GetSET2Connect Series, Part 3: Turning Strategy Into Daily Practice (March 18, 2026)

In Part 1 of the GetSET2Connect Series, we defined what it means to be strategic — aligning your daily actions with long-term career goals.

In Part 2, we emphasized that strategy without execution has no value.

Now, in Part 3, the focus shifts to application — what it actually looks like to operate strategically in your day-to-day work.

Strategy Requires Honest Evaluation

At multiple points in my career, I’ve had to take a step back and evaluate whether my current role was positioning me for what was next.

At both the start of my career at Columbus State Community College and currently at Spartanburg Methodist College, that meant looking beyond my responsibilities and asking:

Am I growing, or am I just maintaining?

That question forced me to think beyond task completion and focus on development. It led me to pursue opportunities outside of my defined role — expanding into areas like storytelling, digital strategy, and content development.

In doing so, those efforts contributed to measurable outcomes, including:

• Increased social media engagement

• Expanded digital reach across platforms 

• Enhanced visibility for student-athletes through award recognition and coverage

Those decisions weren’t always required, but they were intentional. And over time, they created separation in both skill set and impact.

Focus on Impact, Not Activity

One of the biggest traps in any profession — especially in communications — is equating being busy with being effective.

Early on, it’s easy to say yes to everything. But strategic growth comes from identifying what actually moves the needle.

In my experience, that meant prioritizing:

• Storytelling that went beyond standard recaps

• Content that enhanced visibility for student-athletes and programs

• Initiatives that strengthened the overall brand, not just filled immediate needs

Those strategic shifts led to:

• Growth in audience engagement and interaction rates

• Improved performance across digital platforms

• Stronger positioning of programs within conference and regional recognition

The shift is subtle but important: from completing tasks to creating value.

Relationships as a Strategic Asset

No meaningful career progression happens in isolation.

Some of the most impactful opportunities I’ve had came through relationships — mentors, colleagues, and industry connections who provided guidance, perspective, and opportunity.

That includes being recognized nationally, including receiving the CoSIDA President’s Award in 2020, which reflects the impact of both professional work and engagement within the industry.

Being strategic with relationships means investing in them consistently, not just when you need something. It means showing up, adding value, and staying engaged over time.

That approach builds trust — and trust is what ultimately creates opportunity.

From Motion to Progress

Talent and work ethic matter. But without direction, they can only take you so far.

Strategy is what ensures your effort is aligned with where you want to go.

It turns daily work into long-term progress.

And it creates a career path that is intentional, not accidental.

GetSET2Connect Series, Part 2: Putting Strategy into Action (March 17, 2026)

In Part 1 of the GetSET2Connect Series, we explored what it means to be strategic — aligning your daily actions with your long-term career goals and using intentional decision-making as your guide.

But understanding strategy is only the foundation.

The real differentiator is execution.

Too often, professionals acknowledge the importance of strategy but fail to operationalize it in their day-to-day work. Being strategic is not about overanalyzing every move or waiting for the perfect opportunity — it is about consistently acting with clarity and purpose.

So how do you actually put strategy into action?

1. Audit Your Current Position

Strategy begins with awareness.

Take an honest evaluation of where you are in your career right now. Look beyond your job title and responsibilities and assess the true value of your current role.

• Are you building skills that align with your long-term goals?

• Are you gaining experiences that will translate to your next opportunity?

• Are you positioned in a way that allows for growth, or are you simply maintaining your current level?

Strategic professionals regularly assess whether their current situation is contributing to where they ultimately want to go. If the answer is no, that does not necessarily mean you need to leave immediately — but it does mean you need to identify gaps and begin addressing them intentionally.

2. Identify High-Impact Opportunities

Not all work carries the same weight.

One of the most important shifts in thinking strategically is moving from a mindset of activity to one of impact. Being busy is not the same as being effective.

High-impact opportunities are those that:

• Increase your visibility within your organization or industry

• Expand your skill set in meaningful, transferable ways

• Connect you with leadership or key decision-makers

These opportunities are often not assigned — they are identified and pursued.

This may mean volunteering for projects outside your defined role, taking initiative on new ideas, or stepping into responsibilities that stretch your current capabilities. Strategy requires you to recognize which efforts will move the needle and prioritize those over routine tasks that simply fill time.

3. Be Intentional with Relationships

No career grows in isolation.

Networking, when done strategically, is not about collecting contacts — it is about building meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships.

Consider:

• Who is already in your network, and how are you maintaining those relationships?

• Who do you need to connect with to reach your next level?

• How can you provide value to others, rather than only seeking it?

Strategic relationship-building means aligning yourself with individuals who challenge your thinking, support your development, and expose you to new opportunities. These relationships often become the catalysts for career advancement.

Moving from Motion to Progress

The difference between those who stay stagnant and those who advance is rarely talent alone. More often, it comes down to intentionality.

Being strategic ensures that your efforts are not just keeping you busy, but actively moving you forward.

It transforms your career from a series of reactions into a deliberate path.

As you continue through the GetSET2Connect Series, the focus will shift to additional components that build on this foundation. But without strategy, none of the other elements can reach their full potential.

Start where you are. Evaluate honestly. Act intentionally.

That is how strategy becomes progress.

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Missed Part 1? Start here:
https://sidassistant.blogspot.com/2026/03/getset2connect-series-part-1-why.html

GetSET2Connect Series, Part 1: Why Strategy is Your Career’s North Star (March 16, 2026)

After celebrating my birthday on March 13, I’m shifting gears back to the core principles of GetSET2Connect. In this upcoming series, we’ll deep-dive into the framework, paired with fresh job leads, industry news, and a few surprises. We’re kicking things off with the S in GetSET: Strategic. We will explore what being strategic looks like by definition, from the perspective of a job holder, and through the lens of a job seeker.

Half a Century of Life, Lessons, and Connection (March 14, 2026)

Half a Century of Life, Lessons, and Connection

To every single person who reached out, sent a text, left a comment, or whispered a prayer for my 50th birthday: Thank you. Reaching fifty isn't just about a change in the first digit of my age; it feels like standing on a peak and finally being able to see the entire landscape of where I’ve been. Reading your messages reminded me that while the journey is personal, it is never solitary.

Why This Birthday Feels Different

I chose to use this milestone not just for celebration, but to bring awareness to a "meaningful moment." Many of you have asked about the "depths" I mentioned. Life has a way of taking us through valleys we didn't choose, but those depths are exactly where the roots of our strength are formed.

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on how my story—the highs, the lows, and the messy middles—involves all of you. We are a tapestry of shared experiences, and I am so grateful you are part of my weave.

Looking Ahead: GetSET2Connect

I’m taking the weekend to soak in the last of these birthday reflections, but the real work (and the real sharing) begins shortly.

When I resume the blog this Monday, we are going deep. I’ll be introducing a concept that has become my North Star: GetSET. It’s more than just a catchy phrase; it’s a framework for how we bridge the gap between where we are and where we want to be—with ourselves and with each other.

• S - (Stay tuned for the breakdown...)

• E - (...)

• T - (...)

I can’t wait to share this new chapter with you. See you back here on Monday.

50 Years: The Life I Almost Didn’t See (March 13, 2026)

March 13, 1994.

That was the day I began telling the people around me that I was going to end my life. I remember the weight of those words and the hollow certainty behind them. Nearly three months later, following a suicide attempt, I found myself in a psychiatric ward.

At the time, I thought that was the end of my story. In reality, it was the first day of the rest of my life.

The Radical Shift

I don’t share this to shock you or to lead with a tragedy. I share it because of the "radical change" that followed. For the last 32 years, my life has been a series of introductions—to people, places, and versions of myself—that were truly beyond my wildest imagination.

In that hospital bed in 1994, I couldn’t have envisioned the laughter I’d share decades later, the hands I would hold, or the wisdom I would gain from the people who have walked in and out of my life.

A History of Becoming

Recovery isn’t a straight line; it’s a long, winding road of evolution. Over the past three decades, I have learned that:

• Presence is a Victory: Just being here is an achievement worth celebrating.

• People are the Map: Every person I’ve met since that day has been a thread in the tapestry of my survival.

• The Story Continues: No matter how dark the chapter, it is rarely the final page.

Celebrating 50

Today, I am celebrating 50 years of life. Thirty-two of those years were "bonus years"—years I fought for, years I almost traded away, and years that have proven to be more beautiful and complex than I ever thought possible. This blog is a space to honor that history. It’s a place to talk about where I’ve been, but more importantly, to celebrate the fact that I am still here to tell the tale.

To anyone standing in their own "March 13, 1994" right now: Please stay. The versions of you that exist at 50 are waiting to meet you, and they are more incredible than you can imagine.

1 Day Out: A Letter to the Ones Who Mean the Most (March 12, 2026)

With one day remaining before I turn 50, it feels right to pause and recognize the people who have meant the most along the way.

Milestones naturally make you reflect. Fifty years brings a lot of memories, a lot of lessons, and a lot of gratitude. And while so many people have played a role in the journey, there are a few who deserve a very special acknowledgment.

This one is for them.

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To My Wife, Charlene

Charlene, you have been my partner through so many chapters of life.

Marriage is a journey of shared experiences — the highs, the challenges, the everyday moments that make up a life together. Through it all, your support, patience, encouragement, and belief have meant more than I could ever fully express.

Life moves fast, and careers, responsibilities, and schedules can sometimes pull in a hundred directions. But having someone beside you who understands the journey — who celebrates the wins and helps navigate the tougher days — is something I never take for granted.

As I reach this milestone, I’m grateful not just for the years we’ve shared, but for the many more chapters we still have ahead of us.

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To My Mom, Wilma

Mom, so much of who I am today traces back to the example you set.

Mothers often carry more responsibility than anyone realizes — guiding, teaching, encouraging, and sometimes sacrificing so their children have opportunities to grow and succeed.

Your strength, work ethic, and belief in family created the foundation that made everything else possible. Even when life presented challenges, you always found a way to keep moving forward and keep our family grounded.

That example stays with me every day.

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To My Brother, John

John, growing up with a brother means sharing a lifetime of experiences — some competitive, some chaotic, and many unforgettable.

Brothers understand each other in a way that doesn’t always need a lot of explanation. There’s a shared history that comes from growing up side by side and navigating life’s early chapters together.

No matter where life takes us, that connection is always there.

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To My Dad, Eldon

Dad, even though you’re no longer here, your influence is still present in so many ways.

Fathers leave behind lessons that often reveal their full meaning later in life. The things you taught — through words, through actions, and through the way you approached life — continue to guide me.

Milestones like this one naturally bring reflection, and your presence in those memories remains strong.

Your impact didn’t end when you were gone. It continues through the values and lessons that stay with me.

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Tomorrow I turn 50.

It’s a milestone that represents time, experience, and reflection — but most of all, it represents the people who made the journey meaningful.

To Charlene, Mom, John, and Dad — thank you for being such an important part of the story.

The next chapter begins tomorrow.

2 Days Out: A Letter to My Family (March 11, 2026)

 With two days remaining before I turn 50, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the people who helped shape the journey.

This one feels a little different from the others in the series. Instead of a list or a reflection, this feels more like a letter.

A letter to family.

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To my aunts, uncles, cousins, and especially my Grandma Hunt,

As I get closer to turning 50, I’ve been thinking about the foundation that made the rest of the journey possible. Long before careers, responsibilities, and adult life took shape, there was family — the people who helped create the environment where everything else began.

Family gatherings, holidays, conversations, stories, and traditions may have seemed ordinary at the time, but looking back, those moments carried more meaning than we probably realized.

They were the building blocks.

They were where values were learned — how to treat people, how to work hard, how to show up for others, and how to keep moving forward even when things didn’t go exactly as planned.

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To my beloved Grandma Hunt,

Your presence has always represented something steady. Grandparents have a unique role in families — they carry the stories of the past while quietly shaping the future through the example they set.

The wisdom, patience, and perspective you’ve shared over the years have had a lasting impact, whether it was through advice, encouragement, or simply being someone who was always there.

Those things matter more than words can easily capture.

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To my aunts and uncles,

You helped shape the family environment that made growing up feel supported and grounded. Each of you contributed something unique — your personalities, your experiences, and your presence at the moments that mattered.

Looking back, it’s easy to see how those influences helped shape the person I’ve become.

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To my cousins,

Growing up alongside you created a shared history that still connects us today. We’ve all taken different paths and built our own lives, but there’s something about family that always brings the story back together.

Those early memories — the laughter, the chaos, the holidays, the time spent together — are part of the fabric that connects us.

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As I approach 50, I realize more clearly that no one reaches a milestone like this alone.

Every chapter is influenced by the people who were there along the way — encouraging, supporting, teaching, and sometimes simply showing up when it mattered.

Family creates the roots that allow everything else to grow.

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Two days away from 50, I’m grateful for those roots.

And grateful for all of you who helped plant them.