High schools and universities are holding their commencement ceremonies this time of year. While it’s natural to be a little sad about leaving friends, it’s also a time to be excited about what’s ahead. “Commence” after all means “to begin”.

Here’s what some others have said about beginning.

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
~ Seneca

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
~ Plato

“Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop.”
~ Lewis Carroll

“Winning starts with beginning.”
~ Robert H. Schuller

“Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness.”
~ George Santayana

“A good beginning makes a good end.”
~ Louis L’Amour

“The beginning is always today.”
~ Mary Wollstonecraft

 Dave Walker and Jeff Johnson Talk to Grady High 9th Graders

On new student orientation day at Grady High School in Atlanta, business attorney David Walker and TV Personality Jeff “JJ”Johnson address the new freshman class. They offer words of encouragement and talk about personal responsibility. They spoke on behalf of Grady Talks, Liz Lieberman’s organization that provides students with career advice from business professionals.

Surround yourself with people smarter than you.

And more talented than you.

Follow the best people on Twitter – people who say interesting things…

…people who do interesting things.

People who think differently than you do.

Link to the sites they link to.

Pay attention to what they are working on.

Tell them that you admire them.

Share things with them.

Actor and Director Harold Ramis (Egon in Ghostbusters) said,

“Find the most talented person in the room, and if it’s not you, go stand next to him.”

And as Austin Kleon points out –

If you believe that you are the most talented person in the room, it’s time to find another room.

Denis Brosnan talks about some tools you can use to propel your career in his talk entitled, “Models, Membership and Mentors“.

There are plenty of people telling you what you should be doing.

There is only one person who can tell you what you want to do.

You.

One way to find out what you want in life is to find out what you don’t want.

How do you do that?

Trial and error.

Try things.

If they don’t work, try something else.

You have the right to change your mind.

Remember however that somewhere there is a clock.

And it’s running.

Between the past and the future there is the present.

Whispering…

“Right now.”

This week we hear from Steve Shlansky – founder of Go! Productions – who tells his story of finding out what makes him happy.

Here’s the link:  Steve Shlansky: The Circuitous Route.

Having integrity is like being creative. It’s hard to define but we know it when we see it.

Integrity is the most important trait you can have.

Hard work, talent, luck, and contacts mean nothing if you don’t have integrity.

Integrity is the blueprint of life.

Integrity is doing what you say you are going to do. It means that you can be trusted. It means that you believe in the people around you and that you believe in yourself.

In the work world, it means you’ll hit the deadline. It means you will show up on time. It means that you will carry the load.

It’s a pledge that you won’t let your teammates down.

Integrity is a promise that you won’t let you down.

Integrity is “put up or shut up.”

Do you have integrity?

Prove it.

 “In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”
— Warren Buffet

For more on Integrity, watch our featured speaker, Amani Channel

Amani Channel: Imagine Your Future