The world is full of myths: common ideas that exist but are not true. Unfortunately, often such myths rule what we do and dominate our behavior. Myths can cause disorganized thinking and set up a system of behavior that is based on misconceptions and doomed to failure.
For example, consider the teenage girl with poor self-esteem who has accepted the myth that college is just for smart kids. For whatever reasons, shes convinced that shes not smart. Over time, these attitudes will begin to pervade her thought process, and she will convince herself of the hopelessness of her situation. Eventually, she will begin to act in an inferior way, select unchallenging courses and perform poorly in high school. In essence, she will act out the myth and fail to go to college.
Such destructive myths come from various sources. Some originate with kids themselves, either as defense mechanisms to cover for past or future failures or as ego boosters for successful kids who like the idea of making college sound difficult. In short, we often dont know the specific sources of myths or the motivation behind them.
This book does not pretend to be anything more than a guide designed to steer students away from the myths and toward the realities of how to survive the first year of college.
Steve Gladis serves as president and CEO of Steve Gladis Communications (SGC), an executive communications firm focused on helping leaders communicate for success. Offering professional development and training programs, executive coaching and advising, and corporate consulting, SGC abides by one basic value--respect for our clients and our strategic partners. Dr. Gladis has taught hundreds of clients from a host of companies in the Northern Virginia Region, including Cox, Lockheed Martin, SAIC, Anteon, FBI, Justice, DEA, Labor, EPA, The Washington Post, Gannett News, and many others.
A former member of the University of Virginia's faculty, Dr. Gladis served as an Associate Dean in the School of Professional Studies and the Director of the University's Northern Virginia Center. In a previous career as an FBI special agent, he taught at the FBI Academy, was the editor of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, and the chief of speechwriting for the director of the FBI, and held a number of both headquarters and field-agent assignments around the country. Dr. Gladis has published numerous magazine and journal articles as well as eleven books; his most recent book is Survival Writing for Business. A regular lecturer and speaker, Dr. Gladis consults with corporations and organizations in the area of training and development.
A committed civic and academic leader, Dr. Gladis serves on the Executive Board of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors for the Northern Virginia Community Foundation, serves on the School of Professional Studies Advisory Board at the University of Virginia, is chairman emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the Washington Math Science Technology Public Charter High School, and is a former member of the University of Virginia's Faculty Senate. He is also a former U.S. Marine Corps officer and a Vietnam Veteran.
