you know you've got to [19:36] live it to the fullest and do what you [19:39] really like and want to do um i learned [19:41] that myself because again with my father [19:45] you know and he was a [19:46] outstanding teacher i you know teacher [19:49] of the year everything um but and he [19:51] loved what he did but the money factor [19:54] um wasn't there and so i think that [19:58] in hearing that always you know you're [20:00] never gonna make any money even when i [20:01] decided i was going in the teaching [20:03] profession um i heard that from him as [20:06] well what are you doing you're you know [20:08] you're never gonna make um and i i [20:10] learned quickly that's not always about [20:13] how much you make and so that was a goal [20:16] you know that that change you know when [20:17] you're when you're 18 years old you [20:19] think oh i'm going to get out of college [20:21] and i'm going to make 100 000 a year and [20:24] come to find out that very few jobs out [20:26] there are you going to make that [20:28] probably ever let alone when you first [20:30] get out of [20:32] college i'm sure your your father is so [20:35] proud of you oh yes [20:38] oh absolutely absolutely how do you see [20:41] your journey so far [20:43] um i [20:44] love what i do uh that's each and every [20:47] day i'm passionate i know that i'm doing [20:52] what i was meant to do [20:54] might have taken a little bit of time [20:56] and that's you know i tell my own kids [20:57] and i tell everybody else that you may [21:00] not know [21:02] what you want to do and you may change [21:04] your mind several times along the way [21:06] and that's okay [21:08] to me at the end of the day it's [21:11] that fulfillment and knowing that i love [21:13] what i do and so i love i love the whole [21:16] part of educating i love the whole part [21:19] of knowing that you are making a [21:22] difference in the lives of children and [21:24] the lives of our future i love seeing [21:26] when i have former students getting [21:29] contact with me to let me know um where [21:31] they are and what they're doing students [21:33] that i taught you know 15 years ago um [21:36] are now starting their own lives and [21:39] it's it's just interesting that i was a [21:41] part of that um that journey for them [21:44] and so for myself [21:46] that just makes everything that i've [21:48] worked towards [21:49] that much more [21:52] inspirational inspirational [21:56] the last segment is [21:58] um [21:59] your message to the audience okay and [22:01] the audience are two one are what is to [22:04] the student uh trying to finish their [22:06] high school college [22:08] and um [22:10] they don't know what's out there [22:12] and then the second is what in the early [22:15] career or maybe a year maybe five years [22:18] and they're still trying to figure out [22:22] what they can do today [22:24] that has a higher impact five year ten [22:26] years down the road [22:28] so [22:29] my first um [22:32] gotta finish school that's the first and [22:33] foremost thing um you know even if [22:35] you're taking those classes that you may [22:38] wonder and you always hear this a lot [22:40] why am i sitting in this class what am i [22:42] ever going to do with this [22:44] you never know [22:46] when you're going to refer back to some [22:48] of the things that you are learning in [22:50] that class you may be sitting in right [22:52] now going what am i ever going to do [22:54] with this um it's important to also know [22:58] that [22:59] it's okay if you're not 100 sure what [23:01] you want to do [23:03] i myself as i mentioned in my story i [23:06] started out completely different than [23:08] what i'm doing right now and i'm glad [23:11] for it i learned a lot along the way and [23:13] life is a journey [23:15] and it's important you will consistently [23:18] learn along the way if you feel that you [23:21] know everything right now [23:23] there's no way you can know everything [23:25] right now because until you experience [23:27] things [23:28] you don't know and so for myself my [23:31] message to everybody is take those risks [23:34] don't just set on one thing and think [23:36] that that is exactly what you're going [23:38] to be uh for the rest of your life try [23:41] different things and then make sure that [23:43] you're passionate about what you're [23:45] doing because that's really at the end [23:47] of the day um we're only here once and [23:50] so it's really important that [23:52] you know that this is something that you [23:54] want to do you're passionate about what [23:57] you're doing and that you know that [23:59] you're making a difference for yourself [24:01] and then for others around you and so [24:03] that's my main message um as i i speak [24:06] to students all the time who um don't [24:09] know and it's okay not to know you're [24:12] not going to know it is okay um that's [24:15] what life and your experiences are all [24:17] about i'm good and bad [24:19] those bad experiences we learn from them [24:22] and the good experiences we learn from [24:24] them it's what how we go about what we [24:27] have learned [24:28] through those experiences and grow and [24:31] and become a better individual a better [24:34] citizen in society um that that's really [24:36] what life is all about [24:39] thank you so much thank you so much for [24:41] your time thank you so much for your [24:42] wisdom there's so much that you have [24:45] shared can be used by anyone whether [24:48] they are in school college or in their [24:51] early or [24:53] even people like me absolutely and never [24:55] give up because you never know and [24:57] that's my big thing um you know never [25:00] never give up keep keep going for what [25:02] it is that you are striving for and [25:05] keep your option open keep your mind [25:07] open don't restrict yourself that you [25:10] can only do this or that [25:12] and life [25:14] and the people around you situation that [25:17] you will come across [25:19] will guide you [25:20] um and at some time [25:23] and it's one of the big thing for me [25:25] that um it's hard to find [25:28] what is my passion and what is uh who i [25:31] am and what i want to do and things like [25:33] that purpose right sometimes it can [25:35] completely destroy you sometimes and [25:38] that's where that experience you know [25:40] sometimes it takes that to know [25:42] wow this isn't [25:44] what i thought it was and maybe i didn't [25:46] need to try something else and exactly [25:48] and that's important this exactly uh is [25:52] uh try many things [25:54] and and don't wait for the purpose or [25:56] passion [25:58] if you don't know that's completely fine [25:59] just keep trying things and then you [26:01] will uh you will know what your body [26:04] what your energy uh is responding to you [26:06] absolutely thank you so much oh of [26:08] course all right cool this is great i [26:11] will take a few minutes to [26:13] wind up [26:14] thank you [26:15] of course [26:28] you
Dr. Rodriguez is the principal of one of the largest public schools in Florida. He started his career in media and broadcasting but soon realized that he is made for education and administration jobs.
I started these interview series and a YouTube channel to share stories of different people. In these interviews, you will meet people and learn about their educational backgrounds, career journey, a
Chris Kaptur shares retirement emotions, career growth secrets, and why lifelong learning drives professional success in healthcare leadership.
Explore more career stories and insights from developers and founders.