Kenny Chapman graduated high school in Palisade, Colorado on May 25, 1988. He argues graduation isn't a one-time event but an ongoing process, pointing to recent professional milestones like workshops and coaching days as his own recent graduations. He asks what transitions you've made lately in work, relationships, money, or growth.
May 25, 1988
86 graduates
Palisade, Colorado
May 25, 2018
When did you last graduate? 30 years ago today. As I'm shooting this, May 25, 1988, I graduated high school, small town Colorado, 86 graduates, completely fired up. I want you to follow me on this path real quick. Think about your last graduation. Think about, you know, when I say graduation, some of you think high school, some of you think college. Some of you think trade school, some of you think boot camp, whatever that is. But I want you to think about it. So I'm here in Chandler today. I'm getting ready to go over to the office and I wanted to shoot today as you think about graduation. Thirty years ago today, I graduated high school. I can't believe it myself. It's unbelievable that that much time has flown that fast. But I want you to think about the day that you graduated high school, college, whatever it was. And I want you to think about your goals and your mindset. I want you to think about where your life is today. Here's Kenny's quick journey today. 30 years ago was a Wednesday. I'm in Palisade, Colorado. Dan. What's up, brother? How's it going? Whoa. I'm in Palisade, Colorado, getting ready to get my diploma, which many never thought I was gonna get, right? And my entire plan in life is what? Major league baseball, baby. I'm going to college. I'm going to play baseball, change my life forever because I put in the time in school. Now I'm going to college. It's going to be amazing. And here's what's crazy, my friend. I'm so grateful that I'm not a major league baseball player. I'm so grateful that I have created a life of opportunity, of challenge, of pain, of victory to be able to embrace my unique ability, become the person that I need to be at this moment in time, continue to grow and learn. And here's the thing, you know, I used to kind of be challenged. I don't have children, but I used to kind of be challenged by the. Now we graduate kindergarten, right? Now we graduate first grade. And then what? Grade school and then middle school and then. And, you know, now I think, wait a minute, what do I teach clients? What do we know in life? What we need is progress, right? So maybe this graduation thing is a way of drawing the line in the sand and going, cool, let's keep moving forward. But here's what I want to challenge you with. When's the last time you graduated? I graduated from high school 30 years ago today, but that's not the last time I graduated. We won't talk about my boot camp days or any of that type of stuff. But here's what I want you to think about the last time you graduated. I graduated last week. We put on the best workshop we've ever put on in the history of blue collar. That graduated me as a leader, as a coach. Graduation. Guess what? I graduated yesterday. We had a deep dive coaching day. I got coached on video, we got coached on strategy, how we increase the value for our clients. That's what it's all about right now. Of what it's all about, guess what? That's graduation. So here's the deal. You don't have to get a diploma. It's cool. Sometimes it's nice to get that recognition. But it's not always about the diploma. It's not always about the line in the sand. It's about the progress. It's about who you have to become. If these kids are graduating today, it's the last day of school. It's about who they become to be a fourth grader. If they're going from third grade to fourth grade. Where are you at in your life, career? Where are you at in your business thought process? Is it time to graduate? I remember I used to train for a national organization and I left there was very hard when I left. A lot of friends there had built a lot of life changing strategies and systems and different things over the course of time. And it was very challenging. And one of my best friends and mentors said, hey, congratulations, you graduated. Now it doesn't mean that anybody doesn't leave, doesn't graduate. So you can graduate within your own position. You don't have to change careers, you don't have to change jobs, you don't have to change companies. How are you graduating your marriage? How are you graduating your finances? How are you graduating your team? How are you graduating you? That's what it's all about. I graduated high school 30 years ago today, but I graduated again yesterday. You got more, my friend. I want to see it until we talk. Have a better than fantastic graduation season. Cheers.
