Class of 2021: Take Risks

I’d rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are, 
For a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. 
I’d rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far, 
For a might-have-been has never been, but a has was once an are. 

— Milton Berle (1908–2002), after Robert W. Chambers (1865–1933) 

This month, I honor and celebrate the graduating class of 2021, especially the students of Kennesaw State University’s Michael J. Coles College of Business. Congratulations on your achievement! 

With your degree in hand, I’m sure you are looking towards the future. So, in the spirit of commencement speeches, I’d like to share some advice I once received at the start of my career.  

On a flight home to Detroit, at age 23, I sat beside a successful businessman who specialized in mergers and acquisitions. Seeking advice, I asked if he might have any to share. He looked at me and said ‘it’s all about taking risks. The younger you are, the easier it is. If you wait too long, life gets complicated and risks become scarier. Don’t be afraid to take risks, and don’t be afraid to fail.’ 

You have to recognize that failure and success run hand and hand. There’s more to learn from things that go wrong than from things that go right. My journey to success was not a straight line, but rather a story of personal perseverance. So as you endeavor to confront whatever the future holds, dig deep and strive to be a “could-be”, an “are”, and a “has-been”.