First and foremost allow me to be one of many to salute you for all of your amazing academic accomplishments. You are a trailblazer, a champion, and a scholar ready to apply your acquired knowledge to enhance and advance this world we live in. The world we assumed would welcome graduates with open arms has changed in ways we could have never imagined or adequately prepared for. Many of you are understandably frustrated due to cancelled ceremonies, celebrations, and annual traditions. Others, including myself, are suffering immensely from the loss of loved ones, financial instability and the uncertainty of the future of all industries. The sudden switch to remote learning to close this academic year has created a new reality that we must all continue to adjust to.
In the midst of this global change, it is very important to pause as we acknowledge your resilience, intellect, and grit. You have met all the academic requirements of your program and were forced to immediately learn the larger life lessons of “nothing is promised” and the “uncertainty of tomorrow.” Your adjustment and preparation for the future is going to require practical skills that exist beyond face-to-face and virtual classroom instruction.
My personal pain-filled victorious journey includes homelessness, tragedy, self-hatred, hopelessness all nestled within anti-intellectual environments. If your story mirrors my story and has caused you trauma and drama, you are not alone. My message to you is crafted with ideas and action steps I utilized to develop discipline and focus to reach all of my goals. I have shared these tips globally including for Superbowl Champions and Olympic athletes and today’s post-graduation reality requires strategy to chart a clear path moving forward.
My Five Messages to Frame Your Future are:
Message #5. Team Success or Team Failure? We must first acknowledge the loved ones we lost who supported us on this journey with a moment of silence as we reflect on their contributions to your success.
Moving forward, you must continue to create a “circle of influence” surrounding yourself with positive energy and doers. Continue to connect and reconnect with those influencers who provide resources and guidance. Help those in your circle who are less fortunate and share resources. Work to motivate those around you and vice versa. To quote one of my favorite motivational speakers, “If you show me your friends I’ll show your future,” and to paraphrase a fallen hip hop poet, if your circle of friends don’t inspire you, they are not a circle they are a cage.
Message #4: Continuously enhance and guard your mindset. Believe it or not we talk to ourselves more than we talk to anyone else. Remain optimistic and ensure that your inner voice is an encouraging coach and not a negative critic that hinders active progress towards your goals. Continue to feed your intellect and spirit with information that uplifts and nourishes your soul and growth. Mental blocks exist. Depression and anxiety are real. If you need assistance clinical or otherwise, seek help.
