Progress Not Perfection, Ida Templeton Gives Back
“I had been raised to believe that whatever is in front of you, whatever you want to achieve, you can. It's just a matter of finding out how those obstacles can be moved aside long enough for you to get around them, over them, or through them,” said Ida Templeton, a parent who delivered the keynote presentation at our recent Career Conference event and who embodies strong work ethic and determination.
By putting people first and serving with excellence, Ms. Templeton rose in the ranks from financial planner to Regional Director at Investors Group, excelling in a male-dominated industry and building one of the most profitable regions in Canada. She reached the upper echelons of success in her industry, but didn’t stop there.
Ms. Templeton followed the advice she gave her clients and diversified her income, buying real estate and building retail stores. After retiring from her investment planning role, she now manages her stores and commercial real estate holdings and spends time volunteering.
As part of her commitment to giving back, she joined us to teach our Grade 11 and 12 students an important career lesson: progress, not perfection. It’s what she wishes she could go back and tell her Grade 11 self; “It's all about progress and being open. There's no such thing as perfection.”
Her talk covered five key themes, “Your Unique Ability”, “Abundance, not Scarcity”, “The Gift of Grit,” “True Value is Your Content, not Container”, and “You Are Your Best Investment”. She said, “At the end of the day, I hope the students realize they are in charge of their own futures. They're in charge of how they view the world and how much they contribute. There is nothing that can stop them from living in their unique abilities and passions.”
She sees Crofton House preparing students for career success by teaching them how to learn and encouraging them to give back. “In order for my daughter and for girls to succeed going forward, especially right now, I don’t think it's going to be one career that they will have, they will have multiple careers. That's a good thing, but all the more reason why I think it's really important, whatever the age of a child, to diversify their skills and really build their inner bank account, their strength, and their ability to adapt,” she explained.
Reflecting on her experience, Ms. Templeton has advice for parents considering volunteering at the School or the Career Conference. She said, “It's an amazing extra layer of education, and contribution and legacy when parents bring forth their unique abilities, upbringings, and adversities they've overcome and contribute that to the school.” She smiled and added, “Parents should remember they have a huge amount to contribute, even if their teenage daughters don't let them know that every day.”
“Progress, Not Perfection” is an important lesson for CHS girls to learn. We are thankful for Ms. Templeton and all the volunteers who gave back to the School by speaking at the conference.