Published: 1:28 pm August 27, 2021 | Updated: 1:28 pm August 27, 2021

Graduation is a much-awaited event for everyone. The ceremony signifies the closing of a chapter in one’s life after learning new things in school and surpassing challenges in the student life. It brings mixed feelings of sadness from saying goodbye to friends and the high school life, and joy from the anticipation of what’s next. […]

Graduation is a much-awaited event for everyone. The ceremony signifies the closing of a chapter in one’s life after learning new things in school and surpassing challenges in the student life. It brings mixed feelings of sadness from saying goodbye to friends and the high school life, and joy from the anticipation of what’s next.

As the Baby Tams bid a final farewell to FEU High School, they take with them a final lesson in the form of 5 best pieces of advice from their graduation ceremony’s speaker, award-winning serial entrepreneur, impact investor, educator, and biologist, Ms. Ma. Antonia Odelia “Maoi” G. Arroyo.

5 Pro Tips About Adulting and Building a Future That You Can Design to be Future Forward by Ms. Maoi Arroyo

Pro Tip #1

Whatever you do, fail forward.

This means that you can actually do something good. Even if you fail, you can make something of your life. Even if you fail and hate failure, you can be not afraid of it, because you can move forward from it. It is much better to move forward and try different things. Try and fail maybe, because you are allowed U-turns. You’re so young that you have to try to make this world a better place.

And if you fail, you can get up and do better.

Pro Tip #2

Marry yourself first and as soon as possible.

When you put the ring on your own finger, you should promise that you will love yourself in sickness and in health for better, or for worse, for richer or for poorer, because you are going to fail.

You must still love yourself. This doesn’t mean that you let yourself get away with anything that’s obviously not right, but you must love yourself so that you can be the best version of yourself.

You cannot expect anyone else to love you for who you are if you yourself don’t love yourself for everything that you are with all your curves and all your edges.

Pro Tip #3

Love before you lead.

This means love of the future that we’re trying to create together; love of the principle that we’re trying to live out love of each other and love of what we want in our lives; and love of the people of the world and love for what they might be. The secret of wealth and of business is to serve more people as smart as you can, as fast as you can, and as creatively as you can, and you will make money. True wealth can only be obtained by doing what you love in the service of people who will grow to love what you do. Do what you love, be passionate. Serve the people the best way that you can, who will grow to love what you do. You will change the world in ways that will surpass your imagination for as long as you do what you love in the service of people who will grow to love what you do.

Pro Tip #4

Choose to be Filipino first.

First, buy Filipino products. Check the label and make sure it’s made in the Philippines to support local products. Second, start a complaint jar. You are encouraged in your families to start a complaint jar in your homes. Every time you complain about something or say something negative about Filipinos or the Philippines, take some money and put it in the complaint jar. And then, donate the money to the nearest public school to people who need an education. It’s not enough to complain. You must do something about it. The Filipino cannot just be worth dying for. They must be worth living for and worth living here for, and we cannot make a better country unless we put our money where our mouth is.

Pro Tip #5

If you want to make a difference, be the difference

In one word, this means integrity. It’s the consistent application of a moral code. Live by your principles. Live by what you believe in. Don’t let your social media posts and your lives preach different messages. There are people who will tell you to pray the serenity prayer: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.” Choose this different philosophy. It’s time to pray that we are granted the courage to change the things that we can no longer accept. It’s up to us to make a better future for everybody.

As a final word, Ms. Arroyo said, “I’m not saying it will be easy, but I do promise you it will be worth it. Always remember that you have love around you, bright behind you, and a great future ahead of you.”

About Ms. Maoi Arroyo

Ms. Arroyo is a graduate of the University of the Philippines with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Biology. She finished her post graduate studies at Cambridge University with a degree of Master in Philosophy in BioScience.

She is an adjunct professor at the Asian Institute of Management. In 2018, she became the founder and principal of the Ignite Impact Fund, the first fund focused exclusively on eradicating income and access poverty in the Philippines. Her entrepreneurship career began in 2004 when she founded Hybridigm Consulting, the premier and pioneering innovation consulting and commercialization firm in the Philippines. The firm had made it possible for innovators to commercialize their technologies. They have served over 20 clients, developed policy for government, facilitated more than $3.5M in biotechnology investments, trained more than 17,000 aspiring entrepreneurs, and created more than 3,500 jobs.