We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Matt Hodge. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Matt below.
Matt, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I was raised by a family with an extremely strong work ethic. My parents, my sister, and my grandparents all valued hard work (rather at a workplace or in their home) and taught me to always strive to do the very best in any job I take, no matter how small or big it is. I was also raised in a small town environment where people worked multiple jobs tirelessly in order to provide for themselves and their loved ones, which was a trend I joined when I was a teenager and have done ever since. It’s a message I hopefully now inspire in my students — Take pride in your work and value a strong work ethic.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am currently a professor at William Peace University teaching arts courses (spanning music, theatre, humanities, and interdisciplinary arts). I have been a professor for nearly 15 years total (between the different universities I’ve worked at). I love being an educator! I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. My grandfather was a teacher and some of the most inspiring people in my life were my teachers. I strive every day to be a lifelong learner. Knowledge is power and education is one of the most valuable aspects of life. I truly believe that. Besides teaching, I am also an author of multiple books, a composer for film/tv/theatre, and a working musician. I have been humbled and honored to have won awards as a writer, composer, and musician. Additionally, I am often a guest speaker/lecturer/judge, as well as a music entrepreneur who has worked with clients in over 30 countries. I am grateful and blessed to have a life that surrounds me with the arts!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
My advice to everyone early in their journey (including my students) is two fold — don’t be scared to dream big for yourself, but also know how to forge a realistic path towards it. You get one life, so shoot for the stars! But put in the work and effort in knowing how to reach the star. We don’t just “deserve” the star…we have to put in the work and earn it. I think what goes along with that is a balance of three things: be confident, passionate, and kind. People will respect you if you show up to do great work without bringing any sense of entitlement or ego into it. I don’t want to just be good at my job; I want to be someone people enjoy being in a room with.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents each taught me something important. My mom has incredible work ethic. She has worked grueling jobs alongside demanding personal responsibilities, but she has always approached every day with “how can I do my work today to the best of my ability?” She instilled into me a very strong message of taking pride in your work and your name. She lives by the philosophy of “if you’re going to do something, do it right.” My dad was similarly a very hard worker, but he also instilled in me the power of humor. My dad believed that laughter was medicine and he always knew how to find the funny when times got extremely difficult. He was the best at telling hysterical stories and making you forget your troubles, even if just for a few minutes. He tragically passed away 6 months ago, but his infectious laughter and jolliness will always linger in our hearts.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.matthodge.com
