Has It Really Been 47 Years? What I Learned from Becoming an Eagle Scout

Yesterday was a very special day: it’s the 47^th anniversary of my becoming an Eagle Scout! 

I didn’t remember this milestone but I received an email yesterday from the National Eagle Scout Association marking the day with the subject, “Happy Eagle Anniversary!”.

As I read through that email the memories of that day and my journey to become an Eagle Scout flooded my memory. I started to reflect on what this meant to me and what I learned from this experience.

That was a very long time ago and it took me several years to finally achieve that significant milestone. Here are some of the lessons I learned along the way:

#1. Any significant accomplishment starts when you take the first step.

I started this journey when I was 8 years old. Throughout the six years, it took to become an Eagle Scout, I would have never achieved this milestone if I had not taken that first step. Remember, you can’t finish something if you don’t start. Take that first step!

#2. Learn leadership through experiences.

I was given numerous leadership opportunities over the years in Boy Scouts. Also, as one of the final steps toward becoming an Eagle Scout, I had to envision, organize and lead a large community improvement project which involved two other Boy Scout Troops besides the one I belonged to. For this project, we repaired and improved hiking trails and some of the park facilities at a State Park in Southern Florida. This experience gave me confidence and forced me to learn how to lead others to get something this big accomplished, together as a team.

#3. Finishing strong.

There were many times when I wanted to quit. Thankfully, my Father helped me see that finishing something this big was important. I told my friends and other adults at the time that I was going to make it. I would finish. Had I quit I would not only let them down but I would let myself down. This was the beginning of my development as a committed finisher. Had I quit my journey to become an Eagle Scout I wonder if I would have finished college or become a Naval Aviator. Are you committed to finishing strong?

Finally, I want to thank you for your support. I’m truly grateful for you. Thank you!

Question: What is one thing you can celebrate starting today? Leave a comment or reply to this message – I’d love to hear from you!