The current job market is experiencing a deep impact from AI technology, and the future of many popular jobs is full of uncertainty. At this historical moment, Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta, took to the graduation ceremony stage at Brandeis University to offer young people who are about to enter society a thought-provoking piece of advice.

Let Go of the Obsession with "Planning Your Life"

Sandberg directly told the graduates: there's no need to make a ten-year plan. She believes that in the current context where AI technology is reshaping the job market at an unprecedented speed, today's popular jobs may be completely different or even disappear within a few years. Trying to plan a straight life path is not only futile but may also cause people to miss valuable opportunities that could change their fate.

Her alternative solution is concise and powerful: just do two things—find a short-term direction and clarify the goals you are striving for now; at the same time, keep a long-term vision and think clearly about what kind of life you really want. "Don't get bogged down by how to connect the two into a straight line, because the brilliance of life lies precisely in those unpredictable surprises, and opportunities often lie right in these surprises."

Face Anxiety, but Also Believe in Resilience

Sandberg did not avoid the real pressures facing today's graduates. She admitted that she fully understands the career anxiety that the younger generation is currently facing—the outside world generally defines this year as "the most severe job market in decades." Acknowledging the difficulties is the sincerity of her speech.

However, she then shifted her tone and provided a broader historical perspective. "Every year, people say it's the hardest job market. This kind of statement probably has existed since the word 'graduation' came into being." She emphasized that she is not denying the difficulty of finding a job, but rather wants to convey a fact: each generation eventually found a way out and successfully overcame the difficulties. This confidence from history might be exactly what today's young people need most.