College Grads:
Let me tell you the things I would tell my kids. Because that is how I roll.
#1 Congratulations. You finished. You overcame. You found a way. You did it.
You put in the time and the effort. Maybe you figured out how to play the game. Game the system. Work the teacher. Maybe you put your head down and made sure you knew the material. Regardless of how you got here. You are here. You did good. I’m proud of you.
#2 Enjoy your moment, go out to dinner, have friends and family over. But after your celebration it is now time to start at the bottom again. You are freshmen in the real world. Nerves, Fear, butterflies…..these are normal. You’re heading down the path of life. Every decision, right or wrong, makes up who you are. Make the best decision you can. Give your best effort. Learn from your failures. There will be a lot of those. Enjoy the process. There is always a reason to be happy and grateful….even on your worst days.
#3 if you go on to work for someone. Here are some tips employers look for.
Your bosses are human. They might have bosses they answer to. But very quickly there are some basic things that will set you far and above 99% of the world. Show up early. Bosses know who is going above and beyond and who is doing the bare minimum. Never say the words that’s not my job. Give your best effort to get the job done. Make the effort to become the top performer in your position.
That’s what employers look for. Extra effort. Team players. Diamonds in the rough.
#4 for those going on to start their own businesses.
It’s an amazing experience where you will feel wildly excited and thrilled and horrendously depressed about 6 trillion times a day. I used to be a big believer that everyone should start a business, but I’ve changed that tune. Because of the constant up and downs, insane multitasking, and never-ending change I have learned not every personality is built for it.
It’s a rewarding experience. You learn a lot…real quick. It is reality on steroids…punching you in the face….. I love it…. I really do. If you feel that calling—go for it. You are young. You’ll always be able to find a job if you fail and that failure will put you years ahead of the rest of the world. Be smart about it, but go for it. Remember this… it’s not the customer’s job to just hand you money. It’s not their fault they won’t buy. You have to provide exceptional value in your product or service. Exceptional value. If you don’t… if it’s not good enough—the world will tell you by not giving you money. It’s a dose of reality. It does not need to crush you. It can motivate you and inspire improvement and change.
It’s the ultimate multitasking. You become the company’s top Accountant, salesman, engineer, website manager, social media manager, HR exec, customer service rep, delivery driver, janitor, repairman, fireman, and well just about anything else you can think of.
#5 No matter your path. The key to a happy life is contentment.
Simply finding enjoyment in the day-to-day. Finding purpose in the mundane. Finding a ray of light in a sea of darkness. That ability will lead to an amazing life. If you can find happiness as an intern in the sewer….you’ll be happy in every stage of your life. Happiness IS the journey. Not the goal. Not the goal. It’s not I’ll be happy when. It’s I love this season of my life. Broke, broken-hearted, injured, spurned, or a rising star…. happiness can be found at every stage.
Figure out how to view the world like that and you will have “made it”.
#6 Love and Family.
In life, you will learn no one replaces family. Take care of your family. Be there for your family as you want them there for you. Work hard. Have big goals. Strive to achieve them. Be there for them. There is always time for your spouse and kids.
I speak with dads that feel held back by their families. If only they didn’t have that weight and pressure from home. After a short conversation we realize real quick their family is not a weight…It’s their fuel. It’s their motivation. Their peers admire their family and stability at home. Having that support system at home, we find, is actually a booster in your career. Turns out family folk have tremendous experience in time management, dispute resolution, personality management, staying calm under stress, and a host of other useful skills.
We work hard and purposeful in our career field. We enjoy family with spirit, passion, and love. It’s not a choice between family or career success. It’s both.
#7 Let me hand you some money tips because man the world is stupid with money.
Lets this echo and reverberate. Pay off your debts and do not take on new debt. Pay off your debts and do not take on new debt.
Pay off your debts and do not take on new debt.
Pay off your debts and do not take on new debt.
Pay off your debts and do not take on new debt.
Look a few make a fortune off leverage and intelligent debts. Most are crushed by the weight of their debts. And every single one of them thought they were the clever one that would make it. I’m not yelling at anyone building a profitable real estate portfolio.
Your car payment is stupid.
Your credit card is foolish.
Rent to own furnisher=not smart
Payment plans on stuff=broke
Just buy things outright or admit you should not be buying them.
Live on less than you make. Which means no payments. For anything. Ever. No payments. Cheap place to live. Cheap car. Cheap clothes. Your 22. Act broke now so you aren’t actually broke later. Your friend with the new beamer and Gucci are broke. They got stuff and a lot of payments. You won’t have stuff, but you will secretly be getting rich. I would keep that hush hush cuz no one knows better what to do with your loads of money than your broke friends. Trust me on that one.
Live on less than you make and save lots and lots of cash. That’s the goal. Make your savings account number a huge number. Like massive. Lots of zeros. Cry anytime that number goes down. Rejoice when it goes up.
And once that’s a nice big number still continue to live broke. Live on less than you make, and follow 100% Dad or reach out to me and we can talk about how to invest that money and make it make more!
Congratulations on your accomplishment. I’m proud of you, be proud of yourself. Be content and happy every day…otherwise what’s the point….