VM Group President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Courtney Campbell ignited emotions at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona in St Andrew on November 2 as he rallied graduates to sharpen their resilience in order to “change the world”.

Campbell, who was conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) by The UWI at the ceremony for his work as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, told the graduates that while they will face inevitable challenges, resilience would power them to their goals if they take the time to build the skill.

“Now is your moment,” he said. “Your hard-earned UWI degree, which we celebrate today, gives you a head start to your most ambitious dreams. The journey won’t always be easy. You will face roadblocks, stop signs, and detours along the way. You will fall and you will fail. But with one particular weapon in your arsenal — resilience — you can and you will overcome and succeed.”

In a passionate delivery, punctuated by audible reactions from the graduates, Campbell shared practical tips that have worked for him in building resilience.

“As powerful as it is, resilience is accessible. It’s not a trait people either have or don’t. It involves behaviours, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed,” he said.

Campbell’s tips for building resilience:

Remain optimistic: Embrace change and avoid seeing crises as insurmountable. You can’t change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you respond. Learn to see opportunity in disruption — this will set you apart.

Keep learning: Learning is a lifelong pursuit. To be successful and resilient, you must be committed to continuous learning and intellectual curiosity.

Preparation requires sacrifice of time and effort. This may mean consulting with colleagues or investing in short courses to brush up on your weaker areas. Honest introspection will reveal what is needed to adequately prepare.

Build relationships: Resilient people invest in relationships. You cannot be resilient on your own. Studies show that the primary factor in resilience is having caring and supportive relationships. Accepting help and support from those who care about you strengthens your resilience. Assisting others in their time of need also benefits the helper.

Take responsibility: Resilient people hold themselves accountable. They don’t point fingers at others.

Campbell also encouraged the graduates to prepare for naysayers.

“Some people will discourage you and come with lots of negativity and cast their own fears on you. Some will question your motives. Others will simply doubt your ability. When this happens, do not be distracted. Keep focused on your vision and your purpose” he said.

He charged the graduates to always be guided by their values.

“You cannot do everything. You don’t have time for everything. Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthians 6:12). Think about what will make you feel that you have impacted the world positively when you are on your death bed. Some things in life are not necessarily wrong but they may not be worth doing given your purpose and your values. Every time you make a decision you are showing your hidden values — what you stand for. Choose wisely,” he said.