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St. Cloud State University
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Target exec advises, inspires
SCSU alum speaks to Wednesday lunch crowd about success
By Nissa Billmyer
Published:
Thursday, October 17, 2002
Media Credit: Blair Schlichte
Betty Kimbrough lectured �success is a journey� to students on Wednesday in Atwood Little Theater. Kimbrough highlighted the many lessons she learned on her professional journey, as well as her insights about surviving and thriving in the worlds of work and life.
Some people spend their whole lives searching for the key to success.
According to Betty Kimbrough, success is a journey.
"I've spent the majority of my life educating myself," said Kimbrough, vice president of human resources for Target Stores. "I stand here as a student of my life and what I believe it takes to be successful."
Kimbrough spoke Wednesday as part of the weekly series "Women on Wednesday" about how to achieve success and the multiple doors that one must encounter on the journey. She pointed out that there were three very important factors on the journey including purpose, authenticity and ownership.
Kimbrough has been with Target Stores since 1982. She has held various positions and is currently responsible for all of Target's retail locations. She has a bachelor's degree from SCSU and also serves on the Metropolitan Minneapolis YMCA where she is the chair of the Shared Services and Human Resources Committees.
"Success means different things to different people," she said. "You're not born with it, you come into it. We all have dreams, aspirations and goals, but we don't always know how to make them reality."
Kimbrough pointed out that what you choose to do with your life should be pleasing, not gregarious. The path you follow should be your calling in life. She asked if you would be willing to do what you love for free and if the answer is yes, then that is where you belong.
"Your career choices, like your personal choices, should be a natural extension of yourself," she said.
Kimbrough also pointed out that one might not be able to identify one's own purpose. She gave some questions people should ask themselves, including what they might be known for, where their passions lie and what kind of values they have. She also asked people to look at the patterns and themes in their lives. But most importantly, she wanted listeners to know how they can serve others.
"Success is a journey, not a destination," Kimbrough said. "As you set out on that journey you need to find the right path."
After you find your purpose, Kimbrough believes that the next important feature is to make sure you have your own authenticity. She believes such authenticity is best described as who you are. It is being consistently true to yourself while calling upon tremendous courage. Most importantly, authenticity is "how to be," not just "how to do," and it involves a lot of character, values and principles.
"There is no one path, no right or wrong if you want to have more," she said. "It involves purpose, authenticity, ownership. We are being called to accomplish something in our life."
The third most important quality Kimbrough emphasized was the need of ownership, not the control of owning someone or thing, but the personal responsibilities of your own life. She emphasized getting things done, keeping your promises not just by word but on paper, and to never say, "it's not my job." She believes that by having a personal code of ethics you won't forget how passionate you are about your goal.
"How do you know what your true calling is? It's inside of you," she said. "Successful people�are the ones who know how to be."
While these ideas of achieving success may sound overwhelming, Kimbrough detailed the journey as a marathon, not a sprint. She also wanted to make sure that those who want success is a continuous learning experience and that we develop a plan to guide ourselves in learning. Most importantly, she says that it is never over.
"You have to have a guide in your learning process," she said. "It's a journey without an end."
So how do students and adults get started?
First, Kimbrough points out that you need to ask yourself the question of "who am I?" List who you are as an individual and what you stand for. Next, she says to ask yourself if you were guaranteed not to fail, what would you want to do regardless?
Kimbrough points out that it is never too late to get started, to look introspectively at yourself, to continually self improve and to learn new things.
"I do what I love every single day," said Kimbrough.
"Kimbrough was very inspirational, both self-motivating for me, personally, to realize it's never too late to catch a ride on the journey to success," said senior Colleen McBride. Kimbrough's journey to success illustrates how you go from finding your purpose in life, your calling, to act consistently with that purpose to finally holding ownership to that purpose while being happy through it all."
