The Trophy Generation

(I recently addressed 300 students in two University of South Florida (USF) Marketing classes. The subject: the very best career strategies for college seniors who are facing an uncertain job market. What I had to say shocked them — but overall, I think my wake-up call helped the students to begin preparing for the extremely tough job market that is just around the corner. Here’s the last part of what I covered at USF on launching a career during hard times.)

The last thing I want you to remember, another one of the big rules grownups have to get used to, is this one: LIFE ISN’T FAIR.

I know that sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many people overlook this rule, or try to wish it away.

These are extremely tough times, not only in the United States, but also in the rest of the world. Be assured that nobody asked for this, and that you are not the only ones who have been dealt some bad cards. Thank G-d that you are just beginning your careers, and that you have your youth and your energy as resources. If you make a point of feeling more than grateful, every single day, that you live in the Land of Opportunity (and you do!), you will have a fighting chance of making something of yourself.

Let me give you some perspective here. People who are bone-tired, who had the best intentions and who worked really hard for a very long time, have woken up to learn that everything, and I mean absolutely everything, that they had built up in terms of financial security was gone. People have lost homes. People have lost their jobs. They have lost their marriages. And they’ve lost their children. That’s the world you’re walking into. That’s reality. And yes, you’re right, that’s not fair.

Now, for some people, tough times are a reason to give up and just scream for help. These people are waiting for their uncle to arrange a job interview, or for the government to write a check, or for Mom and Dad to swoop in and fix everything, or for the winning lottery number to come up, or for their big break in reality TV. I hope and pray you’re not in that group.

For other people, tough times are a reason to get serious, to pay closer attention, to bring your game up a notch or three, to finally feel restless and dissatisfied enough with your surroundings to take MASSIVE ACTION and change your own world, because no one else is going to change it for you. I do hope you choose to be in that group.

And by the way, if you really do admire people like Mark Zuckerberg, or Steve Jobs, or Bill Gates, you should know that none of them were wait-to-see-what-happens kind of guys. During tough times, they all took their spot in that second group. They all got kicked in the balls. They all responded to adversity by taking action. So the word to write down in big letters here, and look at every day, is: PERSEVERE. You have dream again. You have to try again. You have to have a never-quit attitude.

One thing is certain. At some point, you are going to get sucker-punched, and it is going to hurt. It doesn’t matter whether or not the hit you took was “fair” – no one promised that it would be – but whether you get up off the floor. Even if you get knocked down 10 times, make damn sure you get up 11 times. Take action!

Once you learn to do that, once you start dusting yourself off and decide to start creating newer and better ways to win the next time around, do me a favor … don’t make the mistake of focusing only on the money. Focus on the relationships. Focus on who you can help. Focus on delivering value, and you will be on the right track. Remember that your self-worth should never, ever be tied to your net worth. They are two very different things … although if you want to survive and thrive in this world, you will need to build both.

So when you pick up your diploma later this year, and you are feeling so proud of yourself … yes. Celebrate the moment. But don’t imagine that either the celebration or the diploma entitle you to a damn thing. The truth is, you will not be getting out of school on the day you graduate. You will be entering school: The School of Hard Knocks.

LINKS:
You Sleep When You Die: The Trophy Generation