It’s graduation season and that means thousands of people are sitting out in the sun, listening names get called through the PA system. All in anticipation of hearing the few syllables of their loved one’s name, the one they drove all this way for.
I understand the tradition here. There is something special about dressing up in a cap and gown, walking across the stage to receive your diploma. It’s a threshold that parents, grandparents and relatives all want to see you cross. There’s something tangible about it that makes it instantly recognizable.
But sometimes I wonder if we’re acknowledging other things, too. Did you dress up and celebrate when you got your first freelancing client? When you built your first website? When you wrote your first blog post?
These are all thresholds, too. Some could be even more influential than your college graduation. For a great entrepreneur, designer, author, creation is the moment to remember.
Traditions are strong, but we can always add new ones on top of old institutions. If we celebrate creators, we will get more creators. If we celebrate compliance, we get more compliance. Know what matters and celebrate when it happens.