whether it is clothes, food, or cars. On both ends of the exchange, we are usually giving more value to the other person. For example, when you pay for a shirt, you are receiving something you can wear and feel good in. You pay money for that shirt because you believe the value you get out of wearing it is worth more than (or equal to) the price. You can wear it repeatedly for this one-time payment. By the same token, the retailer has secured that shirt at a discount and is selling it to you at a premium to maintain their business and make a profit. It is a win-win situation.
The same goes for someone who is giving money. People value the act of giving or helping someone else out. Many people feel satisfied knowing that they played a part in aiding a cause or person in need. Others enjoy being seen by others as a person of power and influence. Many will drop a few dollars in the bucket for the Salvation Army, give a twenty-dollar bill to a Girl Scout for a box of cookies and tell them to keep the change, or write a check to create scholarships in their church. When one gives and documents it, there is also the bonus of getting a reduction in how much one pays in taxes to the government while being charitable.
On the other hand, when earning money, someone is exchanging money for the product or service you provide. Employers pay their employees for the value they produce. Scholarship committees are awarding money to people they believe are valuable to their mission, organization, or department. When money is involved, there is always an exchange occurring.
2. Value is determined by people
People determine what is valuable. As a collective, society has placed value on money as the primary source of exchange. If we were to take that same currency of money to another group of people in another country, it will most likely not have the same power or value.
We determine what is valuable to us. Some of us value cake, while others value fruit. Some of us value going to the movies, while others value hiking. Some of us will pay hundreds of dollars for shoes, while others will spend that on a new phone. The value of something depends on whom you’re talking to in that moment and their perception.
Employers and scholarship committees are no different; they have a set of skills, qualities, and experiences they value more so than others. If you want to get that job, scholarship, or fellowship, you must understand what the selection committee values and show that you value the same.
3. People are human
All companies, organizations, and institutions are run by people. People no different than you and me make the decisions to hire, promote and award scholarships. Your teachers, bosses, and colleagues are all human. It can be difficult to remember that when titles and protocols get thrown around. Trust and believe that the seemingly well put together person on the other side of the desk has family issues and drama with their friends. They like to joke, have fun, and spend far too much time on their phones while on the toilet. Just like you and me, they have likes, dislikes, and judge others based upon their own perspective. We naturally like some people more than we like others. We have our favorites and we have those who irritate us to no end, simply because they’re breathing in the same room as we are. It is neither right nor wrong; it is just the way we are. We determine what is good and what is valuable based upon what we like.
When interacting with a supervisor, professor, or colleague, it is critical to remember that they are just as human as you are. Despite our age differences, we have the same basic desires, which are to feel appreciated and respected. We want what we want. We want what we value. And that is the key to success: give people what they want.
The sum of all these truths is this: If you want to earn money in this world, increase your value in the eyes of the people with money. That is the core of The Academic Hustle. It is a system designed to increase your value in the eyes of the businesses, institutions, and organizations to influence them to hire and award you scholarships.
The Foundation
There is more money in this world than there are people. Although there are millions of ways to make money, not everyone can take advantage of everything. You cannot be everything, however, you can become anything you want. The key to having the ability to make money is focus; identify what it is you truly want, then go from there.
The foundation of The Academic Hustle is in identifying what you want and why you want it. If you want to make sure you get to a specific destination, you must chart a path to get there. It is a very simple concept but too many of us are clueless about what we want out of life, where we want to go, or who we want to become.
We yearn for what we want but rarely take the time to figure out what it really is. Many fear cutting off options that could be profitable. It’s hard for some to make a concrete decision and have tunnel vision on their path. In turn, they miss the countless possibilities that they are unable to see from a distance. It’s time to get focused. Indecision will never attract money or the confidence of those who have it to work with you. This is the first step in The Academic Hustle. We must identify what we want.
Ask yourself: What are your career goals? What type of life do you want to live? What do you want to study in school? How much money do you need to pay for school (be realistic with yourself)? What school do you want to get into? What program do you want to be a part of? Once you know what it is that you want, you can figure out how to make it happen.
Knowing what you want is only half of the equation. There needs to be a strong reason or need to be fulfilled—beyond money—that will motivate you to get it. That deep motivating WHY will push you through all the obstacles that will inevitably cross your path. As a matter of fact, having a strong WHY is all you really need! If you are determined to get what you want no matter what, you will figure out what you must do.
Identifying what you want and why you want it sets the foundation for you to build yourself into who you need to become to get what it is that you want. This is extremely important, so much so that I’m going to say it again – Identifying what you want and why you want it sets the foundation for you to build yourself into who you need to become to get what it is that you want. It narrows your focus and helps you determine what you need to do to become valuable in the eyes of the people who have your money.
Four Pillars
The Four Pillars are your guiding posts. These are the areas you must develop to become a competitive candidate for the opportunities you are going after. In just about every opportunity you pursue, the employers or selection committees are going to examine you in these four areas to determine your value:
1.What do you know? Your Education
2.What have you done? Your Experience
3.What do people say about you? Your Relationships
4.What do you say about yourself? Your Presentation
Your mission is to identify what are the most valuable answers to these questions in the eyes of the selection committee. Once you have the answers to these questions, strategically develop yourself into the ideal candidate in those areas.
As with all things, there is a balancing act. You will be strong in some areas and weak in others. This is a part of being human.
Ensure that your weaknesses are compensated by your strengths. However, this should never take away from the fact that you must do what you must do to mold yourself into the ideal candidate in each of these areas. These are the pillars of your professional life. You must continuously develop in each of these areas. It NEVER stops. There is never a time to go on autopilot with your career. You have to be that person people trust within the industry. This isn’t going to be a
