Life advice from Eric Hippeau and Paul Berry
On October 10th, I interviewed Lerer Ventures Partner Eric Hippeau for our series at NYU Inside the Internet Garage. We’ll post the edited video this coming week. Eric was asked a question by a student about how to manage one’s career and life and I wanted to share his answer with you.
I can only paraphrase what he said. ”If you are unhappy somewhere you should leave that place. There are always new jobs and new industries. It’s ok to move to a job you’re not sure about if it gets you out of place you know you don’t like.” Time and again, you will hear from successful people that you should:
- follow your dreams
- be passionate about what you do
- love your work
- take risks
- believe in yourself
- Don’t settle
I really hope everybody (young and old) hears this message. If you work hard, dreams can come true.
Just in the Lerer portfolio alone, are dozens of jobs to get started with your career. And that’s tip of the iceberg for the network industries.
Paul Berry, CEO of RebelMouse and SohoLabs, joined us for a lively discussion about education. Paul, an NYU Gallatin and ITP Grad, added some profound advice for today’s students. The three of us were having healthy, perhaps even vigorous debate about the merits of higher education when Paul said and again I’m paraphrasing from memory, “I stayed at NYU because I was having an amazing time. I loved the people I was meeting (Jonah Peretti among others) and what I was learning. If you don’t love it maybe you shouldn’t stay.”
These comments are useful filters for people to check whether they are on the path to enlightenment or wasting time. Love what you do. Not just as a student, but also as a professional. Many people will grind you down and tell you this is no longer possible. Don’t cave to that.
Listen to Eric, Paul and all the other members of the “the glass is 90% full” community.
