Read a full article on MSNBC


Here are some excerpts I really like which turn out to be most of them.

Brian Sharples, 51, CEO of HomeAway


If you want to be truly happy in life then pursue a career that is aligned with your passion. If you're lucky enough to understand what it is then get started early. Don't focus on money or what other people might think. In the long run, if you do what you love then great rewards, financial or otherwise, will arrive.


Before settling into work mode, I probably would have spent a bit more time traveling – seeing the world and meeting people along the way who have explored the planet and themselves. My perspective was too narrow for too long, and traveling may have helped me discover my own passions earlier in life.


 I was more focused on getting good grades than actually learning something. There's a huge difference.  Later in life you better understand the privilege of having four (or more) years to absorb knowledge without the distractions of the real life that will follow.


John Veihmeyer, 55, Chairman and CEO of KPMG LLP


Here’s the piece of advice I always pass along: Personal integrity is thecritical success factor for an individual. And that includes a concern for others and your community. People who take a longer term view – who think about becoming a successful person first, and then a successful business person 


The biggest mistake I almost made was turning down an opportunity to move into a different role within KPMG, which I initially viewed as a bad career move. Thankfully, I listened to the advice of a mentor and accepted the new role, and it turned out to be a great career move. The key learning for me here was to seek career guidance and inspiration from others rather than going it alone.


Be a life-long learner. Don’t view college as the end of your learning experience.


My father taught me the keys to succeeding in business were treating everyone you come in contact with - from the most junior person employee to the biggest client - with respect, as well as always maintaining your personal integrity.




Rick Arquilla, 59, president and COO, Roto-Rooter


Find something you are passionate about and the money will take care of itself.


Memorizing and regurgitating will pass the course but it is not learning!






Linda Bowden, 60, President, PNC, New Jersey


I would have worried less about thinking I needed to know it all.


I also would have been more fearless in terms of knowing it was OK to make mistakes—we all do, especially early in our careers.


Staying too long in a role that I knew in my heart was not right for me was probably one of the biggest mistakes I made.


 As far as the one thing I wish I’d listened to while in college, it would’ve been the observation that it’s OK to fail. Your failures can sometimes be your greatest learning opportunity. It comes back to the idea of believing in yourself, and realizing those experiences represent an opportunity to learn and develop new skills.




Brian MacLean, 58, President and COO, Travelers Insurance


Most of life's really challenging issues are multi-dimensional and can't be solved with a sound bite or a one line vision statement. To resolve difficult issues you need serious people willing to work hard to understand different perspectives and look for collaborative solutions. It's never easy.