Class of 22 and Others

“Be very careful you live —

not as unwise but as wise,

making the most of every opportunity,

because the days are evil.”

— Ephesians 5:15,16

“You’ll forever be the Zoom-groomed Corona crew,” Andy Kessler says to the Class of 2022 in an essay packed with advice for the Class of 2022. It was in The Wall Street Journal this weekend (Sunday’s digital and Monday’s print editions). Here are some excerpts that I enjoyed and am happy to share with you here today —

Life is like your college application on steroids.

You can lie to a customer any time but only once. And then word gets out, goes viral and everyone knows it. It’s a short walk from great rep to out of the business.

There are always shortcuts—maybe cut some corners, trade in a bit of integrity to move ahead. Don’t do it! In this ever-connected world, everyone will find out. Everyone. People will stop dealing with you, and you’ll never really know why. Bad reputations are hard to shake.

Take risks—but smart ones. You want a reputation as someone who is bold. Ambitious. Forward thinking. Trustworthy. And don’t forget appreciative, thanking those who help along the way. 

Success is not about money, it’s about respect from your peers. Everything else follows. You can stake your reputation on it.

–— Simple. Serious.

And simply seriously good advice.

No matter our age or experience.