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Do the Things You Love
Rebecca Henderson (MBA 1985, PhD BE 1988) is the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard University. In this interview, she discusses the value of money versus personal satisfaction.
“Money doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it does. You know, when you're young, it seems so important, but it really isn't. You're going to graduate from the Harvard Business School or you are a graduate of the Harvard Business School, or you wouldn't be watching this, and you're going to be fine. There's going to be enough money for a nice place to live and to put your kids through college and to take care of your family. And it turns out that the thing that makes a difference is doing something in the world.
“I'm HBS Class of 1985, so I've been back to my reunions every five years. And in the beginning, people talked about money, but that's not what they talk about now. I know some very rich people who are not at all happy. The people who are alive, the people who are glowing, the people who are excited to be who they are, are the people who took risks and took chances. Some of them have worked for not-for-profits, some of them built their own companies, but what they did was they did the thing they loved and the thing they wanted to do. And the money, the money takes care of itself.”
(Published March 2018)
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