so who here has a career plan hands up master plan any sort of plan okay a lot
master plan any sort of plan okay a lot
master plan any sort of plan okay a lot of you that’s pretty good and now I’m
of you that’s pretty good and now I’m
of you that’s pretty good and now I’m gonna tell you why that probably won’t
gonna tell you why that probably won’t
gonna tell you why that probably won’t matter
matter
matter so today I’m talking about career path
so today I’m talking about career path
so today I’m talking about career path uncertainty how to deal with it and why
uncertainty how to deal with it and why
uncertainty how to deal with it and why it’s not necessarily a bad thing
it’s not necessarily a bad thing
it’s not necessarily a bad thing When I was your age and in high school I
When I was your age and in high school I
When I was your age and in high school I had the whole plan I knew every step I
had the whole plan I knew every step I
had the whole plan I knew every step I had actually written down my entire life
had actually written down my entire life
had actually written down my entire life story for ten years and this is what I
story for ten years and this is what I
story for ten years and this is what I thought it would look like I would
thought it would look like I would
thought it would look like I would graduate from school with a business
graduate from school with a business
graduate from school with a business degree get a job in finance and slowly
degree get a job in finance and slowly
degree get a job in finance and slowly work my way up until I was going to be
work my way up until I was going to be
work my way up until I was going to be the head of a large investment fund nice
the head of a large investment fund nice
the head of a large investment fund nice clean sequential steps the entire way
clean sequential steps the entire way
clean sequential steps the entire way but as you may have guessed from the
but as you may have guessed from the
but as you may have guessed from the title of my talk that’s not exactly how
title of my talk that’s not exactly how
title of my talk that’s not exactly how it turned out
it turned out
it turned out this is what my career path actually
this is what my career path actually
this is what my career path actually looked like I did graduate with a
looked like I did graduate with a
looked like I did graduate with a business degree I got an incredible job
business degree I got an incredible job
business degree I got an incredible job at a school but wasn’t quite enough so I
at a school but wasn’t quite enough so I
at a school but wasn’t quite enough so I moved to London helped my firm build an
moved to London helped my firm build an
moved to London helped my firm build an office there but then jump to an even
office there but then jump to an even
office there but then jump to an even more prestigious investment fund with
more prestigious investment fund with
more prestigious investment fund with even bigger ambitions and even with the
even bigger ambitions and even with the
even bigger ambitions and even with the dream job I had that wasn’t quite what I
dream job I had that wasn’t quite what I
dream job I had that wasn’t quite what I wanted so out of whim I quit my job I
wanted so out of whim I quit my job I
wanted so out of whim I quit my job I traveled the world and I came back to
traveled the world and I came back to
traveled the world and I came back to Toronto I started a company charge spot
Toronto I started a company charge spot
Toronto I started a company charge spot I was of starving entrepreneur living on
I was of starving entrepreneur living on
I was of starving entrepreneur living on ramen you guys will soon know the
ramen you guys will soon know the
ramen you guys will soon know the feeling
feeling
feeling we raise money we grew really fast
we raise money we grew really fast
we raise money we grew really fast we failed we struggled we recovered we
we failed we struggled we recovered we
we failed we struggled we recovered we grew again and Here I am standing right
grew again and Here I am standing right
grew again and Here I am standing right here in front of you guys today
here in front of you guys today
here in front of you guys today and you guys are all probably thinking
and you guys are all probably thinking
and you guys are all probably thinking man that’s really messed up it is a
man that’s really messed up it is a
man that’s really messed up it is a super disjointed career path but what I
super disjointed career path but what I
super disjointed career path but what I want to share with you is that it’s
want to share with you is that it’s
want to share with you is that it’s actually quite normal everybody has a
actually quite normal everybody has a
actually quite normal everybody has a plan every successful person has a
plan every successful person has a
plan every successful person has a vision of how things are supposed to
vision of how things are supposed to
vision of how things are supposed to turn out but they also face uncertainty
turn out but they also face uncertainty
turn out but they also face uncertainty missteps unexpected events the whole way
missteps unexpected events the whole way
missteps unexpected events the whole way in fact the only constant throughout any
in fact the only constant throughout any
in fact the only constant throughout any number of career paths will be you
number of career paths will be you
number of career paths will be you guessed it uncertainty and so when I
guessed it uncertainty and so when I
guessed it uncertainty and so when I graduated from university got my first
graduated from university got my first
graduated from university got my first job my peers would sit around the
job my peers would sit around the
job my peers would sit around the lunchroom table and we would all
lunchroom table and we would all
lunchroom table and we would all strategize on how we would achieve our
strategize on how we would achieve our
strategize on how we would achieve our goal of becoming a partner at a really
goal of becoming a partner at a really
goal of becoming a partner at a really large investment fund and do you know
large investment fund and do you know
large investment fund and do you know what they’re doing today the first one
what they’re doing today the first one
what they’re doing today the first one is a partner at a large investment fund
is a partner at a large investment fund
is a partner at a large investment fund he actually made it the next one is a
he actually made it the next one is a
he actually made it the next one is a CEO of a chicken transportation company
CEO of a chicken transportation company
CEO of a chicken transportation company the next one runs a Chocolate Factory in
the next one runs a Chocolate Factory in
the next one runs a Chocolate Factory in California and one buys and sells
California and one buys and sells
California and one buys and sells software companies out of Florida none
software companies out of Florida none
software companies out of Florida none of these none of my friends would have
of these none of my friends would have
of these none of my friends would have guessed that this is where they ended up
guessed that this is where they ended up
guessed that this is where they ended up but each one of them is really
but each one of them is really
but each one of them is really successful and very happy in their own
successful and very happy in their own
successful and very happy in their own right career path uncertainty permeates
right career path uncertainty permeates
right career path uncertainty permeates all sectors roles walks you cannot avoid
all sectors roles walks you cannot avoid
all sectors roles walks you cannot avoid it so if everybody faces it why am I
it so if everybody faces it why am I
it so if everybody faces it why am I here talking about it to you guys today
here talking about it to you guys today
here talking about it to you guys today well it’s because startups are a case
well it’s because startups are a case
well it’s because startups are a case study in uncertainty and let me
study in uncertainty and let me
study in uncertainty and let me illustrate this for you this graph shows
illustrate this for you this graph shows
illustrate this for you this graph shows that nearly 90% of 22,000 startups faced
that nearly 90% of 22,000 startups faced
that nearly 90% of 22,000 startups faced uncertainty hurdles and failures along
uncertainty hurdles and failures along
uncertainty hurdles and failures along the way 90%
the way 90%
the way 90% and remember behind each and every one
and remember behind each and every one
and remember behind each and every one of these statistics is a person not so
of these statistics is a person not so
of these statistics is a person not so indifferent for myself they’re smart
indifferent for myself they’re smart
indifferent for myself they’re smart ambitious and they had a plan a plan so
ambitious and they had a plan a plan so
ambitious and they had a plan a plan so compelling they were given millions of
compelling they were given millions of
compelling they were given millions of dollars to execute on it but yet 90% of
dollars to execute on it but yet 90% of
dollars to execute on it but yet 90% of them didn’t go to plan I was actually
them didn’t go to plan I was actually
them didn’t go to plan I was actually told by my CEO coach just about about a
told by my CEO coach just about about a
told by my CEO coach just about about a month ago dealing with uncertainty is my
month ago dealing with uncertainty is my
month ago dealing with uncertainty is my job as a start-up founder and so good
job as a start-up founder and so good
job as a start-up founder and so good thing uncertainty is a constant because
thing uncertainty is a constant because
thing uncertainty is a constant because now I will always have a job so let’s
now I will always have a job so let’s
now I will always have a job so let’s talk really quickly about some of the
talk really quickly about some of the
talk really quickly about some of the causes of this uncertainty the first one
causes of this uncertainty the first one
causes of this uncertainty the first one is external factors some of them could
is external factors some of them could
is external factors some of them could be as simple as one company buying
be as simple as one company buying
be as simple as one company buying another company your role being made
another company your role being made
another company your role being made redundant and all of a sudden you’re out
redundant and all of a sudden you’re out
redundant and all of a sudden you’re out of a job maybe it’s a new job maybe it’s
of a job maybe it’s a new job maybe it’s
of a job maybe it’s a new job maybe it’s a different career but you’re not on the
a different career but you’re not on the
a different career but you’re not on the same path it could be as severe as war
same path it could be as severe as war
same path it could be as severe as war war change is not just careers guys
war change is not just careers guys
war change is not just careers guys divorce changes lives people’s countries
divorce changes lives people’s countries
divorce changes lives people’s countries right completely out of your control
right completely out of your control
right completely out of your control so let’s illustrate this with the last
so let’s illustrate this with the last
so let’s illustrate this with the last one how many of you guys in the audience
one how many of you guys in the audience
one how many of you guys in the audience remember the recession of 2008 hands up
remember the recession of 2008 hands up
remember the recession of 2008 hands up Wow that was way more than I expected
Wow that was way more than I expected
Wow that was way more than I expected that was at the start of my career so I
that was at the start of my career so I
that was at the start of my career so I probably seem like a dinosaur to you
probably seem like a dinosaur to you
probably seem like a dinosaur to you guys but I saw my peers rising stars
guys but I saw my peers rising stars
guys but I saw my peers rising stars people with 4.0 GPA s the first picks
people with 4.0 GPA s the first picks
people with 4.0 GPA s the first picks when people were hiring lose their jobs
when people were hiring lose their jobs
when people were hiring lose their jobs overnight like this why because a few
overnight like this why because a few
overnight like this why because a few bankers were too reckless with their
bankers were too reckless with their
bankers were too reckless with their money at the time in fact during the
money at the time in fact during the
money at the time in fact during the recession nearly 1 in 8 people lost
recession nearly 1 in 8 people lost
recession nearly 1 in 8 people lost their jobs the average Joe had no role
their jobs the average Joe had no role
their jobs the average Joe had no role to play in this except getting screwed
to play in this except getting screwed
to play in this except getting screwed and it was completely out of their
and it was completely out of their
and it was completely out of their control so ok kind of dire but don’t
control so ok kind of dire but don’t
control so ok kind of dire but don’t worry you’ll get better
worry you’ll get better
worry you’ll get better next internal factors your values how
next internal factors your values how
next internal factors your values how you perceive the world will change over
you perceive the world will change over
you perceive the world will change over your life and that is going to redefine
your life and that is going to redefine
your life and that is going to redefine your definition of success and if you
your definition of success and if you
your definition of success and if you have a new goal a new definition of
have a new goal a new definition of
have a new goal a new definition of success your career path is going to
success your career path is going to
success your career path is going to change so you can achieve it it’s really
change so you can achieve it it’s really
change so you can achieve it it’s really simple and over the next four years as
simple and over the next four years as
simple and over the next four years as you guys go to university you will set
you guys go to university you will set
you guys go to university you will set out on a very different path than the
out on a very different path than the
out on a very different path than the one you’re thinking about today the
one you’re thinking about today the
one you’re thinking about today the interactions you have will alter how you
interactions you have will alter how you
interactions you have will alter how you see the world let’s take a very simple
see the world let’s take a very simple
see the world let’s take a very simple example if you are in a classroom that
example if you are in a classroom that
example if you are in a classroom that prioritizes openness acceptance of
prioritizes openness acceptance of
prioritizes openness acceptance of different opinions those values will
different opinions those values will
different opinions those values will form and you will carry those forward on
form and you will carry those forward on
form and you will carry those forward on the other hand if you are in a class
the other hand if you are in a class
the other hand if you are in a class where the prof prioritizes undemanding
where the prof prioritizes undemanding
where the prof prioritizes undemanding respect authority you’re going to
respect authority you’re going to
respect authority you’re going to develop values of conformity and you’ll
develop values of conformity and you’ll
develop values of conformity and you’ll take that onwards you can’t change that
take that onwards you can’t change that
take that onwards you can’t change that to further illustrate this guy’s who
to further illustrate this guy’s who
to further illustrate this guy’s who here has an idea of what they want to be
here has an idea of what they want to be
here has an idea of what they want to be right when they get out of university
right when they get out of university
right when they get out of university hands up okay
hands up okay
hands up okay quite a lot of you this is how many of
quite a lot of you this is how many of
quite a lot of you this is how many of you will want to change your career path
you will want to change your career path
you will want to change your career path in just the first years that you’re out
in just the first years that you’re out
in just the first years that you’re out let alone if that is the path that you
let alone if that is the path that you
let alone if that is the path that you stick to over the next four for me I had
stick to over the next four for me I had
stick to over the next four for me I had the job I had dreamed about when I came
the job I had dreamed about when I came
the job I had dreamed about when I came out of school but experiences
out of school but experiences
out of school but experiences volunteering in Kenya meeting to now
volunteering in Kenya meeting to now
volunteering in Kenya meeting to now love of my life my wife helped me
love of my life my wife helped me
love of my life my wife helped me prioritize relationships community
prioritize relationships community
prioritize relationships community spending time with people that mattered
spending time with people that mattered
spending time with people that mattered spending time with entrepreneurs made me
spending time with entrepreneurs made me
spending time with entrepreneurs made me want to build something make a
want to build something make a
want to build something make a difference and all of a sudden
difference and all of a sudden
difference and all of a sudden everything that I had strived for worked
everything that I had strived for worked
everything that I had strived for worked 90 hours a week for didn’t matter now I
90 hours a week for didn’t matter now I
90 hours a week for didn’t matter now I want to build something create something
want to build something create something
want to build something create something and help people build their own careers
and help people build their own careers
and help people build their own careers okay so I basically told you that you
okay so I basically told you that you
okay so I basically told you that you can’t control what’s gonna happen in the
can’t control what’s gonna happen in the
can’t control what’s gonna happen in the world and you can’t control what you’re
world and you can’t control what you’re
world and you can’t control what you’re gonna change in the world it’s not all
gonna change in the world it’s not all
gonna change in the world it’s not all dire
dire
dire so what do you do up to this point I
so what do you do up to this point I
so what do you do up to this point I told you that uncertainty is the only
told you that uncertainty is the only
told you that uncertainty is the only constant in your career path but now I’m
constant in your career path but now I’m
constant in your career path but now I’m gonna give you guys the power to add one
gonna give you guys the power to add one
gonna give you guys the power to add one more constant into that and that is
more constant into that and that is
more constant into that and that is learning and growth so each one of these
learning and growth so each one of these
learning and growth so each one of these unexpected events the twists the
unexpected events the twists the
unexpected events the twists the setbacks that you guys are going to
setbacks that you guys are going to
setbacks that you guys are going to encounter provide an amazing opportunity
encounter provide an amazing opportunity
encounter provide an amazing opportunity to learn so you don’t make the same
to learn so you don’t make the same
to learn so you don’t make the same mistake again and you come out a better
mistake again and you come out a better
mistake again and you come out a better person on the back of it this type of
person on the back of it this type of
person on the back of it this type of mindset is called the growth mindset and
mindset is called the growth mindset and
mindset is called the growth mindset and it was pioneered by Professor Carol
it was pioneered by Professor Carol
it was pioneered by Professor Carol Dweck a Stanford University psychologist
Dweck a Stanford University psychologist
Dweck a Stanford University psychologist professor Dweck doesn’t see the world in
professor Dweck doesn’t see the world in
professor Dweck doesn’t see the world in terms of successes and failures she sees
terms of successes and failures she sees
terms of successes and failures she sees the world in terms of learners and non
the world in terms of learners and non
the world in terms of learners and non learners but it’s no coincidence that
learners but it’s no coincidence that
learners but it’s no coincidence that the learners are the successful ones in
the learners are the successful ones in
the learners are the successful ones in life and the fact that you guys are
life and the fact that you guys are
life and the fact that you guys are sitting right here today signals me that
sitting right here today signals me that
sitting right here today signals me that you’re probably learners and that is
you’re probably learners and that is
you’re probably learners and that is super important because if you got 1%
super important because if you got 1%
super important because if you got 1% better every day
better every day
better every day from now until the time you finished
from now until the time you finished
from now until the time you finished University in four years time you will
University in four years time you will
University in four years time you will literally be 2 million times better do
literally be 2 million times better do
literally be 2 million times better do the math it is not easy to learn develop
the math it is not easy to learn develop
the math it is not easy to learn develop and maintain this mindset I struggled
and maintain this mindset I struggled
and maintain this mindset I struggled for years doing it as you might have
for years doing it as you might have
for years doing it as you might have been remembered during my career slide
been remembered during my career slide
been remembered during my career slide the squiggly one I told you that we
the squiggly one I told you that we
the squiggly one I told you that we struggle that charge spot and we did if
struggle that charge spot and we did if
struggle that charge spot and we did if I had let those failures get me down
I had let those failures get me down
I had let those failures get me down slow me down and I didn’t adapt and
slow me down and I didn’t adapt and
slow me down and I didn’t adapt and learn we wouldn’t be here as a company
learn we wouldn’t be here as a company
learn we wouldn’t be here as a company day we wouldn’t employ the people that
day we wouldn’t employ the people that
day we wouldn’t employ the people that we do today I wouldn’t be standing on
we do today I wouldn’t be standing on
we do today I wouldn’t be standing on this stage that ability to learn adapt
this stage that ability to learn adapt
this stage that ability to learn adapt and grow is what’s going to keep you
and grow is what’s going to keep you
and grow is what’s going to keep you light years ahead of your peers
light years ahead of your peers
light years ahead of your peers ok guys so let’s wrap this up super
ok guys so let’s wrap this up super
ok guys so let’s wrap this up super quick takeaways one always have a plan
quick takeaways one always have a plan
quick takeaways one always have a plan the most successful people in the world
the most successful people in the world
the most successful people in the world have a plan but 2x
have a plan but 2x
have a plan but 2x fact that planned to change regardless
fact that planned to change regardless
fact that planned to change regardless of how good you think your plan is it
of how good you think your plan is it
of how good you think your plan is it will not survive first contact
will not survive first contact
will not survive first contact remember the 22,000 startups it didn’t
remember the 22,000 startups it didn’t
remember the 22,000 startups it didn’t survive first contact
survive first contact
survive first contact but finally learn adapt and grow as this
but finally learn adapt and grow as this
but finally learn adapt and grow as this plan changes that’s really important if
plan changes that’s really important if
plan changes that’s really important if you guys can learn to do that today
you guys can learn to do that today
you guys can learn to do that today you’ll be able to enjoy the journey and
you’ll be able to enjoy the journey and
you’ll be able to enjoy the journey and I’m sure that for each and every single
I’m sure that for each and every single
I’m sure that for each and every single one of you it will be a phenomenal
one of you it will be a phenomenal
one of you it will be a phenomenal journey so guys thanks a lot for taking
journey so guys thanks a lot for taking
journey so guys thanks a lot for taking our time I hope you have an amazing day
our time I hope you have an amazing day
our time I hope you have an amazing day congrats on being here
congrats on being here
congrats on being here [Applause]
”
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