Themselves.
Technology, markets, financial vehicles, business methodology, government regulations, entertainment, media, and so on, all aspects of our professions and our entire lives will change at a continuously increasing rate in perpetuity. Which technology, market, industry should I commit to? I don’t believe this is the most relevant question for a student. More relevant questions are: What do I want in my life? Who do I want to help? In what ways? Who needs my help? What positive changes can I contribute to? How can I learn, and continue to learn, and advance my pace of learning? What activities truly engage my passions, and my abilities? What goals can I set for myself which will drive me to excel, and to maximize my potential?…and many others.
Individuals learn, professions learn, societies learn. Young individuals who truly recognize the importance of the art of learning will place their attention on that throughout their years, and they will not only be better able to manage their futures, they will be able to contribute much more. Being prepared for the future is about accelerated learning more than picking the right path at each future fork in the road. Butcher, baker, candlestick maker, it doesn’t really matter.
One of the twentieth century’s greatest entrepreneurs, Dr. Kazuo Inamori, the founder of Kyocera Corporation, has committed throughout his professional life to technological innovation, but always towards a specific positive societal outcome. He is a student of life, and his business commitment, inseparable from his life commitment is to contribute to “the material and spiritual happiness of humanity and society.” Dr. Inamori is a stellar example of someone who first studied themselves, which prepared him and his company each step of the way, resulting in extraordinary evolution and success of their enterprise, according to their standards.
Author: Robert Noble
Robert Noble is an architect, environmental designer, industrial designer and environmental technology entrepreneur, which he calls an "ecopreneur." He has received numerous regional and national awards for his industrial and architectural designs, and green technology innovations. Over his 29-year career, he and/or his work has been awarded Entrepreneur Magazine's Environmental Innovator of the Year, the Edison Award for Environmental Achievement and "Best of What's New," Popular Science 100 Best of 1993, and awards from the American Institute of Architects, and the Urban Land Institute.
Noble is the founding CEO of Envision Solar, a San Diego architectural firm that is a worldwide leader in integrating solar photovoltaic technologies with the conventional building, real estate and transportation industries. Envision Solar designs, engineers and installs photovoltaic solar parking arrays and other commercial and residential solar-integrated building systems. As CEO of San Diego's Tucker Sadler Architects, he led a turn-around of the 50-year-old firm into the leading sustainable design firm in the region.
He is Past Chair of the US Green Building Council of San Diego, Past President of the American Institute of Architects of San Diego, Chairman of the Board of the California Center for Sustainable Energy, past Chair of the California American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment, and Member of the San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership.
He has written over 40 articles regarding sustainable design, USBGC LEED Certification, emergency shelter for disaster relief, renewable energy and other subjects. He has been a highly committed and vocal local, regional and national advocate of environmentally responsible manufacturing, design and planning, and low-cost, emergency and affordable housing for over 20 years.
He attended UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, Harvard Graduate School of Design and Harvard Business School, and Cambridge University Graduate Department of Architecture.
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