Cynthia Diggs

I attribute my success to my parents. My daddy and my mom were very influential. I think being raised in a Christian home added so much value. You know, we prayed together, we ate meals together, you had to do your homework before you could go outside and play, and those are principles that I feel that America has lost, just having that family value. My parents were integral people. They were the only couple that I saw, you know, how marriage should be. Daddy was good to my mom. He worked hard. Mother was good with the children. You know, she was there in the home helping to take care of us, and I think having those kind of examples really carved me into the person that I am. Although they're both gone to heaven, I still have all of those values instilled in me, and I use them every day. I did get a lot closer to my mother when my father died, but I had both of those influences in my life.

The best career advice I've ever received is to take your time. Don't try to compete with anyone else. Find your niche. And finish strong. Sometimes people are comparing themselves to others, and they rush to get to where they think is the end. I have students now that are in the 8th, 9th grade, and they're telling me, I'm not really sure what I want to do or what I want to be. Yes, they're gonna need to know, and I try to walk them through a path, but I also allow them to take their time so that they don't make a mistake and get into something that's not fulfilling. Because they feel that's what someone else wants them to do, and that can really hurt them down the road.

Whether it's education or ministry, I would tell her to make sure that her mind is made up to work hard, because it's not easy work, but it's rewarding work. The end is very rewarding to know that you get to help shape and impact lives that are gonna last forever. I would say make sure that this is what you want to do. Before you get into it, you need to know some of the ins and outs. You're gonna have to work hard, you will have to work long hours, you will have to be available sometimes when you may not want to be. You know, I'm on schedule sometimes when I really may not feel like it, but those kids need me, or the congregation needs me, so I have to make sure that I'm dedicated. Dedication is very important, and that you are a team player, because there are other people that will be involved that you'll have to work with and share your knowledge and expertise with, and you have to be okay with that.

Some of the biggest challenges are there's a lack of teachers that are very compassionate and committed, and it can make your job very challenging because the children are not receiving what they need all the time in the classroom. So when they come to you, it's overload. You know, I didn't understand this in class, or they come to you with their problems, and they're very matter-of-fact. They want to know what's going on with them, so you have to be a good listener, you have to be attentive, and nothing can take you by surprise. I cannot emphasize that enough. You cannot react, because they trust you, and it's a safe place. You have to make sure that they know it's safe, and that can be very challenging because you're given information that can sometimes be a little rough. As long as it's not detrimental to their well-being, I can't share what they tell me, and sometimes that can be rough because they're telling you about their home life. The same thing goes on in church. I'm a counselor, people trust me, so that can be very challenging, and sometimes carrying that burden. When a couple comes and says we're at our wit's end, we want a divorce, we can't make it, that can be very challenging because these are people that I pastor and I love them. And visiting the sick, you know, when people are very sick and I'm there to offer encouragement, I go do pastoral visits and I have to keep my head up and keep them encouraged. That can be very challenging, particularly when you know it's terminal.

I think that balance and time management are very important. If you don't have that grip on how you handle your day, the day kind of just gets away from you. You have to have a good balance. Whether you're a mom, and I'm not, I'm single, but I have dual careers, so I have to know what I'm doing at all times. I have to know when it's time to step back and rest, when it's time to go full force and do what I need to do. I love to travel. I get a lot of opportunities to go and be the motivational speaker or the keynote speaker at church events or Sunday mornings. And so, even when I'm traveling to work, I think having balance and knowing when to do what is very important. So I'm real keen on how I handle my time. I would also say generosity is important - I do a lot of charity work for single moms, single dads, children in need, families that are less fortunate, and I'm out in the community doing a lot of work.