<p>LAS, thanks so much for that link to Paul Grahams "What You'll Wish You'd Known" - I'm going to give it to my daughter. </p>
<p>Graham nails it when he writes: "...When a friend of mine used to grumble because he had to write a paper for school, his mother would tell him: find a way to make it interesting. That's what you need to do: find a question that makes the world interesting. People who do great things look at the same world everyone else does, but notice some odd detail that's compellingly mysterious...</p>
<p>...The important thing is to get out there and do stuff. Instead of waiting to be taught, go out and learn...</p>
<p>...Your life doesn't have to be shaped by admissions officers. It could be shaped by your own curiosity. It is for all ambitious adults. And you don't have to wait to start. In fact, you don't have to wait to be an adult. There's no switch inside you that magically flips when you turn a certain age or graduate from some institution. You start being an adult when you decide to take responsibility for your life. You can do that at any age...</p>
<p>...The only real difference between adults and high school kids is that adults realize they need to get things done, and high school kids don't. That realization hits most people around 23. But I'm letting you in on the secret early. So get to work. Maybe you can be the first generation whose greatest regret from high school isn't how much time you wasted..."</p>
<p>I wish he'd spoken at my graduation from middle school, but I don't think he was old enough back then. ;-)</p>
<p>Seriously - I found this to be a very refreshing piece and really appreciate your posting about it. Graham's insights and advice hold true for all of us.</p>