The 10 worst pieces of advice you’ve ever had.

Commencement SpeechHoGent, 6/11/2012

I have a confession to make.

When they asked me to give the Commencement Speech, I was a bit offended.

I’m I really already in that stage of life?

Source: when no source, leave this blank.

In my head, I’m still a young chick.

Apparently,not anymore.

Thanks, HoGent, for making me feel old.

But then, I got nervous.

Source: when no source, leave this blank.

I have all these images of teen movies from the 80s & 90s in my head.

All the inspiring speeches given by great people.

Truely great people.

All I’ve done is work at

some fairly successful

companies.

Fail at some

other companies.

And help out with

some starting

companies.

Who am I to try and give you some good advice?

I’m still a young chick.

So I won’t.

The 10 worst pieces of adviceyou’ve ever had.

1. Work for a boss

‣ gain experience, knowledge and a network

‣ limit your risks

‣ specialise in 1 thing

‣ secure your income

1. Work for a boss

We all know how

important a cool car is.

And what job security means.

The most secure job is the one you create yourself.

2. Go for the money

‣ in uncertain times: secure your income

‣ start saving for your pension

‣ “Erst das Fressen, dann die Moral!”

‣ demand everything you can from your employer and your government

‣ ignore your dreams - they’re not called ‘dreams’ by coincidence

2. Go for the money

Tony Gaskins

If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to build theirs.

3. Take it easy

‣ it takes 10.000 hours of practice to become good at something

‣ start building (skills, savings, a book, a company...)

‣ “you won’t get rich by working hard”

3. Take it easy

“Stop watching f*ckin’ Lost!”

Ignore that people like Gary

Vaynerchuk get succesful by

working hard.

Mario Andretti

If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.

4. Guard your work-life balance

‣ family and friends are your tower of strenght

‣ personal development outside your area of expertise is important

‣ work is work, home is home

‣ live by the clock, die by the clock...

4. Guard your work-life balance

I know no one that has a

work/life switch in his head.

Screw work-life balance!Practice work-life integration.

Ray Kroc

Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.

5. Focus

‣ you can only do 1 thing at once

‣ focus on core business, outsource the rest

‣ why would you try different things?

‣ diversity is a distraction

5. Focus

6. Don’t make mistakes

‣ in the long run, quality is all that matters

‣ “better safe than sorry”

‣ you only get 1 chance!

6. Don’t make mistakes

“I have failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

Michael Jordan

7. Give up

Richard Branson

Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.

‣ launch fast, fail fast

‣ there’s plenty of ideas - if one doesn’t work, on to the next one.

‣ if you don’t like your job or your life: don’t nag! change!

7. Give up

Be a bulldog.

There’s only one difference between an amateur and a professional:

A professional is an amateur that didn’t give up.

Each day, you have 2 options: persist or give up.

If you give up today, you will only have 1 option tomorrow.

You can always give up tomorrow.

7. Never give up

8. Don’t listen to others

‣ new ideas are new for a reason

‣ “are you sure” (my parents when I gave up my job at the bank)

‣ surround yourself with positive people - ignore negative

8. Don’t listen to others

‣ diversity in opinions is a strong thing

‣ learn from more experience people

‣ get a coach or a council

‣ network - pay it forward!

8. Listen to others

9. Follow the rules

‣ learn the rules of the game asap - and beat them

‣ enduring value is only created by sticking to values - ethics!

‣ but remember: just as history is written by the victors, the rules are written by those who broke them before

9. Follow the rules

10. Grow up

‣ playtime’s over - now it’s for real

10. Grow up

George Bernard Shaw

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

‣ treat the rest of your life as playtime

‣ don’t listen to old farts like me :)

‣ “we don’t stop playing because we grow old - we grow old because we stop playing“

10. Never grow up

Never stop being a young chick.

Good luck!

Conversation

bart@wijs.be@netlashwww.ondernemeringent.be