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I’ve read Sheryl Sandberg’s speech to graduates several times this week. I even posted it on my Tumblr. The advice reminds me of something Penelope Trunk would say. The advice is powerful and it hits home, especially for me, especially right now. While the advice is geared to women, it’s applicable to men too.
Women almost never make one decision to leave the workforce. It doesn’t happen that way. They make small little decisions along the way that eventually lead them there. Maybe it’s the last year of med school when they say, I’ll take a slightly less interesting specialty because I’m going to want more balance one day. Maybe it’s the fifth year in a law firm when they say, I’m not even sure I should go for partner, because I know I’m going to want kids eventually. These women don’t even have relationships, and already they’re finding balance, balance for responsibilities they don’t yet have. And from that moment, they start quietly leaning back… So, my heartfelt message to all of you is, and start thinking about this now, do not leave before you leave. Do not lean back; lean in. Put your foot on that gas pedal and keep it there until the day you have to make a decision, and then make a decision. That’s the only way, when that day comes, you’ll even have a decision to make.
In general, I think we as a society do this all too often, we check out before we have to. We check out because we’re afraid. It’s easier to leave then get left, so we do it before someone can make the decision for us. But, if we’re truly “leaning in,” if we’re passionate and giving everything we have, then why would someone ever ask us to leave? If we’re fully engaged, then the choice, whatever it may be, will always be ours to make.
Here’s to not worrying about what the future may bring and focusing more on keeping our feet firmly on the gas pedal until our next destination has arrived.
Full speech:
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