Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen how resilient the human spirit is. We have learned how to prevail in the face of constant uncertainty, we have dealt with an unfathomable amount of loss, and our normal routines have been uprooted. Yet, we have also learned to adapt and overcome.

As leaders of tomorrow, it is your responsibility to embody that resilience and learn from the lessons the past year has taught us. Over the course of your careers, you will face many challenges, all of which will present their own unique set of problems, and it will be up to you to find the solutions.

In my own role, I encourage my teams to put our customers at the center of everything we do – start with the customer, figure out their pain points, and think about how we can add value. The same is true for any problem. Work backwards, consider multiple perspectives, and think about what it is you’re trying to accomplish.

For all the devastation this past year has brought, I am hugely optimistic over what the future holds. For all the pain and suffering we’ve endured, we’ve also seen the very best of humanity rise to the fore. Our first responders, doctors, nurses, scientists and caregivers have all inspired me in moments of doubt.

I implore you to share that sense of hope, and live your lives in the knowledge that no obstacle is truly insurmountable. After all, it is you, the young, that continue to carry the torch on many of the world’s most pressing issues. From racial equality and human rights, to climate change and environmentalism, it is the young that continue to demand more from us and break down barriers that have never been broken.

The world needs your fight, deserves your passion and demands your courage. For there are plenty of problems left to solve.