McMillon told graduates during a commencement address at the University of Arkansas, “Being present in today’s role and earning trust leads to the next job opportunity.”
He officially retired at the beginning of February this year after 40 years, the last ten as CEO, in which he helped Walmart become one of the best retailers in the world.
Spending one’s entire career at one employer is not easy, but McMillon has said he’s never “been bored one single day”—and advised Gen Zers to find a career they love, too.
“My second piece of advice is to pursue a career that does not feel like work. Life is too short to invest so much time doing something you don’t enjoy,” he continued. “I hope you find your spot quickly like I did, but if you don’t, my advice is that you shouldn’t give up until you do…If you’re in the right place, most days, work won’t even feel like work.”
“My third and final piece of advice is to assume positive intent from others and show them some grace. Know that you’ll get more joy from what you give than what you get,” McMillon added. “There’s a lot of conflict in our world today. Lots of worrying and too much suffering. We have a lot of challenges to be solved.”