In honor of graduation season, CNBC Make It spoke exclusively to some of the nation's top business leaders and personal finance gurus, career coaches, bestselling authors, CEOs, self-made millionaires and billionaires and Wharton's No. 1 professor. For the next few weeks, we'll be rolling out the speeches or bits of advice that they are most excited to share with the Class of 2017, using the hashtag #MakeItNewGrads.
If Mark Cuban were to deliver a graduation address, he would offer three pieces of advice to college grads.
"Never stop learning. Never stop grinding. Never stop loving every single minute of your life," he tells CNBC.
We've unpacked that advice below, drawing parallels with similar advice from other highly successful leaders.
"Never stop learning"
Just because you've received a diploma doesn't mean that it's time to close the books. Technology is changing faster than ever and, to stay relevant in the job market, you must evolve, too.
Cuban's advice echoes that of legendary investor Warren Buffett and entrepreneur and inspirational coach Tony Robbins. Both have said that the best investment they have ever made is in themselves, to learn new skills and improve.
Robbins recounts advice Buffett gave him in the Tim Ferriss book "Tools of Titans."
Investing in yourself is the most important investment you'll ever make in your life. ... There's no financial investment that'll ever match it, because if you develop more skill more ability, more insight, more capacity, that's what's going to really provide economic freedom.
"Never stop grinding"
Cuban was born into a working-class family in Pittsburgh. His father installed upholstery in cars and his mom worked a rotation of odd jobs.
"People thought I might go work at a mill. My mom wanted me to learn how to lay carpet because she was concerned about my future. Nobody had high hopes for me," Cuban says in a profile of his career on "Shark Tank." "But I was a hustler."
He has hustled his way into a fortune. Currently, Cuban is worth upwards of $3 billion. He launched AudioNet, which became Broadcast.net and which was bought by Yahoo for $5.7 billion in 2000.
"Never stop loving every single minute of your life"
It's important to not just enjoy the good times. You have to find a way to savor the process of learning, evolving, building, trying and even failing.
Billionaire Richard Branson wrote an emotional farewell letter to his team when Alaska Airlines announced it would close the Virgin America brand in 2019. In the letter, he, like Cuban, emphasizes the importance of enjoying the journey.
"This was the ride and love of a lifetime. I feel very lucky to have been on it with all of you," Branson says. "Stay positive; attitude is everything."
Look for more pieces of advice from leaders like Melinda Gates, Dave Ramsey and others over the next few weeks, and follow along with the series, as well as other content relating to the Class of 2017, on social media using the hashtag #MakeItNewGrads.
See also:
How Mark Cuban went from a working-class family in Pittsburgh to a self-made billionaire
Tony Robbins and Warren Buffett say this is the best investment you'll make in your life
Sam Adams founder: Unless you're a sociopath, being happy is better than being rich
