You, Inc

A Plan to Maximize Your Profits While Following Your Passions

Real world day one starts like any other day of the past four, five or even six years; however, life PG (Post Graduation) is a startling reality with so many choices one can be easily overwhelmed and seek solace by entering graduate school.

Of course, some know their life course, graduate from college, backpack through Europe and return to start their job at a Fortune 500 company, or as a Big 5 consultant or head to medical, law, dental or another professional school. The following is not intended for those who have life figured out; this is written for the others, especially those seeking to escape anything resembling Office Space.

I marvel at business undergraduates with their neat life plan: graduation, two years as a consultant, MBA, put in time, CEO. My question is always: what’s a consultant? They usually never know; it’s just a job that looks good on biz school applications.

From what my friends tell me, majoring in business is a waste of time. So, young, impressionable college students, find something that interests you. Kevin Carroll calls it following your Red Rubber Ball. My mom always called this “passion.” She said it was important. Apparently she was not lying: according to researchers at Florida State University, when it comes to choosing a life path, you should do what you love — because if you don't love it, you are unlikely to work hard enough to get very good.

So, follow your bliss. Henry David Thoreau said that the mass of men live lives of quiet desperation. Don’t be one of the masses. Don’t take a meaningless job because it looks good on an application. Take a job because it makes you want to go to bed early because you look forward to the next day.

So, starting today, as you find the resolve to live the life you have always dreamt (Thoreau is pretty inspirational), remember one thing: from this day forward, you are now You, Inc. Substitute your name for “You” and it makes more sense. Because, no matter your passion, everything returns to business.