Rico Sharp tells graduates not to settle into a half-life by 35. He argues 65% of workers dislike their jobs, and that passion-driven careers turn work into purpose. Invest in yourself now through education and discipline, or coast until you're buried at 75.
Chapters
Point number 5, continue to prioritize your perspective. I promised me to keep first things first without compromising or deviating from my perspective and priorities. Do I like to have fun? Absolutely. Do I like to have recreation? Absolutely. Do I like to take some time off and, and enjoy other things that's not all about work and all about school? Absolutely. But I will guarantee you that when I wake up in the morning, I'm focused on my priorities. When I lay down at night, I'm focused on my priorities. When you see me coming and going during the day, I'm in pursuit of my passion. I'm going after something more and something bigger. Why? Because I believe that I should not retire until I aspire to live all of my dreams. Like, I refuse to go to the grave wishing and regretting because I didn't give life all I have to give. You see, the cemetery is the most wealthiest place on earth. And I'm not speaking in terms of wealthy with money and silver and gold and precious jewelry. I'm talking about wealthy with potential, wealthy with ideas, wealthy with dreams. People die with dreams and ideas. Truth of the matter is, most Most people die at the age of 35, but they don't get buried until the age of 75. And let me explain to you what I mean by that. Most people die at the age of 35. 35 is that pivotal age where most folk consider that they should have been married by then, had a car by then, have kids by then, have their home by then, have bank accounts by then, and know what their career is that they're going to retire from. Most people consider that to be the age where they should have At least a good pair of legs to stand on. But when it doesn't happen by then, most people now go into neutral and just start coasting through life and start existing and start selling them for less and stop pursuing after their dreams, their goals, and their aspirations. And when that happens, people at that point have nothing left to work for, nothing left to look forward for, nothing left to aim at, nothing left to be inspired by. And they just exist from day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year, and they die. Their dreams die, their aspirations die, and then they get buried at 75. How many of you understand what I'm saying? Amen. Don't let that be your story. Never give up on you. Never quit. Never let you down. Never retire when you still have strength in your bones and, and oxygen in your lungs, when you still have all of you in your capacity to move and to do things and to take care of yourself. Never retire because it's never too late. It's never too late. You can always make big things happen for you. You just have to make a promise to you and you have to stay focused on your priorities. Graduating is your priority. Taking this, this career and, and the diploma that you get that certifies you as being someone who is professional in your field This is not the end. This is not where things end. This is a new beginning for you. This is the start, right? You have greatness on your life. You have greatness on your life. Take this moment and make it count. Take this degree and make it pay you. Take this life that you have and maximize it. Take your dream and bring it to pass. Thank you. Take your energy and your aspirations and give it all you've got to give. Because again, you only have one chance at this. You don't get to die unfulfilled and then say, oh, I, I need to go back and start over because I got some stuff I didn't do. No. Once you leave here, you're gone. And the truth is, now is the time for you to go into overdrive and tell yourself, I've been holding back on me. I've not been giving it all I have to give. I need to give it now, all I have to give. 65% of the people who work in the workforce doesn't really like their jobs. They hate going to work. They hate it when Monday morning comes. They hate it because they don't like their career. They don't like that field. And when you don't like something, you do barely enough to keep from getting fired, and they pay you barely enough to keep you from quitting. Mm-hmm. But in this career that you're pursuing now, you're doing something that you believe in. And when you do what you believe in, you do what you're passionate for, you would do it for free because it has a purpose and a meaning behind it. And when you do it and you get good at it, money will come. And when money comes, you don't just settle for a paycheck, but you realize I'm building something bigger in my life. I'm going to take my paycheck and set it aside because one day I want to open my own business and Instead of working for money, one day I want money to work for me. And you invest, and you invest, and you invest, and you invest. And ladies and gentlemen, the more you invest into you, the more you become a bank account that is full of return, right? What does that mean? The more money you put in your mind, the more heart and energy you put into your, into your school or into your career, right? Into your Into your pursuit of academic accomplishment. The more you invest into it, the more prosperous and successful you will become in life. And eventually money will come to you. Eventually millions will find you. And because you invested into you, you become your own bank account, and you won't have to rely upon someone else. And it won't matter if there is a recession in our economy. It won't matter if gas is $4 a gallon, because you will always have what you need to do what you desire. That's right. But it begins by staying focused on your priorities.
