You Don’t Have to Change the World, Just Touch It!

Finally, graduation day has arrived. What a relief for the students who no longer have to attend early morning classes or pull all-night study sessions. For the parents, grandparents and others, the last tuition payment has long since been sent (or the student loan payments have yet to begin), and everyone is stress-free once and for all … right? Not so fast. Does he or she have a job? Will the new graduate be moving back home, and for how long?!

Before you start panicking, hold on. None of this has to be figured out overnight! I have personally been in this type of situation a few times- not just after high school and college, but even after graduate school, as I havechanged careers a couple of times (ok, several times…) As I recently sat in the audience at my nephew’s college graduation, the message from the keynote speaker was very clear:

“..It’s important that I tell you that none of this happened overnight, but rather the culmination of small choices that led me to this point in my life.”

(Keynote speaker is now the CEO of an organization) This totally made sense to me, as I am sure it will to all who were there on that chilly day in May.

The speaker went on to explain that:

“It is ok not to have everything figured out; do the small amount of good you can.”

And there it was, in simplified form, the way to choose your path … We all come to a point in our lives when we’re at a crossroads; you can either continue down the known, good or bad, or the path of the unknown-- the one that will likely change your life. So whether you’re a recent college grad, or are already in the workforce contemplating making your first career change, or maybe your fifth, make that decision based on what you feel you should do.

Remember that you don’t have to change the world, you just have to touch it. Discover your purpose, and try to do something good and interesting- even if it means taking an unknown path!

-Rick