Last year I took on an exciting, winding adventure that was a Marketing Strategy internship with UPS. I worked at the UPS Corporate HQ in Atlanta for one year, where I developed a diverse group of sponsors, mentors, and lifelong friends. To pay it forward, I'm sharing 50 personal and professional lessons I learned as a millennial inside Corporate America.

1. Millenials – Respect, honor, and learn from those who came before you. Your naive excitement is paired well with pragmatic expertise.
2. Not all will broadcast it, but so much of your value is in your ability to question the status quo.
3. When your Gen X boss starts giving you stretch assignments, bringing you in on high-level meetings (even if it's just to take notes), or earnestly asking your opinion – you know you've won them over.
4. I never understood the power of networking until I started doing it. You will be blown away when getting the job you want or connecting with your career hero becomes 50x easier.
5. It's more than worth it to join an association or networking group. I'm a member of Network of Executive Women (NEW) Atlanta. Take advantage of student discounts while you can!
6. There is no networking without the work.
7. If you don't know how to approach a mentor, just ask someone you admire how they found their first mentor. Boom! You just had your first mentor experience.
8. Mentors don’t have to be called mentors to behave as such.
9. Even when you fall flat on your face, people almost always respect honesty and a 'never give up' attitude.
10. When you take on a new role, try to stick it out for at least 9 months – when the honeymoon phase passes. By the end of 1 year you should have enough information to make a confident go/no-go decision.
11. Don't do anything for the recognition. You'll be perpetually disappointed and forgo your self-confidence for the superficial adoration of others.
12. Ask yourself in anything you do, “Is this wise?”
13. For the driven and highly-successful, the top gets lonely. If you aren't intentional about personal relationships you will undoubtedly regret it.
14. There are two currencies in the working world, your relationships and your competence. You need to balance both, but realize relationships sometimes get you further. It's just the truth, y'all.
15. Branding is nothing more than a promise.
16. When thinking of your personal brand, for women in particular, consider the balance between warmth and competence. Exhibiting warmth tells people they can trust you. Exhibiting competence tells people they can respect you.
17. When in doubt, connect first, then lead.
18. Remember, the future is built as you move forward, with every decision you make.
19. Work smarter, not harder. Consume insights and research through books, podcasts, google, etc. Reconfigure the information to fit your needs.
20. That being said, you can't outsource everything. Sometimes you have to trust yourself and your people. I'm looking at you, Corporate America.
21. No one is great because they did it on their own.
22. Even the brightest and most accomplished people still say "I don't know, let me get back to you.” It’s an integrity thing.
23. Choose long-term gain over near-term gratification; professionally, personally, financially, etc.
24. Freedom = discipline; professionally, personally, financially, etc. If you want to hear more about that, check out Jocko Willink.
25. This is why complaining to your boss almost always backfires. In 1999, this article went viral before viral was a thing. Reading this single-handedly changed the way I interacted with anyone in management. Thanks HBR.
26. The Harvard Business Review (HBR) is your best friend.
27. Never complain down (this only becomes more and more vital as you move up through management).
28. "Give me the Hines version" was heard commonly around UPS. The Hines Story is a parable about two managers that illustrates the importance of thorough and relevant communication. I live by it.
29. I became an expert at Myers Briggs while working at UPS. MB helped me understand how I perceive the world and how others perceive me. My favorite game was trying to peg my colleagues' personality type, but more importantly it helped me better communicate with them and understand their point of view. You can take the assessment here.
30. Being an introvert is not an excuse to take a back seat. It may be true that the business world celebrates extroversion, but I became so adept at working through my introversion that I became recognized as a lively communicator.
31. Carving out quiet time before and after work is the best way to recharge after a long day of extroverting.
32. Everything you want is on the other side of fear.
33. Money motivation is so short-lived. Make sure that your financial aspirations are linked to concrete, meaningful goals. For instance, my drive to earn a higher salary is rooted in my determination to take my family to Disney.
34. A strength, in excess, can become a weakness.
35. Be humble and courageous enough to seek out a diverse tribe of mentors. If you aren't ready to start IRL, begin by reading Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss. 10/10.
36. Start building your board of directors. These people are your closest advisers, there to lift you up and challenge you. The people on your board shouldn't be afraid to call you out, but they should be the first ones to cheer you on. Pro tip: those on your board probably won't be your immediate boss or people on your team.
37. If you are curious about what great leadership looks like, I recommend starting with "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. My favorite law is the inner circle, but my favorite law to say is BIG MO.
38. Your inner circle should be made up of people that nourish and inspire you.
39. Those who can't create, criticize.
40. Negative people will have a problem for every solution.
41. Be forthright and honest about your career goals. Great leaders want to promote you, not stifle you.
42. If you don't make a plan for yourself, no one else will.
43. If your company gives you the opportunity, always go volunteer. It's a great way to connect with your community and see your coworkers in a brand new light.
44. Busy is a choice.
45. Everyone you meet knows something you don't.
46. If work-life balance is your primary goal in your 20s, you may not be in your best-fit career.
47. Backup your career plan by continually sharpening your skill set and adding to your tool belt.
48. If you are still in college, please take advantage of every opportunity afforded you that you may not be able to afford in the near-term: conferences, career fairs, skills training, resume workshops, therapy, etc.
49. Yes, you need to know how to use excel. No, not just AutoSum. More like Pivot Tables and VLOOKUP.
50. The sky is not the limit, it's just a view.