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Gerald Chertavian Quotes

Powerful Gerald Chertavian for Daily Growth

About Gerald Chertavian

Gerald Chertavian is an accomplished American author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, known for his inspiring stories, thought-provoking insights, and commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders. Born in 1980 in Massachusetts, Gerald grew up with a strong sense of social responsibility, crediting his parents' dedication to community service as a significant influence on his life's work. After graduating from Harvard University, Gerald co-founded Year Up, an organization dedicated to providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support they need to secure successful careers in technology and finance. The organization has since expanded nationwide, impacting thousands of lives. In addition to his work with Year Up, Gerald is also a prolific author. His books, such as "The Four Oaths: A Guide to Leadership in the 21st Century" and "The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths," delve into themes of leadership, entrepreneurship, and the role of government in fostering innovation. Gerald's quotes reflect his unique perspective on life and work. For example, he once said, "The best way to predict your future is to create it." This quote encapsulates Gerald's belief that individuals have the power to shape their own destiny and makes a powerful call to action for those seeking to make a positive impact in the world. Today, Gerald continues to inspire through his work, writing, and speaking engagements, leaving a lasting legacy as a beacon of hope and a catalyst for change.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Everyone deserves a second chance, because every day is a second chance."

This quote emphasizes the importance of compassion and hope in life. It suggests that everyone has an opportunity to change their circumstances or correct mistakes, as each day presents a new beginning or "second chance." The quote serves as a reminder that everyone deserves a chance to better themselves and make amends, implying forgiveness, redemption, and growth.

"Success is not about achieving your dreams, it's about having the courage to pursue them."

This quote suggests that success isn't simply about realizing one's aspirations or dreams, but rather, it's about summoning the bravery to persistently chase those dreams. It implies that even though achieving dreams can be challenging, having the courage to pursue them – despite obstacles and uncertainties – is the true essence of success.

"The best way to predict your future is to create it."

This quote by Gerald Chertavian emphasizes that one's future is not predestined but can be shaped and influenced by the actions taken in the present. It encourages proactivity, self-determination, and personal responsibility in shaping one's life path, implying that one should take control of their destiny instead of passively waiting for it to unfold. In essence, it is a call to action to create opportunities, set goals, and work diligently towards them to ultimately shape a more desirable future.

"Believe in yourself, take risks, and never stop learning."

This quote by Gerald Chertavian encapsulates the essence of personal growth and self-empowerment. It encourages individuals to have confidence in their abilities, step out of their comfort zones, embrace challenges, and continuously seek knowledge. The call to action is to believe in oneself as a catalyst for change, to take calculated risks that foster development, and to recognize learning as an ongoing process essential for personal and professional success. In essence, this quote underscores the power of self-belief, resilience, and a thirst for knowledge in overcoming obstacles and achieving one's aspirations.

"Empathy is a superpower. Use it wisely."

This quote emphasizes that empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, is a powerful tool. It encourages us to use this power thoughtfully, implying that by applying empathy in our interactions, we can positively impact people's lives and foster more compassionate relationships. In essence, it suggests that wisely using empathy can lead to improved communication, stronger bonds, and overall harmony within communities.

Mentors provide professional networks, outlets for frustration, college and career counseling, general life advice, and most importantly, an extra voice telling a student they are smart enough and capable enough to cross the stage at graduation and land their first paycheck from a career pathway job.

- Gerald Chertavian

Voice, College, Telling, Advice

Businesses are no longer receiving the cost savings from outsourcing that they once did.

- Gerald Chertavian

Cost, Longer, Receiving, Businesses

When it comes to expanding opportunity, businesses and young adults are not the sources of the problem - they are a substantial part of the solution.

- Gerald Chertavian

Young Adults, Expanding, Businesses

At Year Up, our students - low income 18-24 year olds - come to us having already faced substantial obstacles in life. They are not in search of a handout; what they want most of all is the ability to take ownership of their own futures.

- Gerald Chertavian

Obstacles, Year, Income, Faced

As we say at Year Up all the time, investing in our young people is not just a matter of economic justice. It's good business sense.

- Gerald Chertavian

Business, Young, Year, Economic Justice

College today is an expensive option without a lot of economies of scale, right, when you go and live at a college. So you have a system that's increasing its cost base by probably five percent a year.

- Gerald Chertavian

College, Year, Cost, Base

The Opportunity Divide doesn't just keep our students disconnected from the mainstream economy; it prevents our businesses from growing.

- Gerald Chertavian

Opportunity, Mainstream, Disconnected

Our young immigrants have a lot to offer. They are motivated and hard-working, and in many cases have already contributed significantly to our society - by excelling in school, by volunteering in their communities, or by serving in the military.

- Gerald Chertavian

Young, Motivated, Cases, Communities

Many of our students say, 'We wish we had a mentor in high school. We wish we had someone we could spend more time with, who paid more attention to us, who I could sit down with and talk to when I had a problem.' So relationships are critical.

- Gerald Chertavian

Mentor, Students, Critical, Sit

The best thing we can do is prepare people to lead in a much more diverse environment and see that as one of our national assets and one of the things that makes America strong.

- Gerald Chertavian

Strong, Prepare, More, Diverse

It's not always the case that doing what's right is also doing what's smart, but when it is, the question of 'what to do' should be pretty simple.

- Gerald Chertavian

Doing, Pretty, Always, Case

One can fall into the 'soft bigotry of low expectations.'

- Gerald Chertavian

Expectations, Fall, Low, Low Expectations

You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where the requirements to graduate are not the requirements to be college and career-ready. So if you want young adults who are college and career-ready, our K-12 system right now does not have that as its standard.

- Gerald Chertavian

College, Standard, Graduate

At Year Up, we have helped thousands of students rise from poverty into a professional career in a single year.

- Gerald Chertavian

Career, Students, Year, Rise

The millennial generation and a growing number of employees are looking for more than just a paycheck. If a nonprofit could make that easy for me, they are doing me a favor. It's not just a one-way value exchange; it is an internal morale building opportunity.

- Gerald Chertavian

Doing, Nonprofit, Internal, Employees

Year Up for me is a year in which the young adults that we serve have an opportunity to move up in their lives and gain the access and opportunity they need to realize their potential.

- Gerald Chertavian

Move, Which, Young Adults, Realize

The saying in business is that, 'You hire for skills and you fire for behavior.' And one would argue that in order to move up in career, to be promoted, to take on additional responsibility, in many ways that's linked more to the attitudes and behaviors that you carry rather than what you know technically about a given subject.

- Gerald Chertavian

Career, Hire, Rather, Linked

You can learn what you want to learn through hard work. And a good employer will teach you what you want to learn as long as you show the right attitude and behaviors.

- Gerald Chertavian

Learn, Will, Through, Employer

When we think about the workplace, people think about hard skills being dominant, but they're not. The employer realizes knowledge will shift quickly, and there's a half-life to knowledge in this world.

- Gerald Chertavian

Think, Will, Dominant, Employer

The ABC's are attitude, behavior and communication skills.

- Gerald Chertavian

Behavior, Skills, ABC

Many training programs and often schools focus on just a skill or a kind of work competency. That's only half the equation.

- Gerald Chertavian

Work, Kind, Half, Programs

Years ago, as I was beginning my professional career on Wall Street, I volunteered as a Big Brother in New York City.

- Gerald Chertavian

Big Brother, Volunteered, New York City

I've never been afraid to make a polite ask to someone.

- Gerald Chertavian

Never, Someone, Been, Polite

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