As commencement season ends and summer begins, I want to offer a few thoughts to the Class of 2025, as your prepare for your career.
Let’s start with the obvious: This moment may feel incredibly uncertain. You’re launching your career amid global unrest, rapid technological transformation led by AI, and record-low trust in institutions. But uncertainty isn’t new. My two adult children recently graduated into a world upended by a pandemic, economic downturns, and ongoing global conflicts. Each generation faces its own version of upheaval. Yours will be no different. The question is: how will you rise?
Careers are marathons, not sprints. Take the long view. Pace yourself. And as you move forward, I encourage you to find and embrace grit, grind, and glam. Most days, your job will demand one of these; on a good day, maybe all three.
Grit
Angela Duckworth’s Grit is essential reading for anyone starting out. Her research shows that success is not rooted in talent or intelligence alone, but in the combination of passion and perseverance. Effort, she says, counts twice. Showing up, staying committed, working hard, and remaining optimistic are more powerful than any resume bullet point.
Throughout my career, I’ve leaned on grit, I’ve celebrated big wins and recovered from some even bigger misses. But grit kept me going. Grit is about having resilience, standing up to adversity and not getting distracted or held back by your personal failures.
I saw this firsthand with my now 24-year-old son. Two years ago, prior to graduating college, he had committed to join a management consulting firm specializing in the media, technology and entertainment industries. Three days after he graduated, he got the dreaded call. Good news: Your offer isn’t being rescinded. Bad news: It’s being deferred. What started out as a three-month job deferral became another three months and another six months after that. A guaranteed job offer had turned into a potential one, with no firm start date. He hustled and took many online courses in AI and Venture Capital and other areas he focused his job search on. He spent hours to show up and be well prepared for interview after interview and didn’t let rejection deter him. By January, six months after graduating, he had three very compelling job offers. He chose to join a hyper scaling AI company, smart kid! Comebacks are even better when you have these kinds of setbacks.
Grind
There is no substitute for hard work. The late nights, the early mornings, the cross-continental travel, working several time zones, the weekends sacrificed for deadlines, it’s all part of the journey. I have always subscribed to Michael Bloomberg’s philosophy on the “first one in, last one out” approach to work. Hard work, putting in the hours and dedication are in your control and can be a competitive advantage. Embrace the grind, do the work, show up with determination, and have an all-in mindset. Endurance is everything. But it’s not just about pushing through, it’s about recovering, too. If you don’t refuel, burnout will catch up with you. Know your limits, then challenge them. And find ways to feel accomplished and realize your own return on investment, or else the grind won’t be worth it.
Glam
Let’s be real: scroll through LinkedIn on any given day, and it’s all glam. And yes, I post mine too. But glam isn’t just a filtered photo or career milestone, it’s personal. It’s about finding purpose and passion in what you do.
My 26-year-old daughter is a good example. She’s turned her love of food into a career she loves, today working in hospitality at a leading company, turning her side hustle into her main hustle. Her passion became her path. Many of you will chase similar dreams, working for companies you admire, creators you follow, or organizations that reflect your values.
When grit, grind, and glam align, that’s where the magic happens. Some days will be heavy on the grind. Others will test your grit. And on the best days, you’ll be in the glam. Just remember: grit will keep you going, grind will get things done, and glam will remind you why it all matters.
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