For an event aimed at university students, I had to prepare a presentation with useful advice for younger generations.
I asked myself: what have I learned in my first 50 years that might help someone starting work?
If I could send a message to my younger student self, what would I say?
I think life is a great journey and we are all explorers. Along the way, advice from someone who has already visited a place can be useful (for example, a good restaurant or a museum to visit).
I tried to write down 10 points I consider important for facing the world of work (not just for younger people), and which I constantly try to remember.
1️⃣ Lifelong learning: we are perpetual students
One day my daughter asked: "Dad, when will I stop studying?"
Thinking about my answer, I realised we never actually stop studying 😲
But if we must always study, then the art of learning how to learn becomes fundamental.
In my humble opinion, formal schooling exists precisely to build and refine this art (not least because we will forget many of the concepts), creating a method suited to our characteristics.
Learning how to learn well can make a difference in your career, especially today, when knowledge is increasingly fluid and evolving.
Studying keeps our minds young, and it is essential to keep feeding our curiosity.
We live in an age with an answer to everything; the real challenge is asking new questions.
2️⃣ Set a goal and pursue it with self-discipline
One thing I learned late was to stop and define my goals.
I always remind myself that: we are the goals we set ourselves.
When young, we should define them without limiting ourselves or letting context and conventions limit us.
Goals are perfect for learning too.
For example, suppose I want to learn digital marketing. Taking a course is not enough: set a goal requiring you to create something. Launch your blog by date x, or run an advertising campaign for a friend's business, for example.
Consistency, willpower and self-discipline are important attitudes for pursuing goals.
"Without haste, but without respite" (Leo Tolstoy)
3️⃣ Be good at more than one thing
Today, knowing how to do just one thing is no longer enough: we need to combine several skills (the T-shaped model is well known).
We live in the age of knowledge and information, making mastery of several subjects, from theory to practice, more accessible and easier.
Just think of knowing another language and using technology: these are fundamentals today that we did not have in the past.
4️⃣ Better to be unique than the best
Being the best makes you number one; being unique eliminates any possible competition.
There are several ways to achieve this. The most natural is to combine different skills (connecting to the previous point).
For example, a psychologist combining digital marketing and neuroscience, or, in another field, an orthopaedic specialist who is also an expert athletic trainer...
Combining two different things also underlies innovation, as does transferring a skill from one field to another.
For example, a sports coach becoming a coach for a corporate team.
It takes a little creativity to create a distinctive element. We also need to adopt a marketing approach to ourselves, to position ourselves better in the market.
5️⃣ Better to create your job than wait for it
Many new professions are emerging in today's labour market, and companies do not even know some of them exist.
The strategy of my generation, broadcasting a CV everywhere, is no longer enough.
Analyse what the market wants now and might want in the future, and be ready. Use the previous points to build expertise and get noticed through... (read the next point).
6️⃣ Work on your Personal Brand
Express yourself: show your skills and abilities in action.
Today we have an incredible number of tools for expressing ourselves. Use them and create your own communication channel.
Give to others: be generous.
For example, create a YouTube channel or blog explaining a specific activity.
Do more and give more. Your content demonstrates authority and credibility, and if you have value, companies will notice you.
By creating a strong Personal Brand, you will have companies coming to you.
"If you want more, you must become more" (Jim Rohn)
The personal branding is not showing off or narcissism.
7️⃣ Train creativity
Keep your creativity muscle trained.
This muscle is strong in childhood but risks atrophying in adulthood.
A creative spirit allows you to enjoy yourself more and achieve better results.
In the age of artificial intelligence, only creativity will save us.
Machines beat us hands down at vertical, rational thinking. We need to distinguish ourselves through lateral or divergent thinking.
Here is some content I hope will help: how to train creativity and keep it alive.
8️⃣ Know how to concentrate
In a world where interruptions and stimuli grow exponentially, staying focused becomes a distinguishing factor and a key to success.
If we follow every interruption, we will never bring our brains to their highest expression: the flow state.
Our mind is like a muscle. Imagine going for a run and stopping every 2 minutes: the training would be pointless.
Below are some techniques on how to improve concentration.
9️⃣ Manage yourself
When asked what he had learned in his long management career, the great Peter Ducker replied:
"You cannot manage others unless you first know how to manage yourself"
Finding personal balance is important; otherwise, we dump our problems and frustrations onto work and other people.
The idea extends to everything: you cannot inspire enthusiasm in a team unless you are energised yourself, or win a challenge unless you believe in it first.
In seeking balance and self-management, introducing meditation into our daily routine is a good habit.
🔟 Find your calling
It is a fact that when we do what we enjoy and are passionate about, we can give more.
In these cases, we do not feel fatigue, or feel it less, and can push further.
Opinions differ on passion: some argue we give it too much attention.
Personally, I find great strength in doing what I love. The difficulty is discovering our passion and making it meet market needs and our talents.
Sometimes passion comes afterwards: you start an activity that does not appeal to you, then fall in love with it as you get to know it.
But we can go further and find our calling.
Nike founder Phil Knight, in his famous book Shoe Dog (L'arte della vittoria in Italian), sends a message to young people:
"I would tell those not yet thirty not to settle for a job, a profession or even a career. Instead, look for a calling. Even if you do not know what it means, you must look for it."
The ultimate goal is finding a purpose in life, your why: why you get up in the morning and work tirelessly every day.
Conclusions
I hope these ideas help both young students and those entering the world of work.
I only became aware of many of these things after years of work, and there is still so much to discover.
I wish everyone the opportunity to explore as much as possible and share their experiences with others.