3 Success Tips for New Grads

It's a very exciting time of year.  It's time for all the hard work and effort for college students over the years to culminate in graduation.  It can also be a scary time for a lot of graduates.  For many, they have known school and working toward grades, etc. their whole life and now its all over.  They are asking, "Now what?"  or "What am I going to do?"  or "I have a job, but I'm still nervous, etc."

There is nothing odd about this.  In fact, it's almost a right of passage in life.  I've had the chance to speak to and advise a lot of grads over the years and we talk about a number of things, but I also make sure to tell them the following 3 tips to succeed.

#1:  Your Education Doesn't Stop at Graduation

The real world is different than school, especially in business or entrepreneurship.  There are so many opportunities and potential avenues out there for you.  Keep learning.  In fact, some of the best education you will get is self-education.  One of the best ways to succeed early on is to become a voracious self-developer.  Read books, listen to podcasts, go to sites like Skillshare or Udemy and learn from those doing it every day in the trenches.  Most importantly act on what you learn - don't just consume, try things out.  Don't worry if it fails...and that brings me to my next piece of advice to succeed.

#2:  Take Chances, Fail, and Enjoy the Ride (Learn about Asymmetric Risk)

Now, is not the time to be conservative.  For the next 3-5 years, you can really take chances and some risks, have some failures, and still be fine.  But, don't go out without common sense.  Learn to take "Asymetric Risk."  Asymmetric risks are risks that if taken, have small downsides, but have major upside potential.  If you can take a risk that if you fail, might hurt a little, but not wipe you out, but at the same time, if you succeed, have much more upside that even if you are half-right, it is major success - then you have an asymmetric Risk. 

For example, for someone who wants to invest in real estate, an asymmetric risk might be to buy a duplex and live in one side, while you rent the other out.  The rent from the other side may not cover all of the costs, but maybe you pay much less than you would if you just bought a place or rented one yourself.  And you are building equity in an asset that you can eventually move on from and keep for cashflow, sell, etc.  The upside is tremendous, and the downside is that you have to pay the full payment for your place to live if you don't have a renter for a little while.

#3:  Develop Your Financial Acumen  

Personal finance and financial education in general, is not something that is taught as mandatory is most curriculum.  This has always puzzled me and the reasons for not doing so that I speculate, I will save for another blog post. But, if you want to get off to a successful start, it literally pays, to get financially educated.  Understanding the language of money, debt, compound interest, and investing is critical to succeed throughout your life, so why not get started as soon as possible?   You can make it part of your new self-education routine.  Whatever you do, recognize the importance of increasing your financial IQ and commit to doing so.

If you implement these 3 tips in your life as a new grad, you will be light years ahead of your peers on the path to success.  Here's to a great start!