It’s the start of graduation season. My Facebook page is beginning to be covered up with pictures of students in caps and gowns. Students are achieving goals and preparing for the next stage.

I enjoy listening to commencement speeches. Good ideas come from them. Here’s a quote from former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw:

“You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.”

The mindset of taking your education and creating change is more appropriate than thinking graduation means you’ve achieved a level that assures success.

Change is happening pretty quickly these days. What was so a year or two ago is quickly outdated.

One who achieves a level education is wise to assume it’s just a starting point. Accepting that change is constant and that you will never be finished as a learner is the mindset for happening to the world

I got my last diploma in 1979. While I learned some stuff that is still useful today, I still recall there was only one computer on a campus of 50,000 students. I carry more computer power in my pocket today than was on our campus then.

Think of all that has occurred:

There were only three channels on the television. Since then cable has come and now seems on the way out.

Wireless. Overnight shipping. Low cost telephones. Cures for cancer. GPS. Robots. Self driving vehicles. Large, lightweight televisions. It goes on.

Everything you learn. Every time you learn. You are in a position to make changes that make things better. Use your ticket!