It’s Graduation Season…
And a lot of graduates probably feel like they’re supposed to have their entire future figured out.
Almost nobody does.
Some of the most successful leaders in the world had setbacks, detours, and messy starts.
Michael Bloomberg was fired before building Bloomberg.
Jamie Dimon was pushed out early before eventually leading JPMorgan Chase.
Sara Blakely sold fax machines door-to-door before becoming a billionaire entrepreneur.
Mary Barra started as a co-op student on a factory floor.
None followed a straight line.
The people who tend to win long term usually:
show up
stay curious
communicate well
take feedback
build relationships
keep going when things get hard
Your reputation will matter more than your first title.
And your career will probably make a lot more sense looking backward than forward.
Congrats to the Class of 2026!