Philanthropist David Roux, who made possible the Roux Center for the Environment at Bowdoin College, imparted some wonderful advice to Bowdoin seniors at the recent Bowdoin Baccalaureate Ceremony.

His thoughts can benefit anyone, even those not beginning life after college. Some examples:

“There’s no more important posture than quiet reflection about where you are right now — in the moment.”

“Be open, withhold judgment, seek understanding, particularly invest in relationships, and always act with integrity and purpose in your here and now.”

“Be wary of the great evil which is envy, the rising tyranny of TikTok, and the illusions of others make-believe lives on Instagram. I call this disease ‘comparisonitis.’ It’s more dangerous than COVID. Your true self is inside, not an outside veneer subject to the likes and dislikes of social media opinion.”

“Make your right now moments count.”

“Whether you are an aspiring musician, hard-charging journalist, environmental scientist, budding entrepreneur — monomaniacal focus and getting good at something is what matters in building a foundation for your future. My advice to you is learn your craft. Don’t board a bus, learn to drive the bus.”

“Whatever you intend to do, learn to do it well.”

“Be obsessed with where you are going, not how you get there.”

“Seek avidly and accept gratefully as much risk as you can tolerate. It is an integral part of a fully articulated life.”

“I’m not against dabbling, sampling different options, and exploring the world around you I’m simply saying that the wandering minstrel is unlikely to become Bad Bunny or Taylor Swift, playing arena rock ‘n’ roll to legions of fans.”

I would add from own personal experience that it’s essential in any career (or in any life) to learn how to sell. By “sell” I don’t mean just selling a product or a service. I mean selling an idea or a vision and, most important, yourself. Remember the words of Maya Angelou: “At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said. They will remember how you made them feel.” If you don’t want to be lonely, try to make sure that other people feel good just being around you.

Perhaps every student at every college should be required to take a course in “persuasion.” And/or public speaking. Skills in persuasion and public speaking will count more in the career marketplace than a fancy grade point average.

And one more thought. Because of rampant grade inflation in college and high school — “A” is the most common grade around the country at both levels — students come to believe that a “B” is bad. That’s just not the way life works. Every person gets plenty of Bs and Cs and Ds and sometimes Fs, one way or another along the way. Be persistent and flexible while navigating through life’s choppy waters? That’s the true test.

The just-a-little-older readers of this column will have neither the time nor the will to put in the thousands of hours required to achieve Taylor Swiftian status in any area. We have enough trouble holding a memory in our head or carrying a tune in a bucket or lifting a suitcase weighing more than a small book.

We do, however, have time for quiet reflection. We have the time to make the right now moments count. And we also have the time to invest in good relationships, which is more important than ever with the passing of family members and friends. And, best of all, we don’t need to worry about keeping up with the Jones or anyone else for that matter.

Toward the end of his compelling talk, Roux quoted his favorite line from Shakespeare, the one in which Hamlet said, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.