As graduates, you will soon realize (if you have not already realized) that you are being reborn into a society with a sharp competitive edge and a weakened economy. The job market is crowded with a host of applicants who have more experience, more knowledge, and more qualifications than you have at this point. The internet is crowded, too. Social networking, blogs dedicated to every topic under the sun, and job hunting sites appear at virtually every click of the mouse. Each one promises to give you the advice, tools, and competitive advantage needed to help you secure your ideal job and establish the career of your dreams. While all of this information provides you with a generic blueprint to follow as you build your career, it often forgets to include the details that add character to any finished product. The color scheme, the agricultural architecture, the décor, the style, the hip-thrusting wiggle; these are the things that set products apart from all the rest.

Our generation has been led to believe that we are special and deserving of all of the things we could ever want. While this makes for a nice fairy tale, it does not fit into the schema of the existing world. Before you land your dream job, before you establish yourself as a competent and successful professional in an industry, before you top record sales and the world knows your name, you have to understand exactly what it is you have to offer that sets you apart from all the rest. Otherwise, you get lost in the mix. When you believe that the world is yours for the taking, you get overshadowed, swallowed even. When you focus on your corner of the world (i.e. your area of expertise, interest, or passion), you invite a realistic scale of success to take root within yourself. You also leave plenty of room for growth and expansion.

Finding your place in the world at this time in your life comes by placing yourself in uncomfortable and often less than ideal situations where you can grow and learn and hone your skills. By now, most of you already have a great idea of what your talents and passions are. It’s time to apply your interests and the knowledge you have gained to a much bigger stage; it’s time to perform what you have practiced. No amount of information or advice can map out your path in five simple steps. The good news is you don’t need it to.

The world may not yet know your name know by heart, and that’s okay (for now). The world, after all, is nothing more than what you make it. This is true of your name, too. You know where it came from, who gave it to you, what it means and what you will do with it. In 2010, when your peers are striving to meet the mold of the perfect job applicant or young professional, save yourself time and effort and resolve to simply be the perfect you. In a world full of Elvis impersonators, there could be only one Elvis. Despite being laughed at and looked down on for much of his life, Elvis stuck to his own rhythm. Not only did it end up being the trait that identified him from all other musicians of his time, it also changed the face of music and paved roads for others to do unimaginable things. Any product can be duplicated; only one can be the real deal.

Michael Jackson would never have done the moon walk if Elvis had not already mastered the art of rockin’ his blue suede shoes. The gift that you have to bestow upon the world is one that is uniquely yours. Everything you have learned and experienced up to this point has been enough to get you to the next stage. Realizing this means that you are already ten steps ahead of most, who will be absently scratching their heads on graduation day and wondering where they are and what is next. Stand tall, don’t relent your unique rhythm to critics or competitors, and passionately pursue the one thing that gets you so excited you just can’t sit still. And, when in doubt, follow this basic premise: Love what you do, Honor who you are, and seek to apply Truth in all of your daily endeavors.