You Are Here: Why Your Starting Point Is Enough

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

That’s the first thing I tell people — whether it’s a college grad unsure what to do next, or a young professional feeling discouraged after a tough week at work. I’ve been in the investment business for nearly two decades, and I’ve seen this pattern again and again: bright, ambitious people feeling like they’re falling behind simply because life isn’t unfolding exactly how they imagined.

But here’s the truth: you are not behind. You’re just at the beginning. And your beginning is enough.

The Pressure to Be “There” Already

Every year we welcome a new class of incoming analysts — smart, driven individuals from top schools. Many of them arrive with sky-high expectations, and it’s not long before some start to question themselves.

“I thought this job would feel more exciting.”

“Is this the right place for me?”

“My classmates are doing X, Y, and Z. Am I falling behind?”

They’re not alone. I hear these questions often. And I always say: There’s no perfect place. Every job has problems. Every path has uncertainty.

As Tony Robbins once said, the only people without problems are the ones in the cemetery. Problems are part of life — and often, they’re signals that we’re growing.

Don’t Fear the Wondering — It’s a Gift

So if you’re wondering, if you’re doubting, that’s not failure. That’s the beginning of curiosity. That’s life asking you to slow down and get honest about where you are.

And that’s where the magic begins.

When I talk to young professionals — or even seasoned clients reinventing themselves — I often suggest this simple framework:What’s working? What’s not? What matters to you right now?Not what mattered last year. Not what your friends or mentors expect of you. Just right now.

Sometimes the issue isn’t the job, or the company, or the career. It’s the expectation we walked in with.

Charlie Munger put it best: “The secret to happiness is low expectations.” I’d add — or at least realistic ones. Life rarely plays out in straight lines, and that’s a feature, not a bug.

You’re Not Starting from Zero

One thing I remind my team — and myself — often is this: you’re never starting from scratch. You’re starting from experience.

Even if you feel lost right now, you’ve already built something. You’ve shown up. You’ve taken risks. You’ve tried, and learned, and grown. That counts.

Your journey isn’t less valuable just because it hasn’t hit all the milestones you pictured. And where you are today — even if it’s confusing — is still rich with opportunity.

How to Begin From Here

If you’re feeling stuck or uncertain, here’s a simple exercise that’s helped many of my colleagues and clients:

Do a quick check-in with four areas of life:

• Health

• Work

• Play

• Love

Ask yourself: How full is my tank in each of these? What’s going well? What’s missing?

You don’t need perfect balance. Just awareness. And awareness gives you something solid to build from.

Because when you know where you are — honestly — you can begin to move forward intentionally.

You are here. That’s enough.Not perfect. Not polished. But real.And real is the only place any of us ever start from.

Let that be your starting point.