What I'd Say to Myself At My College Graduation

Just live the life you're bound to live. It will be awesome and frustrating. It will make you someone you wouldn't even recognize if he were standing in front of you today.
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I'm 41. Nineteen years removed from graduating from college. If I could go back in time and pull that kid in the purple gown aside, I'd have a few things to say:

Psst. Hey, kid... over here. Do me a favor and take all $300 you have in the bank and bet on the Rockets to sweep the Magic in the NBA Finals. Use your sudden wealth to take your new wife to Europe or you may not get there for another 20 years.

Otherwise, just follow your instincts. You will be sure that you will be right about many things only to find out you were wrong. Do them anyway. You will believe that you are way smarter than people older than you. You'll only be right about that half of the time, but just assume you are always smarter. Humility has to be earned the hard way. Those risky ideas you have for your career? Go for them. They won't work, but forget I told you that. Just assume they will. There will be people whom you will want to trust... but deep down you will have this strange feeling that they aren't trustworthy. Make sure you trust them and do what they say. That's how you will learn to stop doing that.

Just live the life you're bound to live. It will be awesome and frustrating. It will make you someone you wouldn't even recognize if he were standing in front of you today. This is obvious seeing you stare at me now like I'm some deranged stranger. I get it though. Time travel is super weird.

Now have fun. Go to the Olive Garden with your parents and in-laws as planned. Rent that Ryder truck and move to Las Vegas next week. I know it sounds crazy... but it's going to make one hell of a story in 20 years. And when you're my age, having that story will be worth more than anything else in your life... except that aforementioned wife and a few amazing kids you are going to love exponentially more than you can imagine.

And since you're moving to Vegas anyway you might as well know... it's the Braves in the series and the Cowboys again in the Superbowl. If you make some coin on those games, look up this stock: AAPL. You're welcome. And get an email address, already. It's 1995.

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