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For those who feel old at age 50 take heart. You still have a lot of life in you in spite of being caught off guard by a mid life crisis. This message is written to encourage you to change your attitude, be positive and view any midlife crisis that comes your way as an opportunity.The question relates to individuals who have suffered midlife crises and how they dealt with them. I speak with some authority as I am now 80 years old and I experienced two midlife crises. Both crises were unanticipated and both were beyond my control. The first was when my ex-wife chose to divorce me when I was in my late 30’s. The second was my organization started trimming jobs and mine was obviously going to be eliminated when I was turning 50.But, before I start my personal tale, I ask you to consider a quote made approximately 50 years ago by a famous American baseball player, Yogi Berra. “It ain’t over til it’s over.” The quote related to being behind in the middle of a baseball game. Now, please read what happened to me after I was faced with two, not one, midlife crisis. At first, I was totally depressed and thought all was lost. But, this was the beginning of my tale, not the end.My divorce hit me with shock and surprise. Two weeks before we separated, we had taken all of our savings & my earnings (She was a stay-at-home wife) and purchased a brand new four bedroom home. I lived in that house about a week.I was devastated. I fell into depression and had suicidal thoughts. It turned into a messy divorce that dragged on for a very long time, as I tried everything I could to save our marriage and protect our three children from hurt. My three children were very important to me and I had hopes/plans of sending them to college. The whole divorce process took several years to resolve. When it did, my ex and her new boyfriend got the new house, while I was awarded the three children snd almost all the bills and the worries about how I could get some money to pay for my kids college. I was a single father of three with a job that required travel. My ex gave no financial support for the children and virtually never saw them during their teenage years. It took me around 10 years to get out of debt. It was a very stressful ten years.I was forced to make various economic decision such as choosing to sleep on the floor rather than spending my limited funds on the luxury of a bed.A decade later, just as I was climbing out of debt, the Berlin Wall was breached. By then, my three children and I were living in Munich, Germany. (I had a position connected to the US military.) I knew this historical event, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, would lead to the elimination of my job. I also knew it would take more than a year for the trickle down consequences to impact my life and job. So, I had time; time to make plans, rather, a series of plans, that benefited both my future and my spirit of adventure.I had been a single parent of three teenagers for 10 years. By then, we had reached a satisfactory economic plateau. By 1990 and my 50th birthday, my last two children (daughters) were about to graduate from college, I thought to myself, “Why fight the inevitable? I can apply for early retirement. Sure, I will suffer some income penalties, but so what; I can survive”At age 51, I took early retirement in Munich. Then, I chose to go to Oxford, England to study. I receive a Royal Society of Arts Cambridge Teaching Certificate. (My plans included going to Asia, and I knew western teachers could easily find jobs there.) I had already worked in 18 countries, so I was very comfortable with my international business experience. But, I realized I should hone up on my teaching skills. Being a Yank, I figured it may be wise to cover the bases and get a British teaching certificate.After completing my studies in England, I met up with my two daughters in Chicago and we hopped a plane to Bangkok. From there, we started a 3 month, 5 country backpacking trip through Asia. After that, I settled for a few years in Chiang Mai, Thailand where I could live cheaply; do small business and do some training and lecturing. By then, I had learned several tricks of traveling cheaply. I often was able to arrange for my daughters & I to stay at 5 star hotels for free. Also, I figured out how to fly round trip between Chicago to Bangkok on Japan airlines for US$20 each way. (Sorry, I don’t share my secrets on Quora.)Next, at age 55, I came back to the USA and earned an MBA degree. Then, because of my international experience, I was contacted by a branch of the Chinese Government, invited to teach International Marketing at a university in Guangzhou and given a Foreign Expert visa. The Chinese wanted me to sign a long term contract, but I opted for a short, one semester contract. I wanted to get my feet on the ground in China and then be free to seek my own opportunities.Six months later, after my contract ended, I started doing market research and training for western, multinational companies in China. For the next 10 years, (I was in my ‘60’s.) I held a variety of short term jobs. I looked for contracts that would take me around China and be fun to do and would add some spice to my life. I often lectured at universities. Also, for one job I was paid to travel around China, and give lectures at hotel conference rooms about immigrating to Canada. I appeared in some TV commercials and took some White Monkey jobs (jobs where they wanted a white face, nothing more). Another contract was to do research (I won’t go into details)in China. I signed the contract. The other signee, the one I was doing the work for, was a United Kingdom government representative who signed the contract on behalf of the queen. (I thought it was kind of cool to have a contract with the Queen of England.) For one job, I wanted to learn about the tea industry, as I knew next to nothing about tea. So, I arrange for my girlfriend and I to travel to four provinces in China to visit tea farms, factories and processing operations. (I’m sure any tea aficionado would have loved to been with us.) I learned a lot from the true experts. One of the more humorous jobs for me, was testing shoes for a Chinese manufacturer who had contracts with American companies. During my years In China, I traveled and made many friends and had a very active social life. In short, I had blast.For my 60th birthday, some 75 Chinese showed up at my home. Almost all were college students and more than 50 were female. I didn’t count, but a Chinese police woman in the Foreign Affairs office who was a very close friend, (but presumably monitoring me) later told me she had done the counting.After being in China for six years, I met a young lady who became special to me. After four years of dating, I was ready for a change of life and we became engaged. My lady friend and I moved to Hawaii and got married in Honolulu. (At the time we married, I was 67 and she was 24.) She continued her education in Hawaii; got her Masters Degree, and became a CPA.Now, It has been 17 years since we first met. She is a very loving wife. As stated, she is much younger than I. She is intelligent and hard working. She is also committed to pursuing a career, in addition to taking care of me and our 18 month old son. I am a happy stay-at-home dad, who encourages my wife to reach new personal levels (examples: Masters Degree; running marathons, winning medals in International Irish Dance competitions & taking on more challenging managerial jobs) and follow her dreams. (I’m sure there are some retired men out there who would envy having a young wife pay the bills and take care of them while they stayed home in Hawaii and took two naps a day.) I provide my wife with mental and emotional support as well as love & TLC. I write and publish books during my free time. We live in Waikiki, 10 minutes from the ocean and are in the process of buying a second Waikiki apartment. With this, my wife & I (& the bank) will own a million $$$ in real estate. (A million isn’t what it use to be - at least not in Hawaii.)Our son, Kayden at 18 months.We enjoy a simple, quiet and very nice lifestyle. In the past, we ran several Honolulu Marathons together, (Actually, we started the race together. She ran ahead, finished, took a dip in the ocean, went home, showered, took a short nap, returned to the race and met me as I crossed the finish line.) Now I have now decided to hang up my running shoes. We have traveled together and visited approximately 40 of the 50 US states and several Asian countries. Now, we enjoy walks on the beach, barbecues and swimming in our building’s rooftop pool with our young son. Although my wife is Chinese, she has become a pretty good Irish dancer of the Riverdance style.I am average in physical ability, but I admit to having a bit of adventure in me. And my early years in the US Marines taught me to fear nothing. In my 40’s I ran my first marathon. Since then I’ve run more than a half dozen more. In my 50’s, with sledgehammer in hand, I participated in tearing down the Berlin Wall.Doing my thing at the Berlin Wall. As I had lived in Germany and traveled numerous times between East & West Germany during the Cold War, I developed a real hatred for how the communist government treated its citizens.A few years later, (in my ‘50’s), on several occasions, I lived for weeks at a time in a Hill Tribe village in the opium fields of Northern Thailand. Once, on an island in Thailand, I had to fight and had my knee (old high school football injury) give out and then got held & kicked in the face. I was defending two young Japanese ladies who I had met earlier in the day. They came to me for aid when they were being attacked by a local gang. Later, when traveling in Vietnam, I was shaken down and threatened with jail or a high $$$ payoff by a Hanoi policeman. By then, my marketplace negotiation skills were well developed and we final agreed on a pack of American cigarettes.My hut in a Lahu Village. (The pig wasn’t mine.)In my 60’s I rode in the mountains of western China with Kazakh horsemen while avoiding the PLA (Chinese Army). In my 70’s, my wife and I, and a US diplomat hired a speed boat to sneak across the Yalu River into North Korea. Also, in my 70’s, I was hired as a Background Extra Actor for the film, Battleship. By pure luck, not good looks, I was then upgraded to being a Principal Actor. Now, I have my own IMDb page and every three months, I get a residual check (It keeps decreasing. Now, it’s around US $20.00. So far, I’ve earned over $7,000 for my quarter second of screen face time.). Now, in my 80’s, I try to watch my diet, exercise and follow a stay healthy life style.Life can be fun and can continue to be if you stay healthy.So, for those of you who are experiencing despair due to a midlife crisis, I encourage you to think about Yogi Berra’s words and realize many clouds have silver linings.“It ain’t over til it’s over.”My wife and I, walking the Blue Carpet, at the Honolulu Premier of the movie, Battleship. For the record, I designed my wife’s dress, by mixing Chinese qipao and western styling. If you want to see more pictures (not so many, but some) you can go to my The Honolulu Guy page or my Facebook page. I will friend you, but I am way too busy to update it and communicate with short notes.Also, if you have a friend feeling depressed and going through midlife crisis, encourage them to read this; change their attitude; look at their crisis as an opportunity. An opportunity to try new things and have new adventures. And remember, “It ain’t over til it’s over.”

I have never heard of the term “social businessman.” Perhaps it is a language translation problem?I will take a wild stab at this, assuming you are referring to social entrepreneurship. You will want to go to a good University that specializes in this field. Just be sure to do something in addition to getting good grades and good scores in High School, in order to be accepted, in order to write a convincing letter of why you selected that school's program. Talk to your guidance counselor. Become President of one of your school clubs, be in the school play, join the debate club, give speeches, volunteer at several nonprofit organizations in your town, and see if any take on high school kids as board members.Here are the top 25 schools…From Ellie Burke written for classy.org1.University of PennsylvaniaLocated: Philadelphia, PAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 6:1Fun Fact: Famously founded by Benjamin Franklin.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:The Wharton School offers an undergraduate concentration in Social Impact & Responsibility, as well as an MBA/MSW in partnership with the Penn School of Social Policy and Practice.At the Penn School of Social Policy & Practice you can earn a Master of Social Work, an MS in Social Policy or Nonprofit Leadership, or a PhD in Social Welfare. They also offer several dual degree programs and certificates.The Center for Social Impact Strategy is also a part of the School of Social Policy & Practice. Completely focused on providing students with the resources they need to bring their innovative ideas for social good to fruition, the Center offers executive and doctoral programs and free Coursera courses. It’s also home to the Schwartz Family Penn Impact Lab, a one-week program in Costa Rica followed by five-months at the university for social entrepreneurs looking to jumpstart projects.2. The University of OxfordLocated: Oxford, United KingdomStudent-Faculty Ratio: 10:6Fun Fact: The stairs at Christ Church College were the inspiration for the entrance to Hogwarts’ Great Hall in the Harry Potter books and were used to shoot scenes in the films.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Oxford’s MBA programme at the Said Business School offers three social entrepreneurship electives that cover international social entrepreneurship, innovation and social entrepreneurship, and design and development. The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the Said Business School also offers five fully funded MBA scholarships to individuals invested in social innovation.3. Duke UniversityLocated: Durham, NCStudent-Faculty Ratio: 8:1Fun Fact: Famous alumni include Melinda French Gates ’86 (MBA’87).Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Duke University offers an undergraduate certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Notable classes within this concentration include:Social InnovationPerformance and Social ChangeVideo for Social ChangeThe Short Audio DocumentaryMusic and Social EntrepreneurshipLeading as a Social EntrepreneurSocial Entrepreneurship in ActionThe Fuqua School of Business offers an MBA program with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship through the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE). Available classes include Impact Investing and Advanced Social Entrepreneurship.4. Yale UniversityLocated: New Haven, CTStudent-Faculty Ratio: 6:1Fun Fact: Yale is home to the longest running collegiate daily newspaper. It has been printed five days a week since 1878.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:At the Yale School of Management, the Program on Social Enterprise (PSE)holistically discusses nonprofits, social enterprises, and public sector social entrepreneurship. The program’s goal is to provide students with an understanding of how to use their business skills and market knowledge to create social solutions.The courses offered cover a wide range of topics. Whether you want to focus on Global Social Entrepreneurship, or Managing Social Enterprises, or Urban Poverty and Economic Development, you’re sure to find something suited to your interests.5. Stanford UniversityLocated: Stanford, CAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 4:1Fun Fact: Since 1908, a Stanford student has won a medal in every Olympic games.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:At the Stanford Graduate School of Business, you can complete a Certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation within your MBA or MS program. The certificate offers the flexibility to focus on a specific industry within the social sector. For example, students may dedicate their studies to environmental sustainability, health, economic opportunity, or education. The program also allows students to approach their area of interest as they see fit through either a nonprofit leadership or social enterprise/business approach.6. University of California-BerkleyLocated: Berkeley, CAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 17:1Fun Fact: UC Berkeley boasts three graduates famous for their various roles in Star Trek productions: Chris Pine, John Cho, and George Takei.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:At the Berkeley Haas School of Business, students enrolled in the full-time MBA program can pursue areas of emphasis such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Energy and Clean Technology, and Social Sector Leadership.Undergraduates at UC-Berkeley may also access business courses through the Haas School, including Philanthropy: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Topics in Nonprofit Management, Topics in Corporate Responsibility, and Entrepreneurship to Address Global Poverty.7. Northwestern UniversityLocated: Evanston, ILStudent-Faculty Ratio: 7:1Fun Fact: The nation’s largest student-run charity event takes place at the school every year in the form of a 30-hour dance-a-thon.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:For undergraduates, Northwestern University offers a major in Social Policy. This area of study examines how policy and institutions have the power to impact society, and it incorporates hands-on experience through a quarter-long internship.The Kellogg School of Management offers “pathways” for their students to work in industries that are currently emerging. Kellogg’s Social Impact Pathway features classes such as:Public Economics for Business LeadersFederal PolicyLeading Mission-Driven EnterprisesSustainability Reporting and AnalysisMicrofinance and the Role of Financial Institutions in DevelopmentMedical Technologies in Developing Countries8. Harvard UniversityLocated: Cambridge and Boston, MAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 7:1Fun Fact: Famous alumni include eight signees of the Declaration of Independence and eight U.S. Presidents.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:The Social Enterprise Program at the Harvard Business School provides students with an opportunity to take electives and receive field-training that prepare them to apply social enterprise skills to any area in the sector. Their MBA program offers courses such as Leading Social Enterprise and a Field Course: Social Innovation Lab.Boston is also home of the Collaborative a top conference for nonprofit leaders.9. University of MichiganLocated: Detroit, MIStudent-Faculty Ratio: 15:1Fun Fact: UMich introduced their now rivals, Notre Dame, in 1879 during a pit stop on their way to a game against the University of Chicago.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:At the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, their MBA program offers an impressive number of classes through the Center for Social Impactfor both their graduate and undergraduate students. In fact, part of the school’s overall mission is to develop leaders focused on social impact.Graduate courses include topics like:Social Entrepreneurship and InnovationNonprofit and Public ManagementAdvocacy and Social ChangePublic Policy and Social Impact LawCorporate Responsibility and EthicsNonprofit Finance, Fundraising, and DevelopmentUndergraduates may complete courses such as Fundraising and the Arts, Introduction to Nonprofits, and Change by Design.10. Cornell UniversityLocated: Ithaca, NYStudent-Faculty Ratio: 9:1Fun Fact: Apart from the 745-acre main campus, Cornell also owns thousands of acres of nearby gardens and forests.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Between their Center for Transformative Action nonprofit incubator and their Societal Solutions Scholars Program, Cornell is ripe with life-changing experiences for socially minded entrepreneurs who are eager to learn.The Cornell Institute for Public Affairs also offers MPA students the opportunity to concentrate in Public and Nonprofit Management. Courses include Nonprofit Finance and Management, and International Public and NGO Management.11. Babson CollegeLocated: Babson Park, MAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 14:1Fun Fact: Babson’s serious business. So serious, in fact, that business is all you can major in as an undergraduate.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Babson’s undergraduate program offers an entrepreneurship concentration. Within this focus, students may participate in classes such as:CrowdfundingCulture, Society, and Entrepreneurship in Developing EconomiesSocial Responsibility through Eco-Enterprise in TurkeySocial Entrepreneurship by DesignSimilarly, the university’s MBA program also offers a concentration in Entrepreneurship with classes such as 21st Century Entrepreneurship: Business and Social Entrepreneurship.Babson is also home to The Lewis Institute, a program dedicated to fostering collaboration to drive social impact. Their Social Innovation Lab works to accelerate progress toward long-term social solutions by providing participants a space to create and test ideas.12. University of Colorado at BoulderLocated: Boulder, COStudent-Faculty Ratio: 18:1Fun Fact: Famous Alumni include the co-creators and executive producers of hit TV show South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Undergraduates studying business at UC-Boulder may complete a Certificate in Socially Responsible Enterprise. Available classes include Business Solutions for the Developing World: Learning through Service, Integrated Reporting for Socially Responsible Strategies, and Geographies of Global Change.The Leeds School of Business at UC-Boulder also offers socially-minded entrepreneurship classes to their MBA students such as Social Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets.13. Boston CollegeLocated: Chestnut Hill, MAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 12:1Fun Fact: When mile 21 of the Boston Marathon passes through the college campus, classes are cancelled so students can watch and support the runners.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Undergraduates at Boston College can pursue a Co-Concentration in Entrepreneurship, and within this concentration they can complete a class in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.Famous for their Center for Social Innovation (CSI), Boston College also offers a Masters in Social Work: Social Innovation and Leadership Program. This comprehensive education includes not only courses, but hands-on learning opportunities such as field work, prototyping exercises, and a social innovation lab.14. New York UniversityLocated: New York City, NYStudent-Faculty Ratio: 10:1Fun Fact: Celebrity alumni include Angelina Jolie, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Martin Scorsese, Aziz Ansari, and current student Dakota Fanning.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:New York University (NYU) undergraduates who complete the social impact curriculum participate in a four-course series over the course of their degree. Through the Leonard N. Stern School of Business, students cover:Business and Its PublicsOrganizational Communications and Its Social ContextLaw, Business, and SocietyProfessional ResponsibilityNYU also has the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Program in Social Entrepreneurship, which offers graduate fellowships, undergraduate scholarships, workshops, and other resources for individuals pursuing a career in this field.Graduate students may pursue an MPA in Public Nonprofit Management and Policy at Wagner, or an MBA in Social Innovation and Impact at Stern.15. Carnegie Mellon UniversityLocated: Pittsburgh, PAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 13:1Fun Fact: The prison break scene in The Dark Knight Rises takes place on the steps outside of one of their research buildings, The Mellon Institute.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Carnegie Mellon’s Institute for Social Innovation offers several courses for students through the Heinz College.Relevant coursework includes classes such as:Innovating for Underserved Communities: Field Research BasicsDesign and Policy for Humanitarian ImpactSocial Innovation IncubatorEconomics of DevelopmentFoundations of Social Innovation and Enterprise16. American UniversityLocated: Washington, D.C.Student-Faculty Ratio: 12:1Fun Fact: The central heroine in FOX drama Bones is based on real-life AU alum Kathy Reichs.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:The Kogod School of Business offers several notable classes for undergraduate students looking to minor or earn a certificate in entrepreneurship.Social EntrepreneurshipNonprofit and Social EntrepreneurshipNonprofit and Social Entrepreneurship and StrategyAt American University’s School of International Service, students may receive their Master of Arts in Social Enterprise. This two-year program uses a multidisciplinary approach to give students the tools they need to launch their own enterprise or achieve success at an existing organization.17. Georgetown UniversityLocated: Washington, D.C.Student-Faculty Ratio: 11:1Fun Fact: Home to The Corp, the largest student-run nonprofit organization in the world.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:The Beeck Center of Social Impact + Innovation offers students many different resources for getting involved in the social sector. From part-time jobs, to research opportunities, to seminars and internships, students at Georgetown have a famous hub of social innovation at their fingertips.Graduate students at the McDonough School of Business can cater their MBA coursework as they see fit and complete classes such as:Corporate Social ResponsibilityLeadership and Management of Nonprofit OrganizationsUnderstanding EntrepreneurshipGraduate students at the McCourt School of Public Policy can also pursue a Master of International Development Policy.18. Indiana University BloomingtonLocated: Bloomington, INStudent-Faculty Ratio: 17:1Fun Fact: Host of the Little 500, the largest collegiate level bicycle race in the U.S.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Undergraduates at Indiana University Bloomington can complete certificates in Nonprofit Management and Entrepreneurship, as well as major in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Within this major, students can take individual interest courses such as Art and Social Change, and Cultural Planning and Urban Development.Full-time MBA students at the Kelley School of Business can complete a certificate program in Social Entrepreneurship. Classes such as Social Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, GLOBASE: Business Leadership/Social Outreach, The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector, and Fund Development for Nonprofits all prepare students to use their business degree to solve social problems.19. American Jewish UniversityLocated: Los Angeles, CAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 7:1Fun Fact: American Jewish University was born from the 2007 merger of Brandeis-Bardin Institute and the University of Judaism.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:American Jewish University offers an MBA in Nonprofit Management. Within this degree program, students can specialize in Social Entrepreneurship in a Diverse World, Fund Development, or Jewish Community Leadership.Their course offering includes classes such as:Social Entrepreneurship: Vision, Design, EvaluationManagerial Finance in Nonprofit OrganizationsPublic Policy, Law, and TaxationCause Marketing and CommunicationsThe Art and Science of Planned Giving20. Pepperdine UniversityLocated: Los Angeles, CAStudent-Faculty Ratio: 12.5: 1 Fun Fact: Pepperdine is included on The Princeton Review’s list of Green Colleges and 99 percent of on-campus irrigation is recycled water.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Pepperdine University offers a Masters of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship and Change. This online hybrid program consists of a combination of online and in-person instruction and is designed for people who are employed or already enrolled in school full-time. This master’s program is built around the belief that real change must begin from within—both on an individual and a community level. Students prove their individual dedication during the one-year capstone project where they each build a nonprofit organization and pitch it to a panel of existing social entrepreneurs.21. University of Southern CaliforniaLocated: Los Angeles, CaliforniaStudent-Faculty Ratio: 8:1 Fun Fact: USC has had more gold medal Olympians than any other U.S. university.Social Entrepreneurship Programs:Students can receive a Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship at The Marshall School of Business. The skill-based curriculum is made up of nine required courses and two electives that take place on the University Park Campus. Students also study current events to gain familiarity with local and global challenges across cause sectors.Required courses include:Accounting Concepts and Financial ReportingMarketing ManagementStrategic Formulation for Competitive AdvantageCorporate FinanceInvesting in Impact VenturesCases in Feasibility AnalysisSocial Entrepreneurship: Design, Develop, and DeliverSocial Innovation DesignSocial Entrepreneurship22. University of OregonLocated: Eugene, OregonStudent-Faculty Ratio: 17:1 Fun Fact: The University of Oregon mascot may look familiar—because it’s Donald Duck! University of Oregon is the only U.S. university with a Disney character as a mascot.A Master of Nonprofit Management degree at the University of Oregon prepares students for the unique skills required for leadership roles within philanthropic work. Their program emphasizes real-life training and all students are required to serve on the board of a nonprofit organization during the program. This degree is made up of four components:Core coursesElective field of interestInternship and professional development trainingManagement sequence and consultancy project23. University of San DiegoLocated: San Diego, CaliforniaStudent-Faculty Ratio: 14:1Fun Fact: The Princeton Review ranked USD second for “Best Campus Environment.”Social Entrepreneurship Programs:USD’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies offers a Master of Arts in Social Innovation. Students learn how to look at the root cause of social issues and think critically about how they can create sustainable, scalable business solutions to the social and justice challenges of our world.The program places an emphasis on six learning areas:Systems perspectiveAnalytical capabilitiesExperimentation in designImplementation and impact assessmentProblem-solving24. Washington University in St. LouisLocated: St. Louis, MOStudent-Faculty Ratio: 8:1Brown School of Social Services in conjunction with Olin School of Business Management Social Enterprise and Innovation Competition (SEIC), one of the world’s largest business plan competitions for both for-profit, nonprofit and hybrid social enterprises. Since 2006, the SEIC has awarded over $1 million in startup capital to both student and community entrepreneurs throughout St. Louis and serves as the cornerstone of one of the most vibrant and active social entrepreneurship communities in the country.

The Science-Backed Reasons You Shouldn't Share Your Goals“I’m going to write a novel!” I proudly proclaimed to anyone who would listen. It was 2010, and I was a wide-eyed college student who had recently discovered NaNoWriMo, an annual nationwide effort to write 50,000 words during the month of November.The future was bright; I had publicly shared my intentions and people were “holding me accountable.” Two key things that will help us achieve our goals, right?Except I never did finish that novel. While I did hit the 50,000-word mark, I abandoned the manuscript in its preliminary editing stages. So what happened?Some research suggests that the open declaration of my novel-writing intentions is precisely where I went wrong. So before you share that big dream of yours, let’s dive into the science-backed reasons you may want to keep it to yourself if you want to reach that goal.Reason #1: Receiving premature praise for a goal makes follow through less likely. Perhaps the most popular research about goal sharing and motivation is by Peter Gollwitzer of NYU. In 2009, Gollwitzer and his colleagues published research suggesting the simple act of sharing your goal publicly can make you less likely to do the work to achieve it. In one study, law students were asked to fill out a questionnaire that measured their commitment to making the most of their educational opportunities. Those whose answers indicated a high level of commitment to becoming lawyers were then split into two groups. For the first group, an experimenter looked at each participant’s questionnaire and then asked them to confirm that the answer they circled was the one they had intended. The second group, however, dropped their questionnaires into a box and understood their responses were anonymous.After that, both groups were given 45 minutes to work on legal cases. The first group, whose answers had been acknowledged, spent less time working on the cases than the second group, whose answers were anonymous.Researchers concluded that when someone notices your identity goal, that social recognition is a reward that may cause you to reduce your efforts. So in this case, the students who stated they were committed to becoming lawyers had already achieved that identity in their mind thanks to the experimenter’s acknowledgment of their http://answers.So if your goal is closely tied to your identity, it might be best to keep it to yourself. This way, premature praise won’t fool you into feeling like you’ve already achieved your aim.Take-home tip: Is your goal identity-related? If so, receiving social recognition of your goal before you’ve even achieved it may make you less likely to do the work. Reason #2: Receiving “person praise” versus “process praise” could decrease your motivation.In a Reed College study, researchers attempted to gauge the effect certain types of praise have on our motivation. They assigned 111 college students to one of three groups:Person praise: Feedback related to the individual.Process praise: Feedback related to the method http://taken.No praise: No feedback.Each group was then asked to complete three puzzles.After completing the first two puzzles, students in the person praise group received written feedback such as, “Excellent! You must have a natural talent!” Students in the process praise group received feedback such as, “Excellent! You must be using some really effective strategies!” And the third group received no praise.The third and final puzzle was meant to induce failure, and students in all groups received feedback that simply said, “You didn’t do as well on this last one.”Following the first two puzzles, questionnaire answers showed there was no effect on the participants’ intrinsic motivation. But after the third “failure” puzzle, results showed that, across all grade levels, person praise was less motivating than process praise. Seniors, in particular, reported greater intrinsic motivation after process praise versus person praise or no praise at all.These results led researchers to infer that “all age groups beyond preschool appear to be more positively affected by process praise than person praise after encountering failure.”While it’s natural for the people you love to praise you after you announce an intention, this study suggests that when someone praises you for an inherent trait that you have little to no control over, it isn’t very helpful. Further, in some cases, it may be less motivating than receiving no praise at all, particularly after you experience http://failure.So, for example, if you were to announce that you want to become fluent in Mandarin, and everyone responded with person praise, such as, “Wow, you must be really smart!” and then you fail your Mandarin test, that setback could negatively affect your motivation to achieve your goal. It’s more helpful if people respond with praise focused on your process, such as, “That’s awesome that you practice new vocabulary every morning!”Take-home tip: Is this person likely to give me “person praise”? If so, it might be best not to tell them, or else you might feel less motivated to achieve your goal. Alternatively, if you’re relying on them for accountability, ask them to praise you specifically for your processes, or just not praise you at all.Reason #3: If you’re a beginner, getting negative feedback could stop you.In 2011, University of Chicago professor Ayelet Fishbach reviewed existing research and conducted new studies to determine how positive and negative feedback affect the pursuit of one’s goal. She and her team found:When positive feedback signals commitment to a goal, it increases motivation.When positive feedback signals progress, it actually decreases motivation.One example the researchers give is a math student who gets a good grade on a test. If she perceives it to mean she likes math, she will study harder. If, however, she sees the high score as a sign she is making progress in the class, she may ease up and study LESS further test this, Fishbach and her team studied American students enrolled in beginner and advanced French classes. They found that students in the beginner class were more interested in having an instructor who emphasized positive feedback. In contrast, students in the advanced class were more interested in an instructor who emphasized negative http://feedback.In a follow-up study of American participants learning a new task of typing in German, the researchers found similar results: As the participants advanced, a larger proportion sought negative feedback.Researchers concluded that beginners are concerned with evaluating their commitment to a goal, so they’re more likely to stick to a goal when they receive positive feedback. Experts, on the other hand, are concerned with their actual progress toward a goal, so they’re more likely to stick to it when they receive negative Index of / if your goal is to run a marathon and you’re an experienced runner, you may want to share your intention with another runner who can give you critical feedback to help you improve. If, however, this is your first time running a race, you’ll want to share your goal with someone who will give you positive feedback to encourage you.Take-home tip: If you’re a beginner, you’ll need positive feedback, but if you’re an expert, the opposite is true. It may help to tell the person exactly what kind of feedback you need at this stage.Reason #4: Accountability doesn’t always work.“I’m telling you this so you can hold me accountable!” How many times have you said that following your public declaration of a new goal? While traditional advice urges you to seek an accountability partner, research suggests that, in some cases, accountability can decrease your motivation.A study by Michael Enzle and Sharon Anderson found that when a participant was being monitored by an experimenter whose intention was to control their behavior (either to make sure they complied or to evaluate their performance), the participant’s intrinsic motivation decreased. But if the participant was told that the experimenter was watching them only out of curiosity, there was no observed effect on the participant’s intrinsic motivation.Further, a study by George Cvetkovich found that when participants thought they were going to have to explain their betting decisions to a friend, they recalled judgment policies with higher accuracy than those who were told they were being held accountable by a http://stranger.So when is accountability helpful? Perhaps when your accountability partner is a friend. A Dominican University study found that more than 70% of participants who sent a weekly progress report to a friend reported successful goal achievement, compared to only 35% of participants who kept their goals to themselves and didn’t write them down.Take-home tip: Is this person a friend I can trust to hold me accountable? If so, they might be a better accountability partner than an acquaintance or stranger you don’t trust.Reason #5: Hearing about competition might make you back off.Have you ever told someone a big dream of yours, only to have them point out that there are many others trying to do the same thing? While this feedback may be well-intentioned, it could hurt your efforts. In one study, researchers found that when students perceived there to be a lot of competition, they would decrease their efforts to “win by not losing.” So it may be best to keep your audacious goal to yourself and go in unaware of the competition you face.There is one area, though, where competition could boost your efforts: exercise. At the University of Pennsylvania, nearly 800 students went through an 11-week exercise program and were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: individual alone, team support, individual comparison, and team comparison. The results? Those who were in a competitive atmosphere attended 90% more exercise classes than those who were not. Consistent with the University of Pennsylvania study’s findings, a Rutgers University study found that participants performed better when competing against others in a physical task, but not a memory task.So if your goal is exercise-related, such as training for a marathon, losing weight, or improving your swim times, a little rivalry may ramp up your efforts.Take-home tip: Is this goal exercise-related? If it is, it might actually help for you to have some competition to motivate you.So, What’s A Goal-Getter To Do?As with any advice, this isn’t one-size-fits-all. Studies can only take us so far. But what the research suggests is that if you’re going to share your goals, do it strategically. Before you announce your intentions to someone, think about how it might realistically affect your chances of achieving the goal.While I never followed through with publishing my novel despite announcing that goal to everyone I knew, I’m not too upset that it fell by the wayside. I’ve since shifted my focus to nonfiction instead.So does that mean I’m writing a memoir now? (I’m not telling.)This is what i followAll Thanks to Amy Rigby on trello :)