Motivation Is Not a Career Plan (September 21, 2026)

After speaking with students at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Missouri–St. Louis and Spartanburg Methodist College, I keep returning to one question:

What happens after the guest speaker leaves?

Students may leave the room encouraged. They may write down a few ideas, connect with the speaker on LinkedIn or promise themselves they will take action.

Then another class begins. Another assignment is due. Work, practice and everyday responsibilities take over.

Within a few days, much of that motivation can disappear.

This is not a criticism of students. It is a reminder that motivation, by itself, is not a career plan.

Students Need More Than Encouragement

I enjoy speaking with students about my 25-plus years in college athletics. I can tell them about the opportunities I received, the mistakes I made and the lessons I learned as a job seeker, hiring professional, mentor and sports communications leader.

Those stories can create hope, but hope needs somewhere to go.

Students need help answering practical questions:

• What type of sports career fits my interests and abilities?

• What skills are employers looking for?

• How do I gain experience if nobody has hired me yet?

• Who should I contact?

• What should I say when I contact them?

• How do I show that I can do the work?

• What happens if my first plan does not work?

Telling students to “work hard” and “network” is not enough. Most already know those things matter. They need someone to show them what those words look like in real life.

That is one reason I created The GetSET Network.

Strategic: Know Where You Are Going

Being strategic does not mean having your entire career figured out before graduation.

It means choosing a direction and taking purposeful steps toward it.

A student who says, “I want to work in sports,” has a dream. A student who says, “I want to earn an entry-level athletic communications role, and I need stronger writing, statistics and graphic design samples,” is beginning to build a plan.

Students should learn how to study job descriptions, identify missing skills and select experiences that move them closer to the work they want.

A strong career plan should include:

• A clear short-term career target

• A résumé built for that target

• Work samples that prove ability

• A list of skills that need improvement

• A realistic application strategy

• A 90-day action plan

The target may change. That is normal. The important part is making decisions with a purpose instead of applying for anything with the word “sports” attached to it.

Engaged: Build Relationships Before You Need Them

Professional relationships should not begin with, “Can you help me get a job?”

They begin with curiosity, preparation and genuine interest.

Students can ask professionals about their responsibilities, career decisions and lessons learned. They can stay in touch by sharing progress, congratulating people on their accomplishments and following through when advice is offered.

Being engaged also means participating instead of waiting to be noticed.

Ask a thoughtful question after class. Volunteer for an assignment. Introduce yourself to the visiting professional. Follow up with a clear message. Request an informational conversation.

One conversation may not lead to a job. It can lead to knowledge, confidence, another introduction or a better understanding of the field.

Those small steps add up.

Teamwork: Become Someone People Trust

Students often focus on technical skills. Those skills matter, but employers are also asking themselves:

Can I trust this person to be part of our team?

Can the candidate communicate clearly? Meet a deadline? Accept feedback? Solve a problem? Help when the assignment is not glamorous? Treat people with respect when the pressure rises?

Sports organizations move quickly. Employers need people who can do their jobs while making the people around them better.

Teamwork is not simply getting along with others. It is becoming dependable enough that people want to work with you again.

Building What Comes Next

With upcoming presentations at Bloomsburg University and Clemson University, I am continuing to sharpen how The GetSET Network will serve students and campuses.

The goal is not to collect university names or make one-time appearances.

The goal is to help colleges and universities provide students with a practical sports career-readiness system built around three habits:

Be Strategic. Stay Engaged. Value Teamwork.

Students deserve more than a motivational hour. They deserve clear expectations, honest feedback, professional access and continued accountability.

A presentation can start the conversation.

The real value comes from helping students turn that conversation into action—and action into career momentum.

When the guest speaker leaves and the excitement wears off, will students know what to do next?

The GetSET Network is being built to help them answer that question.

College and university leaders interested in a presentation, student workshop or campus partnership are invited to connect with me to discuss what would best serve their students.

The Small Change That Could Alter Your Career (September 14, 2026)

This week, I have the opportunity to speak with students at Spartanburg Methodist College and the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

The schools are in different places. The students will have different backgrounds, goals and questions. Yet I want both groups to hear the same message:

Small changes lead to lasting breakthroughs.

Most students hear the word “success” and picture a huge moment: landing the dream internship, accepting the first full-time job or meeting the person who opens the right door.

Those moments matter. But they rarely appear out of nowhere.

They are usually built through small choices that did not feel important at the time.

One email sent.

One question asked after class.

One story added to a portfolio.

One thank-you note written.

One introduction made.

One extra hour spent learning a skill.

None of these actions will make headlines. Together, they can change the direction of a career.

Stop Waiting for the Giant Leap

Early in a career, it is easy to believe you need a perfect plan before you can move. You may think you need more experience, a stronger résumé or more confidence.

Here is the hard truth: confidence usually shows up after you act, not before.

Waiting until you feel ready can become a comfortable form of standing still.

You do not need to fix your entire future this week. You need to make one smart move that gives your future a better chance.

If your résumé needs work, improve one bullet.

If your network is small, introduce yourself to one professional.

If you have no portfolio, post one example of your work and explain what you contributed.

If interviews make you nervous, practice answering one question on camera.

Small does not mean weak. Small means you can begin today.

Breakthroughs Are Usually Quiet at First

People often notice the result but miss the repetition that produced it.

They see someone get hired but not the months that person spent building relationships. They see a polished portfolio but not the first rough project. They see a confident speaker but not the nervous student who once struggled to raise a hand.

A lasting breakthrough often begins as a decision no one else sees.

That is why comparing your beginning to someone else’s big moment is a bad deal. You are comparing your behind-the-scenes work to their highlight reel.

Your better question is not, “Why am I not where they are?”

Ask, “What small change can I make today that puts me one step closer?”

That question gives you control.

Pick a Change You Can Repeat

The best small change is not the most impressive one. It is the one you will keep doing.

Sending 30 rushed connection requests in one night may feel productive. Starting one thoughtful professional conversation each week is more likely to build real relationships.

Rewriting your entire résumé every month is not necessary. Tracking your results after each project gives you better material when it is time to update it.

Watching hours of career advice will not replace experience. Volunteering for one assignment that stretches your skills will.

Choose an action simple enough to repeat and meaningful enough to matter.

Try this three-part test:

1. Is it specific? “Get better at networking” is vague. “Introduce myself to one professional this week” is clear.

2. Can I control it? You cannot control whether someone hires you. You can control whether you prepare, apply and follow up.

3. Can I prove I did it? A sent email, updated portfolio item or completed practice interview creates evidence.

If your change passes all three tests, you have something you can act on.

Your Next Opportunity May Begin With a Reply

At the end of my conversations with students this week, I do not want them to leave with pages of notes and no next step. Inspiration without action has a short shelf life.

I want each student to choose one small change, act on it and report back.

Not next semester. Not after graduation. This week.

The reply matters because accountability turns a good intention into a real commitment. It also starts a conversation. Careers grow through conversations, and you never know which one will lead to advice, encouragement, an introduction or an opportunity.

Your first step does not need to be perfect. It needs to be completed.

Then take another.

Challenge

Before this week ends, choose one move:

• Contact one person working in a role you want to learn about.

• Improve one section of your résumé or portfolio.

• Ask for feedback on one piece of your work.

• Learn one tool or skill that appears in job descriptions you want.

• Thank one person who has helped you grow.

• Apply for one opportunity you might normally talk yourself out of pursuing.

Write down what you chose. Give yourself a deadline. Follow through.

Then reply to the email and let me know how it went.

The response does not need to be a major success story. Maybe the person did not answer. Maybe the application did not lead to an interview. Maybe your first attempt felt awkward.

That still counts.

The goal is not to win every time. The goal is to become someone who takes the next step, learns from it and keeps moving.

Big careers are not built in one dramatic moment. They are built when small, smart actions become habits—and those habits create opportunities that once felt out of reach.

What small change will you make this week?

Make it. Then tell me what happened.

Your Network Has a Longer Memory Than You Think (September 10, 2026)

More than 20 years ago, Gregg Fort was my boss at Florida International University.

On Tuesday night, I had the opportunity to speak to his students at the University of Oklahoma.

A lot happened between those two moments.

Jobs changed. Schools changed. Responsibilities grew. Careers took unexpected turns.

But one thing stayed with me: a relationship built through working together.

Years ago, Gregg knew about an opportunity at Texas A&M University-Commerce, now East Texas A&M University. He also knew me. Through his childhood friend, Sam Walker, Gregg helped make a connection that opened the door for me to become a director.

Think about what that really means.

Gregg didn't just know my name.

He knew my work.

And he was willing to put his reputation behind mine.

That's networking.

But it's probably not the version you've been taught.

Your Work Is Part of Your Network

When we talk about networking with students and young professionals, we often make it sound like a numbers game.

How many people did you meet?

How many LinkedIn connections do you have?

How many business cards did you collect at the convention?

How many athletic directors, administrators or sports communicators know your name?

Those things can help.

But I think we're missing a bigger question:

What do those people know about you?

There is a big difference between someone knowing your name and someone being willing to recommend you.

A LinkedIn connection requires a click.

A recommendation requires trust.

When someone recommends you for a job, internship, graduate assistantship or opportunity, they're putting a little piece of their own reputation on the line.

They're telling someone else:

"I know this person. I believe in them. You should give them a chance."

You can't collect that kind of trust at a networking reception.

You earn it.

You're Building References Before You Ask for Them

If you're an intern, graduate assistant or young sports communicator, your next opportunity may come from an application you submit.

But it may not.

Someone may be forming an opinion about you today that becomes important three years from now.

Your supervisor sees whether you meet deadlines.

Your coworkers notice whether you help when the workload gets heavy.

Coaches learn whether they can trust you.

Student-athletes see whether you treat them with respect.

Other sports communicators notice whether you make their jobs easier or harder on game day.

People remember whether you follow through.

They remember how you respond when something goes wrong.

They remember whether you take responsibility.

They remember whether you only show up when you need something.

You're building references long before you ask anyone to be one.

That's why your first job isn't "just" your first job.

Your internship isn't "just" an internship.

Your graduate assistant position isn't simply something you need to complete before getting a full-time position.

Every one of those experiences is creating a group of people who will someday answer a very important question about you:

"What do you think of Danny?"

Put your own name in that sentence.

Now ask yourself what you hope they'll say.

More importantly, ask yourself what you've given them evidence to say.

Would Someone Put Their Reputation Behind Your Name?

This is a tougher question than, "Do I have a good network?"

Look at the people you've worked with during the past few years.

Who would confidently recommend you?

Not because they like you.

Not because you're connected on LinkedIn.

Not because you occasionally comment on each other's posts.

Who has seen enough of your work, character and consistency to make a phone call on your behalf?

That's a different kind of connection.

And here's another uncomfortable question:

Are you maintaining those relationships when you don't need anything?

It's easy to send someone a message when you're looking for a job.

It's easy to reconnect when you need a reference.

It's easy to ask someone for 20 minutes when they work at a school with an opening you want.

Relationships shouldn't begin again every time you need something.

Sometimes the best networking message has no request attached to it.

"How are you doing?"

"I saw your team had a great weekend."

"Congratulations on the new position."

"I was thinking about something you taught me."

"Thank you again for helping me."

No résumé.

No job opening.

No ask.

Just a relationship.

Do a Relationship Audit

Here's something I'd encourage you to do this week.

Write down the names of five people you've worked with over the past two years.

For each person, ask yourself:

• What would this person say I'm good at?

• What evidence have I given them?

• What would they say I still need to improve?

• When was the last time I contacted them without asking for something?

• Would they confidently recommend me for an opportunity?

Don't answer the questions based on what you hope is true.

Be tough on yourself.

Then pick one person and reconnect this week.

Don't ask about a job.

Don't send your résumé.

Don't ask them to "keep you in mind."

Talk to them because the relationship matters.

The Long Game

When Gregg Fort was my boss at FIU, neither of us knew that more than two decades later I'd be speaking to one of his classes at Oklahoma.

I certainly couldn't have mapped out every stop between then and now.

That's the point.

You don't know which coworker, supervisor, classmate, coach or colleague will cross your path again.

You don't know who will someday hear about an opportunity and think of you.

And you don't know when someone will be sitting in a room where your name comes up.

But you can control what they remember when it does.

Don't build a network because you need a job. Build a reputation that makes people want to help when the right opportunity appears.

Connections may introduce you.

Your reputation gives people a reason to recommend you.

And trust is what makes them willing to put their name next to yours.

That's the kind of network worth building.

Your network works before you need it (September 8, 2026)

Some of the most important career opportunities in my life started with a conversation I wasn't even part of.

Today, I'll give my first lecture of the 2026-27 academic year to students at the University of Oklahoma.

The invitation came from Gregg Fort.

Gregg was my boss when I worked as the Media Relations Coordinator at Florida International University. But his impact on my career didn't end when I left FIU.

Years ago, Gregg had a conversation with one of his childhood friends, Sam Walker.

That conversation helped connect me to an opportunity at Texas A&M University-Commerce, now East Texas A&M, where I was able to move into a director role.

Think about that for a second.

A relationship Gregg had built long before I needed it eventually created an opportunity for me.

And now, years later, that same relationship between Gregg and me has created another opportunity—this time for me to speak with students preparing for their own careers.

That's what networking is supposed to look like.

It's not collecting LinkedIn connections.

It's not sending someone a message only when you need a job.

And it's certainly not asking, "What can this person do for me?"

It's doing good work.

It's treating people well.

It's staying connected.

It's helping when you can.

And it's understanding that you rarely know which relationship will matter five, 10 or 20 years from now.

That's one of the reasons I'm building GetSET2Connect.

I want students and young professionals pursuing careers in college athletics to understand something I had to learn through experience:

Your career isn't built by applications alone. It's built by people who know you, trust you and are willing to say your name when you're not in the room.

Gregg did that for me.

Today, I get an opportunity to pay some of that forward with his students at Oklahoma.

Maybe one conversation today helps someone five years from now.

That's the point.

Don't wait until you need a connection to start building relationships.

DON'T: Only Network With People Who Can Hire You (September 3, 2026)

If you only network with athletic directors, SIDs and people who can hire you, you're doing networking wrong.

I understand why people do it.

You're looking for your first job. Or your next job.

You see someone with "Director" in their title and think, That's someone I should know.

You see an athletic director and think, Maybe they could hire me someday.

You see a graduate assistant, intern or fellow student and think, They're trying to get started just like me.

So you spend most of your networking energy trying to connect up.

I think that's a mistake.

Some of the most valuable relationships you'll build during your career may be with people who can't offer you a job today.

Your Peers Are Part of Your Network

The graduate assistant working beside you matters.

The intern you meet at a conference matters.

The student from another school who sends you a LinkedIn request matters.

Your classmates matter.

Professors matter.

Former classmates matter.

The person working their first full-time job at another school matters.

Not because of the title they might have someday.

Because they're people worth knowing today.

They are experiencing many of the same things you are. They're learning. They're making mistakes. They're meeting people. They're figuring out what they want from their careers.

And they're building networks of their own.

That's where networking becomes powerful.

Careers Don't Move in Straight Lines

Here's something I've learned from working in college athletics for more than two decades:

People move.

A lot.

Today's intern becomes tomorrow's graduate assistant.

The graduate assistant becomes an assistant director.

The assistant director becomes a director.

The director becomes an associate athletic director.

Some leave athletics and go into agencies, professional sports, higher education, corporate communications or completely different industries.

You have no idea where someone's career will take them.

And they don't know where yours will take you.

That's exactly why someone's current title shouldn't determine whether they're worth your time.

Stop Asking, "What Can This Person Do for Me?"

This is where networking gets sideways.

Someone gets introduced to an athletic director and immediately wants to send a résumé.

Someone connects with an SID and immediately asks about job openings.

Someone meets an established professional and starts thinking about how that person can help advance their career.

That's not relationship building.

That's prospecting.

There's a place for being intentional about meeting decision-makers. If you're searching for a job, you absolutely should know the people making hiring decisions.

But that cannot be your entire networking strategy.

Instead of always asking:

"What can this person do for me?"

Start asking:

"What can I learn about this person?"

What are they working toward?

What are they good at?

What challenges are they facing?

What can I learn from their experiences?

Can I introduce them to somebody?

Can I encourage them?

Can I help them?

That's how relationships start becoming something more than LinkedIn connections.

Network Across, Not Just Up

Early in your career, there's tremendous value in meeting people at roughly the same stage you are.

You can compare experiences.

Share job openings.

Talk about interviews.

Recommend tools.

Make introductions.

Celebrate when somebody gets an opportunity.

And sometimes, you can tell each other the things you're hesitant to ask someone 20 years ahead of you.

Then something interesting happens.

You grow together.

Five years later, those people are scattered throughout the industry.

Ten years later, you may have friends and trusted colleagues at dozens of schools, conferences, organizations and companies.

You didn't build those relationships because you calculated what everybody could eventually do for you.

You built them because you stayed connected.

Your Network Shouldn't Look Like an Organizational Chart

If everyone in your network has a bigger title than you, I would question whether you've actually built a network.

A healthy professional network should go in every direction.

There should be people ahead of you who can teach and challenge you.

People beside you who understand what you're experiencing.

And eventually, people coming behind you whom you can encourage and help.

That's a network.

And as your career grows, your responsibility changes.

Someone helped you.

Now you help somebody else.

Someone answered your email.

Now you answer someone else's.

Someone took 20 minutes to talk with you when they didn't have to.

Someday, you're the person who needs to find those 20 minutes.

That's how a profession gets stronger.

Don't Judge Someone's Value by Their Title

I want young professionals to understand this early because it can change how they approach networking.

Don't walk into a room looking for the most important person.

Talk to people.

Be curious.

Ask good questions.

Remember names.

Follow up.

Stay connected when you don't need anything.

And don't overlook the person standing beside you because you're too busy trying to get the attention of the person across the room.

You never know where either career is headed.

More importantly, that shouldn't be the reason you build the relationship anyway.

Good networking isn't collecting important people.

It's building meaningful relationships over time.

So here's my challenge:

Look through your network this week.

Who have you been overlooking because they couldn't immediately help your career?

Who is at a similar stage as you?

Who haven't you talked with since college?

Who is starting out and could use the same encouragement somebody once gave you?

Reach out to one of them.

No résumé.

No job request.

No hidden agenda.

Just start a conversation.

Stop building your network based on people's titles. Build relationships with good people.

O

Don't Wait Until You Need a Job to Build Your Network (September 1, 2026)

Relationships are built over time.

More than 300 people recently acknowledged a Facebook post I wrote about my career-search experience.

I noticed the number.

But what caught my attention was something much more important.

I started looking at the names.

There were people I knew from college athletics. Former coworkers. Friends. People from schools where I've worked. People I've met professionally. People who have known me for years. Others I've gotten to know much more recently.

They represented different jobs, different cities and different chapters of my life.

And seeing all those names together reminded me of something I've learned throughout my career:

The worst time to start building your network is when you desperately need one.

Your Network Isn't a Contact List

We sometimes make networking far more complicated than it needs to be.

Go to a convention.

Collect business cards.

Connect on LinkedIn.

Meet an athletic director.

Introduce yourself to an SID.

Send some emails.

Those things can all be part of networking.

But none of them, by themselves, create a relationship.

You can have 2,000 LinkedIn connections and still have very few people you would feel comfortable calling when your career hits a difficult stretch.

That's the difference between having contacts and having relationships.

A contact knows your name.

A relationship knows your story.

And when you're looking for your first job, trying to make a career move or suddenly find yourself searching for your next opportunity, that difference matters.

Don't Introduce Yourself Only When You Need Something

Think about the email many people send when they're searching for a job:

"Hi, I hope you're doing well. I'm currently looking for my next opportunity. Please let me know if you hear of anything."

There's nothing necessarily wrong with sending it.

But ask yourself a harder question:

When was the last time you talked with that person before you needed their help?

If the answer is three years ago, that's not much of a relationship.

Networking shouldn't begin with:

What can you do for me?

It should begin much earlier with:

How can we know each other better?

Ask about someone's work.

Congratulate them when something good happens.

Share something that might help them.

Introduce them to someone.

Check in occasionally.

Have coffee when you're in the same city.

Send the message when you don't need a favor.

Those small interactions add up.

I Didn't Build Those 300 Relationships With One Post

That's what struck me when I looked at the people who responded to my Facebook post.

I didn't meet them all at the same convention.

They didn't all come from the same job.

And they certainly didn't all enter my life because I was looking for employment.

Those relationships accumulated over years.

Some started because we worked together.

Some came through college athletics.

Some began through professional organizations.

Some came from people introducing me to other people.

And some had nothing to do with my career at all.

That's what a real network looks like.

It grows while you're living and working, not simply while you're searching.

Relationships are built over time. From 2013-16, Adam Ledyard, now Assistant AD for Communications at East Texas Baptist, and I worked in close proximity as colleagues in college athletics. Since we first met, I've watched Adam become an innovator in our profession, but what has meant even more to me is the friendship we've built along the way. He has become someone I trust, respect and know I can count on—one of those relationships that reminds me why building a network is about far more than your next job.

Networking Isn't About Finding Someone Important

Here's another mistake I see young professionals make:

They try to network up.

They want to meet the athletic director.

The senior associate AD.

The communications director.

The person with the biggest title in the room.

Meet those people. Learn from them.

But don't ignore the person sitting beside you because their title doesn't seem important enough.

Today's intern could become tomorrow's assistant director.

Today's graduate assistant could eventually become a department head.

The student sitting beside you in class could someday know about an opportunity that's perfect for you.

And there's an even simpler reason to build relationships with people regardless of title:

They're people. Not career assets.

If you're deciding whether someone is worth knowing based on what they might someday do for you, you're not networking.

You're prospecting.

People can usually tell the difference.

Build Before You Need

If you're currently employed and happy, this is actually one of the best times to strengthen your network.

There's no desperation attached.

You aren't asking for anything.

You can simply get to know people.

Start small.

Reach out to one person whose work you've been following.

Reconnect with a former colleague.

Ask someone for a 20-minute conversation about their career.

Comment thoughtfully on someone's LinkedIn post instead of simply clicking "Like."

Congratulate someone who received a promotion.

Make an introduction between two people who should know each other.

Then do something most people forget:

Stay in touch.

You don't need to message everyone every week.

You don't need a complicated networking spreadsheet with 500 names.

You just need to be intentional about maintaining relationships.

If You're Looking Right Now, Start Anyway

Maybe you're reading this and thinking:

"That's great advice, Danny, but I already need the job."

Then start today.

You can't go backward and build relationships five years ago.

But you can stop treating every conversation as a transaction starting now.

Don't message 50 strangers asking whether they know of openings.

Choose five people.

Talk with them.

Ask questions.

Listen.

Tell them what you're trying to accomplish.

Ask what they think you're missing.

Ask who else they believe you should meet.

And when someone helps you, don't disappear after you get what you wanted.

That's how a connection starts becoming a relationship.

Your Network Is Bigger Than Your Next Job

This may be the most important part.

Networking isn't only about getting hired.

The right relationships can help you make better decisions.

They can challenge you.

They can tell you when your resume isn't good enough.

They can prepare you for an interview.

They can introduce you to someone you never would have met.

They can tell you about an opportunity before you see the posting.

They can encourage you after another rejection.

And sometimes they'll tell you something you don't want to hear but probably need to.

That's why I don't measure my network by the number next to "connections" on LinkedIn.

I think about the people.

The relationships.

The conversations.

The people I've helped and the people who have helped me.

More than 300 people responding to one Facebook post didn't create my network.

It showed me the network that had been built over years.

And it reminded me of a lesson worth sharing with anyone trying to build a career:

Don't wait until you need a job to build your network.

Build it when things are going well.

Build it when you have nothing to ask for.

Build it by helping other people.

Build it one relationship at a time.

Because someday you may need your network.

And when that day comes, you'll be glad you didn't wait until then to start building it.

What About the People Who Didn't Get the Job? (August 31, 2026)

This is me on the night that I received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Columbus State Community College Sport and Exercise Studies in June 2020. Photo by John Glaser Photography