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Graduation. Commencement.

These two words sum up this season of remembering, reflecting, and celebrating; but also of moving forward onto a new phase.

At its roots, “graduation” celebrates the completion of a major life goal, degree by degree, like the lines on a thermometer. It is the result of working year after year, grade after grade, until, finally, a major life chapter is completed.

“Commencement” is moving forward into the next chapter.

As such, a graduation or commencement ceremony is the celebration of both looking back and moving forward.

Celebrate!

Once people enter the workforce, the emphasis is often only on moving forward. It becomes about the next thing, and the next thing, and the next thing. More, better, faster, in an endless loop. And often, to a fault, we forget to look back.

Dan Sullivan calls this “the gap and the gain.”

Sometimes, especially for a leader, it is essential to stop and celebrate your incremental successes. You have come farther than you realize!

Stop today and reflect on where you are and how you got here.

• Remembering where you came from keeps you grounded.
• Seeing how far you have come gives you confidence to move ahead.
• Reflecting on the challenges you have overcome gives you strength.
• Recalling the lessons you have learned gives you wisdom.
• Remembering the people who helped you get to where you are gives you gratitude.
• Noting past victories gives you hope for the future.

So, take the time – today – to throw that mortarboard into the air and celebrate!

Commence!

Now, here’s the thing, the mortarboard is not just a cap you wear to graduate. It is also what a brick mason uses to hold and work the mortar that holds the bricks in place. As such, it is symbolic of the work ahead. You are going forward – commencing, if you will – to build.

For leaders, there are seasons of incremental progress toward a goal. But once that goal is reached (and celebrated), it is time to move forward into a new phase of leadership growth and focus.

One of my dearest mentors, Dan Miller, used to say he was a “three-year man.” Every three years, he was compelled to commence in a new direction. This doesn’t mean he started something completely new (although there were those major shifts in his career). It meant he would review his strengths, experiences, work, values, and goals at the end of each season of life and business and then look ahead to determine what direction he should take next.

With the brick and mortar of his past lessons and successes, he moved on to each next phase to build a work that outlived him. Today, his work lives on in the lives of others.

Maybe you are a leader who is at a graduation point. You know a facet of your life and work is ending. Stop and celebrate!

But, also, don’t forget to reflect and move forward. Pick up your mortarboard and build!

For valuable resources on Leadership Strengths and Tools, click here.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!