Wow, that was a quick four years and how fast you have grown up as the years seem to fly by! It seems like only yesterday that you, Kim and Jess were hanging out in Grade School and Jr. High. You and your family have always been close to our hearts and minds as we go about our busy lives. I just wanted to give you a few thoughts and congratulate you on your achievement of completing what could arguably be the best four years of your life!

College is a time when life is free. You have parents to help you stay in school and support your financial obligations, a job for spending money and helping out with expenses, time to yourself to study, stay in shape, hang with friends and/or a boyfriend, weekends to have fun and summers to find yourself and have fun……… what begins as get away from the parents, experience freedom of choice, athletics at the highest level, staying out all night, partying like a rock star, choices of who to date and which friends are true……..all count as building blocks in the formation of you as an adult with principles and boundaries that become more and more set in college and propel you in to life. Through the building blocks or foundation that your parents laid, all of the experiences, trials and tribulations, learning what it takes to succeed at any given task, the consequences of not being 100% truthful or forthright with where you are or what you are doing all lead to defining you as a person.

In looking back at my college experience and life thereafter my take away and advice would be to relish the current moments we find ourselves in at all times. Whether they are good or bad we must have faith that god has a reason for what we are experiencing that is beyond our reason or ability to control. I often found myself working extra hard to prove to myself and others that I could do it and do it fast with maximum efficiency and returns. I was too fast to get out of school and dive right in to a career, financial responsibility and job description that I now have for the rest of my life. Use the time after graduation wisely. Take a job that fits you and the process of defining you that may include travel to experience the world, help others in need and learn a little more about the world at large before you settle down, get in a 9-5 grind and meet Mr. Right. There are no shortcuts to any place worth going so take the time to learn the road that you want to travel. You have your whole life to be tied to a 9-5 great job and a spouse with kids. The current moment should be viewed as your chance to really learn about you, who you are and what you want in life. In my early 20’s I got in a hurry to move to the next step. In hind sight I wish that I would have used my boundaries, wants and desires to learn more about me and who I wanted to be and who I wanted to be with instead of getting too serious about making money, a relationship, getting married and buying a house. Through the last four years you should have learned to always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. Time and maturity will allow you to be you and to find a person that accepts you for who you are and does not try to change the boundaries and principles upon which you build your life.

The entrepreneur in me would give you advice to go out and experience the world and find something that revs your engine. Then go to work for a company in that industry for six years to learn how to be the best at that business. Experience and scholars say that after six years you are an expert and can then branch out on your own to experience the trials and tribulations of being your own boss and starting a business. The alternative is to rise to the top of the Corporate ladder. Each has its’ set of advantages and disadvantages. Just be sure to set your expectations high and don’t settle for mediocrity. Never lose sight of your dreams and believe that you can achieve and above all, have fun……that is what life is all about.

Congratulations and good luck!

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