I’ve thought a lot about what I want to say to the Class of 26 as we walk together out of graduation today. As you know, this is my last year as Principal at Lincoln School, so in many ways I feel I’m graduating with you. But today isn’t about me, it’s about you, and I think what I’d like to do is leave you with a little advice as you enter the next important phase of your lives. So what follows are 5 lessons that won’t appear on a report card or transcript. They may be ATL Skills, or should be, but I’m not sure you’re going to see them posted on a wall or in ManageBac. That said, I think they may be some of the most important ideas you learn heading into adulthood.
The first is to assume good intent. Sandra Mora’s heard me say this more times than either of us can count. Most people, whether it appears to be so or not, are doing the best they can. They are carrying burdens we cannot see, navigating challenges we do not fully understand, and making decisions based on experiences that are sometimes very different from our own. The world often encourages us to be suspicious of one another, to assign motives before asking questions, and to assume the worst when we encounter disagreement or disappointment. I hope you choose a different path. I hope you learn to approach people with empathy before judgment and understanding before criticism. Some of the strongest relationships you will ever build will come not from always agreeing with others, but from your willingness to see their humanity even when you disagree.
That mindset naturally leads to something else I hope you carry with you: curiosity. One of my favorite lines from Ted Lasso is, “Be curious, not judgmental.” The older I get, the more wisdom I find in those four words. Curiosity keeps us open to new ideas, new perspectives, and new possibilities. It reminds us that we do not know everything and that every person we meet has something to teach us. As you move into the next phase of your lives, I hope you remain curious about the world and the people in it. Be curious about different cultures, different experiences, and different ways of thinking. Be curious about your own strengths and passions. Be curious enough to keep learning long after your formal education ends. The most successful people I know are not necessarily the smartest people in the room. They are often the ones who never stop asking questions.
At the same time, curiosity alone is not enough. A meaningful life is not built on good intentions or interesting ideas. It is built on what you do consistently over time. Aristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence…is a habit.” Whatever path you choose, I hope you commit yourself to doing your best every day. Not because perfection is possible, and certainly not because every day will be easy, but because excellence is the result of showing up prepared, putting in the effort, and continuing to improve even when nobody is watching. The accomplishments that matter most in life rarely happen because of one extraordinary moment. They happen because people make thousands of small decisions to do quality work, honor their commitments, and give their best effort day after day after day.
Of course, even your best effort will not guarantee success every time. Life has a way of humbling all of us. There will be moments when things do not go according to plan. You will face disappointments. You will experience failure. You will lose opportunities that seemed certain and encounter obstacles that feel unfair. When those moments come, I hope you remember a line from the greatest fictional pugilist of all time, Rocky Balboa. He said, “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” Resilience is one of the most important qualities you can develop because setbacks are not signs that you are on the wrong path. They are part of every meaningful journey. What matters is not whether you encounter challenges. What matters is whether you continue moving forward despite them. Some of the most successful and fulfilled people I know are not the ones who avoided failure. They are the ones who learned from it, adapted, and kept going.
As important as all of these things are, there is one lesson I hope stands above the rest. Years ago, Maya Angelou wrote, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” The longer I work in education, the more convinced I become that this is true. Years from now, people will not remember your GPA, your test scores, or many of the accomplishments that feel so important today. They will remember how you treated them. They will remember whether you listened, whether you cared, whether you showed kindness, and whether you made them feel respected and valued. In the end, your impact on the world will be measured not only by what you achieve, but by the difference you make in the lives of other people.
As you leave Lincoln, I hope you carry these ideas with you. Assume good intent. Stay curious. Do your best every day. Keep moving forward when life gets difficult. And never underestimate the power of making others feel seen, valued, and cared for. If you can do those things, I believe you will be successful in whatever path you choose. More importantly, I believe you will build a life that is meaningful, purposeful, and worthy of the gifts and opportunities you have been given.
The world you are about to enter needs people like that. It needs people who are curious rather than judgmental, resilient rather than discouraged, compassionate rather than cynical, and committed to excellence rather than comfort. My hope for each of you is that wherever life takes you next, you will be that kind of person. And if you are, I have no doubt that your best days are still ahead of you.
Garrenteed Learning 