Packers' Davis stresses hard work, education

By TOM STANKARD

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Ironwood - In front of college students and area residents, Rob Davis, of the Green Bay Packers, spoke Tuesday evening about the importance of self-determination and hard work during the Gogebic Community College Entrepreneurial Center for Innovation and Development's annual spring speaker series.

Davis is the Director of Player Engagement for the Packers, overseeing a range of programs designed to meet the needs of players and their families in today's NFL. Davis served as the Packers' long snapper for 11 seasons (1997-2007) and played 167 straight games in a Green Bay uniform.

Standing at podium inside the Lindquist Student Center, Davis said education and socialization are keys toward success.

"Without education and socialization, I don't have confidence," he said. "With confidence comes opportunity. At the end of the day, the only thing we can ask for is that you get a fair shake at life."

Davis looked at several college students in the audience and said he believes internal validation is more important than external validation.

"So often, in the 'dot-com' generation, a lot of students are dealing with lots of external validation and only feel good about who they are based on what someone else said about them," he said.

Davis said young adults should develop their own though process for validation, which he refers to as "culture". He said each letter has a meaning - caring, understanding, loyalty, toughness, utilization, respect and education.

"My thought process is why I'm here today," Davis said. "My thought process is why I wanted to achieve more than perhaps my family did. My thought process is why I'm going to look past Ironwood to perhaps bigger heights. There is not anything wrong with Ironwood, it's a beautiful community. But you have to leave in order to come back."

Davis said the three most dangerous words a young person can say is, "I don't care."

Before saying "I don't care," he said people should be prepared to deal with the consequences.

In order to be successful, Davis said people should have a clear understanding of what they want in life.

"You can't say I want to be this, and then not put the work in," he said. "You can't reach your goal if you're not willing to put in the work."

Davis said people have to be loyal to themselves in order be successful. He said loyalty is the driving force behind achieving something and not being be deterred from it.

"Once you learn to be loyal to yourself, then you can be loyal to others," he said.

Davis encouraged young adults to not let peer pressure drive them to make poor decisions in life.

"Step away if it's not a good decision," he said. "That's being loyal to yourself."

Toughness is not beating people up at a bar, Davis said. He said toughness is being mentally able to overcome obstacles in their life.

"We're all going to face adversity at some point," he said. "But when you do what you do, you get what you get."

Davis said people have to utilize resources available to them to get to where they want.

"You say you want to be a great student, you got to utilize the resources the school offers.

Davis said respect is the most important letter in culture. He said self-respect is figuring out a way to like the reflection seen in the mirror when getting up.

Education does not always come from a book, Davis said.

"You can learn something from every person you meet, both positive and negative," he said.

In the afternoon, Davis delivered a luncheon training session about teamwork within the local community. The session focused on teamwork within companies, with other businesses and with community organizations for greater success.

After that, Davis interacted with students during the college's Spring Idea Bounce business plan competition.