A Graduation Gift…. and a Proper Understanding of How to Change the World

Congrats to all the Graduates!

“We have never assumed here that a senior with a diploma is an educated man.  Who, indeed, ever is?  He is a potentially educated man, who knows how to continue his education to the very end of his life.”

Howard Lowry
President, College of Wooster
Baccalaureate Address, June 4, 1967

 A Graduation Gift….

It’s commencement time and whether your child is off to college, or off to conquer the world, here is collection of my favorite commencement speaker advice and a few other observations that you may wish to share with the young people in your life. You may recognize a few of these from previous years, and there’s a few new gems of wisdom as well…for everyone, not just the new grads.

Lucky or Smart?: Michael Lewis’ (author of “Moneyball” and “The Big Short”) 12 minute  2012 Commencement Address at Princeton reminds his audience not to overestimate their competence, or underestimate the role of luck, in their lives and by way of illustration relates the chance encounter at a dinner party that launched his own remarkable career, and the moral obligation to share a little bit of one’s luck. Must viewing for everyone.

The Hero’s Journey: John Green (author of the bestseller “The Fault of Our Stars”) warned the graduates of Butler University about “the hero’s journey”  and to get ready to go from being “somebody” to being “nobody” for a while  (i.e. paying some dues) and offers some insight regarding what to worry about…. and what to not worry about.  (Text of 12 minute talk).

GROW UP!  30 is NOT the “new 20” says clinical psychologist Meg Jay in a compelling TED Talk (14 minutes). Based on her experience working with patients under 30, Ms. Jay says that too many 20 somethings wake up in their thirties to find that what should have been the launch pad for successful adulthood was just an “extended adolescence’ with potentially long term consequences that may be difficult, or impossible, to overcome. Share this one with every new college graduate (or parent of one) that you know.

The Importance of Making Your Bed: Navy Seal (and Admiral) William McRaven (now Chancellor at the University of Texas system) offered grads at the University of Texas at Austin some advice on changing the world, including not underestimating the number of people whose lives will be affected by theirs…and the importance of starting every day by making your bed properly (no kidding). Click here for the video and transcript of the Admiral’s talk which was featured on the WSJ editorial page as well. This one went viral!

Are You Floating or Swimming?  That’s the question that the late journalist Hunter S. Thompson once mused about in a letter to a friend who was asking Thompson’s advice about what goal to purse in life. Thompson, only 22 when he penned this letter in 1958, offered some advice worthy of a commencement speech itself in considering the ordering of one’s life; in particular that “a man who procrastinates in this choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.”

Demagogues and Democracy:  Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg looks at the current state of political and cultural discourse and challenges the 2016 graduating class of the University of Michigan: “Here’s Your Degree, Now Go Defeat the Demagogues.”               

The Most Important Job Hunting Tip:  Marketing Guru Seth Godin shares what may be the most important consideration in searching for a job.

Ace-ing the Interview: If your graduate hasn’t found a job yet, maybe he or she should consider the Team Approach to the Job Interview.

Colleges that Change Lives: For those juniors and seniors in high school who have not settled on the choice of a college, why not pick one that really makes a difference? Check out the nationwide “Colleges that Change Lives Tour” coming to 26 cities across the US over the next few months.

A Proper Understanding of How to Change The World

“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.” Author Unknown

To all the Graduates, MAKE it a GREAT LIFE!