Alright, listen up. No one’s asked me to give a commencement speech (yet) so I decided to blast one out anyway.
You’re about to walk across the stage, hug your momma, and pop the champagne. You’ll also post the graduation pic that racked up more likes than your entire last four years combined.
Congrats. Seriously. That’s a hell of an achievement.
But here’s the part they don’t put in the boring commencement speeches: graduating college can feel like getting pushed out of a plane with a parachute… but no idea how to pull the cord.
The world you’re stepping into is not the one your professors prepped you for. It’s not the one your parents grew up in. And it sure as hell isn’t waiting around to hand you a dream job and a clean path forward.
You are about to find out how much the world really owes you. Nothing.
So, I want to have a real talk with you—not as some talking therapist (which I am) or inspirational guru (which I’m definitely not)—but as a guy who’s made a career sitting and talking with students, parents, and some of the most successful people in politics, business, entertainment, and life.
Here’s the truth about what happens after the caps are thrown—and more importantly, what you can actually do about it.
1. The Certainty You’ve Lived With? It’s Gone.
For 22 years, your life has been a series of clearly marked steps. Kindergarten, middle school, AP classes, SATs, essays, college, blah blah blah. You knew what to aim for, what a win looked like (or a “good enough”), and how to measure your progress.
Now? You’re in the wilderness.
No one tells you what the “next step” is. There’s no syllabus for adulthood. There’s just this vague pressure to be successful—fast—and the sneaking suspicion that everyone else already has it figured out.
Spoiler alert: they don’t.
Not even close.
The challenge now is learning to navigate uncertainty without losing your mind. The goal is no longer to “follow the rules.” It’s to make your own.
2. The Job Market Isn’t Broken. It’s Just Brutally Honest.
Let’s get one thing straight: your degree is not a ticket and it’s not a contract—it’s a starting chip.
No one’s going to knock on your door with a dream offer. You’re competing in a global talent marketplace where initiative beats pedigree every damn time.
What works? Curiosity. Hustle. The willingness to ask dumb questions and do work nobody else wants to do. That’s how you get in the room. That’s how I hired some of the best people I’ve ever worked with.
Forget the perfect title. Forget the big salary. Get your hands dirty. Build something. Work somewhere that lets you learn fast and touch real problems. Optimize for proximity to momentum—not just a brand name.
3. Your Network Is Not Your Resume—It’s Your Lifeline
Here’s what separates people who win from people who stall out: relationships.
Every opportunity in life comes from a web of relationships built before we need them. And I don’t mean ass-kissing or LinkedIn spam. I mean helping people. Asking better questions. Showing up and staying curious. Your peers today are future CEOs, investors, founders, policy makers, authors. Treat them that way now.
Reach out. Follow up. Add value without keeping score. Relationships compound faster than interest—start investing early.
4. Comparison Will Kill (or Paralyze) You
You’re going to see former classmates getting hired at Meta (yuck), launching startups (pretty cool), moving to Bali, raising money, getting married, becoming “thought leaders” at 24.
And if you’re not careful, you’ll start measuring your worth by their metrics.
That’s a losing game.
The people who succeed long-term know how to block out the noise and ignore the social media algorithms. They build their life. On their terms. They define their own scoreboard—and they stick to it.
Run your own race. Or better yet, design your own adventure.
5. Your Degree Got You Here—Now You Need Skills
Let me be clear: you’re not done learning.
In fact, you’re just getting started. The people who thrive post-college are insatiable learners. They teach themselves new tools, read obsessively, follow weird interests, and stay five steps ahead of where the market’s going. Again, the world owes you nothing and rewards to curious.
Want to be indispensable? Get good at solving real-world problems before someone asks.
Learn to write clearly. Speak with confidence. Use data. Think like an owner, not an employee. These are the skills nobody grades you on, but everyone gets judged by.
6. The Emotional Toll Is Real—Handle It Like an Operator
Here’s what no one prepares you for: the psychological whiplash of leaving college.
You go from constant stimulation, tight social circles, and built-in structure to isolation, ambiguity, and pressure to perform. That’s not you failing—it’s biology reacting to a seismic shift.
So manage your mind like a pro:
- Build routines that ground you.
- Work out. Seriously. It’s the cheapest mood stabilizer on the market.
- Talk to someone. Therapy is strength, not weakness.
- Know when to rest. Burnout isn’t a badge—it’s a breakdown.
High performers aren’t invincible. They just know how to adapt and recover on purpose.
7. Play Long Games with Long-Term People
You don’t have to figure it all out this year. You don’t need a 10-year plan. You just need to make decisions today that compound in your favor.
Choose work that builds leverage. Choose people who bring out your best. Choose habits that outlast motivation. I like to categorize people in A Team, B Team, and C Team players. A Team players are curious, values-driven, pay their debts and encourage as much success in others as they demand of themselves. Find these people.
Play long games and A Team players.
Final Thought: You Are Not Behind—You’re Just Early
This world doesn’t need more “perfect” graduates with pristine resumes and Instagram-ready careers.
It needs people who can navigate chaos. People who fall on their face and get back up. People who listen more than they talk. People who are real. We need people who can defuse a bomb with a stick of gum and a Pokemon card.
So don’t panic if you’re lost, anxious, or totally unsure. That’s not failure. That’s the beginning.
Make messy moves. Get your reps in. Make mistakes at full speed.
You’ve got time. You’ve got talent. And the real world? It’s not some terrifying unknown—it’s just the next playground.
Go build something great.
And if you fall flat, call me. We’ll help you pivot.