30/05: Advice to New Grads – Get Involved
I've been enjoying all the history and character of Scotland (minus the Haggis). A friend of mine needed help putting the final touches on a castle / bed and breakfast that he is renovating. While I'm not sure why he asked me after my last incident trying to use his planer to slice some fresh mozzarella, I am always available to help a dear old friend.
As a result of this commitment, I was unable to accept any requests to deliver any commencement speeches to this year's graduating classes. In past years, I have enjoyed using those precious few minutes of undivided attention (as undivided as can be expected on such an important day) to give our nation's newest graduates some wisdom before entering the working world. Luckily, this castle has wireless, and I have a blog, so wisdom can be dispensed regardless.
Today more than ever, the world is much more interesting if you interact with it rather than simply passing through it. Today's graduates have access to unbelievable amounts of information, most of it at their fingertips in a raw, un-sanitized format. Previously, it was this information that separated the haves from the have-nots. Today's graduates are separated by what they do with this information. My advice – Get Involved.
Get involved in everything around you, your local community, your government, your place of worship, and your work. The world is full of people who are passengers; they listen and go home. Your success will be defined by how involved you are with the world around you and how you drive change into that world. Don't let a minute pass without trying to create positive change in the world around you. People around you will thank you for your efforts and reward you with the greatest compensation possible: Respect.
Getting involved isn't simply putting in your time at the office, paying your taxes and voting once every four years. Getting involved means gathering as much information as you can from the world around you and using that information to guide your actions. While everyone graduating today will retain something different, I hope everyone learned how much he or she doesn't know. There is no sea floor when talking about depths of knowledge. While you may get a piece of paper saying you have graduated, you should never stop learning. Use that continual learning to make things happen.
So as you step into tomorrow, be ready to raise your hand and get involved. Life is much more enjoyable as a driver rather than a passenger. You will find that in life, as in VW commercials: Drivers wanted.
Today more than ever, the world is much more interesting if you interact with it rather than simply passing through it. Today's graduates have access to unbelievable amounts of information, most of it at their fingertips in a raw, un-sanitized format. Previously, it was this information that separated the haves from the have-nots. Today's graduates are separated by what they do with this information. My advice – Get Involved.
Get involved in everything around you, your local community, your government, your place of worship, and your work. The world is full of people who are passengers; they listen and go home. Your success will be defined by how involved you are with the world around you and how you drive change into that world. Don't let a minute pass without trying to create positive change in the world around you. People around you will thank you for your efforts and reward you with the greatest compensation possible: Respect.
Getting involved isn't simply putting in your time at the office, paying your taxes and voting once every four years. Getting involved means gathering as much information as you can from the world around you and using that information to guide your actions. While everyone graduating today will retain something different, I hope everyone learned how much he or she doesn't know. There is no sea floor when talking about depths of knowledge. While you may get a piece of paper saying you have graduated, you should never stop learning. Use that continual learning to make things happen.
So as you step into tomorrow, be ready to raise your hand and get involved. Life is much more enjoyable as a driver rather than a passenger. You will find that in life, as in VW commercials: Drivers wanted.
