Mark Esper

But to me, and I say this to CEOs today, go back to your core principles.

Go back to the focus, the mission of your organization if you're in business.

And certainly with DOD, it's about, you know, fighting and winning our nation's wars.

But when it comes down to your personal beliefs, I think you have to go back, be true to who you are.

So fall back on your your key principles and morals and beliefs.

And for me, it was duty, honor, country, service to country over everything else.

And then be comfortable with your decision.

And I would ask myself, you know, a day from now, a month from now, a year from now, 10 years from now, can I?

Uh, can I look myself in the mirror and feel like I made the right decision?

Can I look my kids and my wife in the eye and think that I made the right decision?

And I also used to say my West Point classmates who we, we want to believe we hold ourselves to a higher standard.

Can I look them in the eye?

And I've, to me, that kind of helped, uh, uh, solidify my decisions.

You know, I really have a lot of admiration for the generation today who's willing to be a lot more entrepreneurial and do stuff like get into venture, where I work now at Venture Capital.

And I applaud that.

I think there's a lot to be said for that, which I didn't really... I didn't feel that when I was 18 years old, right?

Number one.

Number two is I think...

Don't get focused too early.

Go broad.