Rita Dove, the former U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner, delivered the commencement address at the University of Virginia in 2016 — the institution where she had been teaching for twenty-seven years. Rather than offering advice, she offered 'wishes,' casting herself as 'a contrary fairy godmother or a wily genie.' Her second wish was for 'Hard Work,' and she illustrated it with her father's story. As the first African-American research chemist to break the color barrier in the tire and rubber industry, her father knew what it was like to be passed over despite being the best-qualified candidate. His message to her was simple: 'Always be 150% prepared.' In most settings, you won't be asked for more than 75% of your capacity — and depending on your race or gender, you might not be expected to give even 50%. But only you know whether you've given your best. The accountability that matters most is the accountability you demand of yourself.