HBS 1963 Class Advice
January 1st, 2024 (10 months ago) • 2 minutes
Today, I revisited Harvard Business School's 1963 class advice. It's a great read, and I highly recommend it.
It's fascinating to see that two-thirds of that class had founded or co-founded at least one company, and more than one in three reports a net worth of more than $10 million. I don't know if it's the power of network and pedigree that Harvard brings, or if it's the fact that they were very smart, but it's still impressive even for the graduates today.
Some of my takeaways after reading Chapter 1: Career.
You have the talent and capability to create a great life for yourself and for our society. The opportunities are numerous. The need for leadership is compelling. You live only once, and life is short. So your choices matter greatly.
Don’t waste your chance to make important contributions. Work on important opportunities and problems. Be an ethical exemplar and committed leader. Become a recognized expert in your chosen profession. Reach out to and concentrate your time with the best people in your profession. Avoid those who are OK or less on values, character, and ethics.
Choose a career you really enjoy. You’ll make ample money doing work you like with people you admire. You’ll be able to provide your family with everything of real value, so why give up joy for dough?
Have the discipline to limit work hours.
The more they talk, the smarter they’ll think you are.