Five Things Every College Graduate Must Know
Getty/Brian Killian

Five Things Every College Graduate Must Know

This is the time of year when many students are graduating and faced with a major transition in life. It’s a prime time to think about the future—about the things you want to accomplish and the kind of person you want to become. As I look back on what I feel is a life well lived, I wanted to share a few insights that I hope you might find helpful.

You Are Writing Your Autobiography In Real Time – Make It A Great Story

As a New York Times bestselling author, I’m always working on my next book. If you think of your life as a book, you are writing it every day in real time. As you live your life, keep in mind that you’re not writing your Mother’s, Father’s, brother’s or sister’s book, they may not provide the best outline for a book about you. You are writing your book of life.

Over the years I’ve noticed that some people have many diverse chapters while others have only a few long chapters, the only correct way is to write it (live it) your way. Here is an important tip; if a chapter is becoming a tragedy, consider writing a new chapter rather than living the tragedy.

What kind of book would you write about you? My advice, make it a story worth reading.

Think Big About Your Future – And Then Think Bigger!

As you make your future plans, many people will tell you to “think big.” Well, I want to tell you that however “big” you’re thinking right now, it’s probably too small.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that when you are thinking big, in reality you’re thinking small. There’s always a bigger big.

It’s important to have big dreams for your future. After all, failing to plan is planning to fail. So if you can’t think big about your future, you’re not going to have a very big future. Big, of course, means a dream that takes you farther than where you are today. Success can be defined in many ways, and I’m not telling you how to define it. I’m simply saying to take your definition of success and raise the bar on it.

Ask yourself, “What is even bigger than what I’m thinking, because that’s what I really want to do?” That’s how you raise the bar far higher on yourself. If you can’t imagine it, you will never achieve it.

Choose To Be Extraordinary

You’ve read about or even seen extraordinary people. It could be a world leader working for a global cause, a business person revolutionizing an industry, or even the person down the street helping to make life better for people in the community. Often, when we hear of these extraordinary people, we think, “I could never do that because I’m just an average person.”

In reality, there is no such thing as an average person; there is only average thinking. You can be extraordinary! The key is to realize that being extraordinary is a personal choice you make every day. Anyone can choose to be extraordinary—especially you.

For example, if you’re planning on furthering your education and will be enrolled in a graduate or doctorial program, you might ask yourself each morning, “What would an extraordinary student do today given the subject we’re discussing in class?”

Or suppose you’re entering the job market and will begin an employment search. Before you enter any interview situation, ask yourself, “What would an extraordinary job candidate do or say to get the position?”

So take a few minutes each day to think about what an extraordinary person in your situation would do. Then, take that action (the bigger choice) rather than what you were going to do. Soon, people will look at you and think, “Wow! That person is extraordinary!”

Direct Your Talents to Support Your Gift

The secret ingredient to making the daily choice to be extraordinary easier is to identify and leverage both your talents and your gifts. You have to tap into that inner magic that comes from deep inside of you. And that unique magic is tied more to a gift than a talent.

You have multiple talents, but the key is to understand that you also have a unique gift. Some people drift into various positions using their talents, and they usually end up struggling because there are others who are equally talented and who can do the same thing.

Talent relates to competency, not your unique inner magic, and it can only take you so far. To maximize your talents, you have to identify your unique gift. Once you identify your true gift, you can then direct your talents to support the gift. That’s when your creativity, innovation, and career really soar.

So what’s your unique gift? What makes you different from all the others who have the same talents as you? When you focus on your unique gift as you create your future, you become a true innovator—one that others try to emulate.

Discover What’s Inside of You

Knowing all your many talents and your unique gift takes time … and some trial and error. To really uncover what makes you unique, explore what is inside of you by learning new things every year. Most people will find one activity they like, such as golf or painting or swimming, and that’s all they do all their entire life. While that’s good, they aren’t discovering all that is hidden inside of them and all they can be. And the thing they haven’t discovered might be what they’re truly great at.

For example, maybe you learned to play the piano when you were young but didn’t enjoy it, so you gave up music completely and never picked up another instrument. However, you might be the world’s best violin player, but if you never pick one up, you’ll never know. So make it an annual journey to learn one new thing every year. The more variety and learning you add to your life, no matter how old you get, the more deeply you’ll discover what’s really inside you.

Shape Your Future Or Someone Else Will

This is an exciting time in your life, because you really can shape your future. By thinking bigger, choosing to be extraordinary, leveraging your talents by elevating your unique gift, and committing to learning new things every year, you will have the keys to creating a very successful life—one filled with amazing opportunities and unforgettable memories that are worthy of a life well lived.

©2015 Burrus Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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DANIEL BURRUS is considered one of the world’s leading technology forecasters and innovation experts, and is the founder and CEO of Burrus Research, a research and consulting firm that monitors global advancements in technology driven trends to help clients understand how technological, social and business forces are converging to create enormous untapped opportunities. He is the author of six books including The New York Times best seller Flash Foresight.

Jan Detand

Professor at Ghent University

8y

Look Back at what you archieved out of these goals. Inspiring!

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Jakub Stuchlík

Sales ǀ Marketing ǀ Spořka!

8y

everyone should be extraordinary!

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Mizanur Bhuiyan

MD, English Teacher & A Member With the Directors at Dream, Sonaimuri Model High School & A Day Care

8y

Autobiography is the mirror that reflect you. Therefore, every one should write his/ her autobiography. So discover you and think positive,vision more, hope more, achieve more. In short the empolyer and your relation will be known about you than getting your dream and the career that must suit you, will be easy to get.

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