Graduates of the Class of 2017,
Contrary to what our loved ones may think, we’ve spent the last two years working. Maybe not work in the traditional sense, but work that I personally consider much more valuable. Work on ourselves. Because to identify the impact you want to make in this world, you must first begin to understand who you are.
Personally, the pieces to the puzzle of how I intend to make a difference in the world came together only a few months ago. It came during my most powerful learning experience over the last two years — Professor Scott Snook’s Authentic Leadership Development class at HBS, better known as ALD.
In our third session, Professor Snook handed everyone a small sheet of colored paper and asked us to write down our greatest fear over the next five to ten years. The sheets were collected, shuffled, and redistributed randomly. What followed was truly eye-opening. The room had a stillness about it I will never forget.
The fears of my classmates were stirring. The fear of not being able to have kids. The fear of ending up in some of our current relationships. The fear of caring too much about money at the expense of marriage and relationships that matter. But one response was read over and over again: the fear of ending up alone. By themselves. Void of the connection and relationships that are as essential to human life as air itself.
This is not a condemnation of globalization. Or a reason to turn inward. The problem is that our actions as leaders and humans have lagged the open and accepting narrative of globalization. Globalization is like a house — a house with infinite rooms to accommodate the citizens of the world. The economic engine has done a decent job of building new rooms. The problem is that those of us in the house have failed to reach out, failed to connect, failed to invite others inside.
It will always be too soon. Over 500 years ago, Johannes Gutenberg launched the printing press. 96% of the population in Europe was illiterate at the time. When Karl Benz introduced the car to Germany, it was against the law to drive one. No one knew how to drive. There were no roads and no gas stations.
It will always be too soon.
Class of 2017, we must have the audacity to be artists.
Artists have the audacity to do work that is personal. Work that is creative. Work that changes the receiver.
Artists make the future. I challenge you to have the audacity to make the future by imagining that things can be different.