Recently I have spent a lot of time working with students. I am advising students at two different schools as they work on their final year projects. Thinking about their futures–the blank canvas of their career before them–has given me cause to think about my first 15 years working for big business. I have much to be proud of. And quite a few mistakes to regret.
But my mistakes do not haunt me any more. I turned them into something precious that I hope betters me and improves my decision making.
We all have core values that guide our daily activities and influence our personal development. My values are precious to me. Some of them were born like gems from the intense pressure and heat caused by colossal failures. Others are expelled like a pearl wrenched from an irritation not unlike sand in a clam’s maw. My professional errors have made me a better coworker. Its a shame I had to learn these lessons the hard way.
So, here’s to the class of 2014 and all those just recently added to the workforce. And should this blog last another fifteen years, I offer this record to myself at age 54. What would you add to the list?