BYU Hawaii alumnus David Ing presented a motivational lecture at the weekly Entrepreneurship Lecture Series on Thursday, September 11, 2008. Ing focused on the entrepreneurial prospects and skills by sharing his own personal experiences and insight on what it takes to prove successful not only in business, but also in life.
Graduating from BYUH as the senior class president of 1969, Ing cited the impressive progress the university has continued to initiate since he was a student here 39 years ago. “It is remarkable to see how the school has evolved and continued to grow over the years as an establishment of great education,” Ing remarked, referring to the continual dedication to secular and spiritual learning the university has achieved.
Raised in a small Hawaiian homestead community in the suburbs of Honolulu on a plot of land deeded by the former King himself, Ing’s traditional island upbringing caused him to communicate primarily in Hawaiian growing up. In high school, he found himself refining his English skills and emerging in a more cosmopolitan environment. His roots provided him a strong foundation to succeed, however, when he was called to serve a mission to the Navajo people in the four-corners area in the southwestern United States. “My sense of community, family, my skills from studying the traditions of ancient peoples at the Polynesian Cultural Center, and at BYU Hawaii all helped me to relate to the Navajo people, allowing me to grow closer to them as I taught,” Ing explained.
Upon his return, Ing steered his thoughts towards his professional career. In addition to his involvement in several entrepreneurial enterprises, Ing highlighted his career with Delta Airlines at Honolulu International Airport, commanding daily flight operations on the ground, from passenger security to equipment details. Ing reiterated that in his industry, being on time was perhaps the most important goal of the airline. “Operating those flights, from touchdown to takeoff, on time was the objective,” Ing explained. He explained that to realize their goals, students must acquire the skills necessary to bring about the sufficient results.
Ing focused on what he called the “Four D’s” to move dynamically forward in all goals, be they academic, career, spiritual, or social. First, Ing stated, one must have the desire to accomplish a goal. “What are your goals?” Ng asked, “Believe with passion in what you do and become realistic in your expectations.” Once interest has sparked sufficient desire, Ing said it is time for direction. “Although you cannot direct the wind, you can adjust your sails to flow with it,” Ing explains, paraphrasing a well-known expression by an unknown author. “After a direction is set,” Ing counseled, “You must enlist the appropriate dedication and determination to achieve your goals.” His course of action cites that after the necessary desire, direction, dedication, and determination exist, goal accomplishment becomes the destination.
Ing advised BYUH students to set forth and remain dedicated to their goals, citing his own commitment to achieving personal, spiritual, and workplace goals as key to his successful career development. “Goals are the building blocks for the future,” Ing counseled, “The experiences you will face come in different and unpredictable ways, yet remaining firm in your diligence to achieve your goals will prove victorious.” Ing’s words resonate well to students who have become habitual in defining specific goals, echoing an understanding that a strong foundation will allow students to tackle better obstacles with which they are faced.
Ing reaffirmed that life is not innately easy, and while students will undoubtedly face “serious challenges” in life, they can and must set their focus to “constantly know the destined direction and head towards it.” Ing left students with an encouraging sense of motivation and foresight: “We need to move forward in our own lives to understand what we can do. We create and accomplish our goals not just for money, but to help one another to be better and stimulate even further progress.” As students now race full speed into the academic year, Ing’s advice promises great potentials to a strong foundation of goals and diligence.
The weekly Entrepreneurship Lecture Series features lectures offered by successful and prominent members of the university and local community, and is open to anyone interested in attending. The series meets every Thursday morning at 10:00am in the BYU Hawaii Auditorium.