Success Advice for Recent Graduates
As many young people graduated from college and high school in the last few weeks and started their journeys in the “real world”, this is the perfect time to talk about what these young people should do in order to achieve success. The USA Today asked several CEOs, who are considered by many to be very successful individuals, what advice they would give their children if they were graduating from college or high school this year. Here is a summary of a selected group of advices from these CEOs:
“If you know what your passion is, follow it; if you don’t keep searching…Work hard, push your limits, never stop learning, and always remember to have some fun along the way.”
Art Collins, CEO, Medtronic
“…I tell graduates to find their treasure. By treasure, I’m not talking about money or material possessions. I am talking about something in life that they’re passionate about and pursue it. That’s the key to true happiness.”
Dan Amos, CEO, Aflac
“Life seems unfair at times, but it’s important to stay true to one’s beliefs…Some people are luckier in some things than others. It’s OK. In the end, hard work and dedication always pay handsome dividends.”
David Kong, CEO, Best Western
“Focus on deciding what will motivate you to get out of bed in the morning…Don’t worry about making a mistake – you’re young and you have a lot of time to experiment.”
Jon Boscia, CEO, Lincoln National
“Always do the right thing. You know what it is. Don’t just pick a career at which you’re good. Pursue something that comes intuitively for you and what you love instinctively. Success will follow.”
Steve Odland, CEO Office Depot
“Master the art of communication. The ability to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life will differentiate you from most peers and position you for success in whatever endeavor or career path you pursue.”
Jeff Rachor, CEO, Pep Boys
“Focus on activities that give you the most satisfaction…Knowledge about your personal characteristics may help guide you to careers that you would find most rewarding.”
Dan Neary, CEO, Mutual of Omaha
“I would advise any graduate to make ethical behavior the cornerstone of their career.”
Jim Quigley, CEO, Deloitte & Touche
“Find something that you have a great passion for, as that will make you happy. Take that passion, give it your all, and then not only will you be happy, but you’ll also be successful.”
Brenda Barnes, CEO, Sarah Lee
And my favorite:
Jonathan Schwartz, CEO, Sun Microsystems
There seems to be a common thread among the advices from these CEOs. Find your passion, do what you love, work hard, do what is right, and success will follow. Success seems to have a pretty simple, repeatable formula that anyone can use.
Posted: 6 June, 2007 under category Personal Development.
Comments: 1
Comments
Comment written by Frank
Date and Time: 2007-06-07, 10.22 pm
I agree with their advices. There’s no better dream than to do what we really like doing. Living up our passion is an act of fulfillment and is what most people who are stuck with their boring jobs want.
Write a comment: