I still remember when I was seventeen, my dad took me to the post office to pick up paper tax forms.  We brought them home, sat at the kitchen table, and that’s where I learned how to file my taxes.  It wasn’t just about taxes.  It was about learning how to navigate adulthood.  That moment, and many others like it, shaped how I think about readiness.

Because most of what truly prepares us for life doesn’t come from a textbook.  It comes from shared experience.

Through this website, we explore all of the things that are expected of us but aren’t necessarily taught in school, and we do it through shared experience.  I like to think of the RuReady website as a labor of love and a living document.  My intent is to reflect on and share life experiences, and when possible, provide tools and current resources. 

The RuReady framework is divided into three domains: Personal, Professional, and Leadership.  Each domain is further divided into three levels: Basic, Advanced, and Mastery-Level.

In the Personal Domain, Responsibility for Self, developing skills in this area creates life stability and personal capability.  Without these foundational skills, everything else in life feels harder than it should.  Here we explore topics such as employment, financial literacy, buying/renting a home, and how to think about transportation.

In the Professional Domain, Creating Value in the World, the goal is to explore how to grow as a professional.  Most people develop these skills by accident or later in their careers.  Developing professional skills increases a person’s value to their customers and their place in an organization.  It can also increase the opportunities for a pay raise or promotions.  The topics we explore in the professional domain include what to consider when writing a resume, time and task management, problem solving, and how to create a career map.

In the Leadership Domain, Leading Others and Organizations, we explore how to grow as a leader.  Leadership is a skill that must be practiced and doesn’t just apply at work; it shows up at the dinner table, in crisis, and in community with one another.  Whether you’re leading your family or a large organization, many of the skills are transferable.  The topics we explore in the leadership domain include strategic thinking, setting an example, exercising judgment with limited inputs, communication, and organizational design.

Too many times, by the time we know we need to do something, it’s already too late.  This collection of work is intended to help us ask the questions we didn’t know we needed to ask.  If I hit my mark, people will walk into life’s next chapter less surprised and more equipped.

Stay Ready, My Friends.