Dear Class of 2017,
Sending my deepest congratulations from San Francisco. Several of you I have had in my International Negotiations and Women’s Leadership classes or special sessions and I feel privileged to have been a small part of your Hult journey. Each of you, in your own special way has enriched my life and for that I am grateful. As you celebrate today and p
lan for tomorrow, I wanted to leave you with some thoughts to take with you. First is one of my favorite quotes from Maria Shriver, former first lady of California and noted journalist, offered at the close of her Women’s Conference in 2010. Her mother, Eunice Shriver a trailblazer in her own right, during moments of transition and change, would remind her daughter:
“Now you have a job to do. Go and do it and do it well.
Finish it properly. And when it’s over, then move on.”
The key in this sentence that struck me was the notion of finishing something properly. Maria went on to share that while her Mother was fully aware that her A-type daughter would put her everything into completing a task to perfection, with endless energy and determination, it was in the proper finishing that was most deserving of attention. And by finishing, she meant taking time to process the closing of a task, a journey, a season of life... by taking time to truly reflect, take stock, and find gratitude for those who have supported you throughout.
This quote deeply resonated with me as I think too many of us spend our time jumping from one task, one accomplishment, and one journey to the next without giving ourselves time to really reflect and absorb all that we’ve experienced. It is in the proper finishing of something — where we truly take the time to go inward — where we can grow. It may be deeply unpleasant and seem tedious at times, as I have learned firsthand. However, now it is part of a ritual I have practiced which has enriched my life in so many ways and I hope it will do the same for you.
My second piece of advice is to routinely ask yourself this one essential question, over and over again, as you go forward: When do I feel most alive? Find the answers to that question and spend as much of your precious limited time doing those things that truly give you meaning and purpose. Refuse to live a life on auto-pilot.
Remember there is now an expectation that you know something about the world and are prepared to engage in a global role. Stay globally relevant and current, constantly building on the intellectual capital you’ve laid the foundation for at Hult. And never stop learning or listening. Never. What you have accomplished in graduating here today is tremendous and you should be incredibly proud of this achievement. I commend you. You are now transitioning into a new season of life and as you begin this transition I hope you will stay in touch with each other and with those professors and colleagues whom you connected with throughout this journey. They are the social capital, the true value of your Hult degree, which will sustain and endure well beyond the celebrations of today and in the coming weeks. Focus on nurturing and expanding your social capital, not endlessly and randomly networking which is a waste of your time and energy.
“So now your job here is done. You did it well.
Now that it’s over, finish it properly. Then move on.”
– Maria Schriver
My hope is that each of you, in your own way, finds what you are passionate about and pursues it fearlessly. We need all of you to be change agents – there is so much work to be done around the world and we are counting on you to take the lead. I wish each of you continued success and best wishes for the future,
Cari E. Guittard
Follow Cari E. Guittard on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@CorpDiplomat
