I saw this post on Facebook, and it really resonated with me. I’ve given talks over the years to students at Brown and Yale. I’ve told them: Congratulations! But, getting into a highly-selective school may be one of the worst things to happen to you. You see, there is a risk to people who
Category: Philosophy
The Gratitude Tour
Yesterday, I went back to Harvard Business School for an alumni conference, which I found energizing and interesting. Going back was fun, as it made me feel young again. I have fond memories of business school: people were very nice, the professors were nearly always engaging, and many life-long friendships were formed there. I learned
More Hope
A friend holds a senior admissions position at an Old Ivy. Every year, they’re flooded with applications, and the work load sounds crushing. “It’s OK, though,” my friend said. “Reading these applications gives me hope.” The reason is that there are so many young people doing great things and, upon graduation, are unleashed onto the
Aftermath
After someone passes away, there is The Aftermath. Since Whitney died, there have been many emails and calls involving some of us who knew him and miss him. For me, it has been great to connect with old friends and colleagues. It is a shame that, at times, it takes a tragedy for people to re-connect. Unfortunately,
Keep Showing Up
I was in awe yesterday. We ventured to Heartbreak Hill to cheer on the Boston Marathon runners. We were decked out in many layers and full rain gear and still became cold. The wind was very strong, and rain eventually found the slightest of exposed areas. It was monsoon-like out there. Very few people were
Letting Go of Outcomes
I don’t know about you, but, I suck at letting go of outcomes. I’m used to a system where the harder you work at inputs, the more outputs you get. As you get older, though, you realize that often is not the case. When I was young, the more hours I put into school work,