Let me start with a giant congratulations! Graduates of 2014, you made it. You are closing the door on your K-12 education, and looking forward to new doors opening in front of you.
I would guess some of you have your journey all mapped out. Others have an idea of what you want to do or study, or have at least a starting point. Some of you may want to travel. Some of you may want to take time away from school and work. And some of you may want to celebrate this accomplishment and not think too hard about what is next.
There are many roads to success in life. You determine which road you take and you determine what success means for you. And maybe most importantly, you determine how you measure success. Those close to you – your parents, your friends, your mentors – they can provide advice and influence, and you are wise to take it, but at the end of the day, it’s up to you.
There are some things I’ve picked up along the way that I think might help you along whichever road you choose to travel.
First of all, be sure to try new things and take on new challenges. In doing so, you challenge yourself, and I tell you with the utmost certainty that you will learn and grow more from your failures and setbacks then you ever will from sitting on the sidelines. Whatever you do, push yourself. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. Sometimes, our tendency is to be so cautious that we might choose the status quo over the uncertain path. I would like to let you in on a secret. I don’t have it all figured out, and neither do your parents. But if you proceed in the direction of your dreams, you will get there.
You may not be as good an athlete as some are, or the best student in your class, or have the gift of gab and perhaps you haven’t mastered a trade. But that’s ok. Life is not about what we are not, it is about what we are, and who we are. There are more than seven Billion people in this world, and there is nobody quite like you. So find your strengths, and use those strengths to the best of your ability.
Always remain humble, and don’t forget where you came from. At the same time, always believe in yourself. Love and respect your parents, as they have loved you for all these years — remember to touch base with your home base. I can promise you that your parents are going to be missing you and thinking about you.
So as you go forward in life, I encourage you to:
Dive in!
Run the race!
Read the book!
Sign up for that class!
Try out for that team!
Go against the grain when it feels right!
You are made of the right stuff, so go and get it! I look forward to hearing all about your stories of success.
Congratulations on your graduation.
