“What’s important now?”: Paul Jacobs ’07 shares formula for navigating career and life decisions

May 01, 2026 Caroline Mezzalingua In March, Notre Dame alumnus Paul Jacobs ’07 encouraged students to rethink how they approach career planning by starting with a simple question: What’s important now? Speaking as part of the Sheedy Family Program’s Dinner & Dialogue series, Jacobs shared that the question came from legendary former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz. Holtz, who had been honored and laid to rest at Notre Dame earlier the same week, often used the “What’s important now” (or “WIN”) formula as a mental tool to focus attention on the present moment. Paul Jacobs pays tribute to Lou Holtz during a Dinner & Dialogue event. For Jacobs, who majored in aerospace engineering, the WIN formula has served as a practical framework for navigating his career, from the Air Force to NASA to business school and, finally, to his current role as a product manager at Google. Jacobs emphasized that his path was far from linear, with many moments of uncertainty. He told students that while long-term plans can be helpful, they are often less valuable than the ability to identify priorities and act on them in the present. Jacobs said his WIN mindset began to develop during his time at Notre Dame. After moving frequently during his childhood and young adult years, Jacobs found a strong sense of community and developed a close-knit group of friends after arriving on campus. “Notre Dame was the first place I truly felt at home,” he said. “Being surrounded by the same friends changed my life in so many positive ways, and I never wanted to lose that after graduation.” So the “Man of the Year” was born. Jacobs and 10 of his closest friends from Dillon Hall select a “Man of the Year” who then becomes responsible for coordinating next year's event. Now, nearly two decades later, the tradition continues — as do the connections he built on campus. Following graduation, Jacobs was commissioned into the Air Force, where he took on roles that required him to adapt quickly and manage significant responsibility. Answering the question “What’s important now?”, he sought out opportunities to expand his experience, including helping reestablish a collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. At NASA, Jacobs encountered a workplace culture that differed from what he had experienced in the military. He noted that open discussion and questioning were encouraged at all levels, which influenced how he later approached leadership and teamwork. Nathan Ward, Maya Parafiniuk, and Jayne Kelly at the March 2026 Dinner & Dialogue event. Next, Jacobs took an opportunity rarely offered to astroengineers: deployment. When he heard of an assignment opening in Kandahar, Afghanistan, he jumped at the opportunity. “I knew I wanted to find a way to serve in a way that would challenge me, and I didn't want to look back at my military career and only see images of me behind a desk,” he said. In Afghanistan, Jacobs oversaw key infrastructure on a large military base. He said the experience reinforced the importance of relying on others, making decisions under pressure, and staying focused on immediate priorities. After completing his military service, Jacobs attended business school and transitioned into the technology industry. Despite his professional success, Jacobs reassessed his priorities after he and his wife experienced a miscarriage. That experience shifted his focus. “It wasn’t about the next achievement,” Jacobs said. “It was about my family, my faith, and the way I was living my life each day.” Today, Jacobs balances his work at Google with a family life that now includes two young children. He said the demands of his career remain high, but his decision-making approach has become even more consistent. He continues to rely on the WIN formula to align his daily choices with his long-term sense of purpose. For students, many of whom feel pressure to define their future early, Jacobs offered a different perspective. Long-term thinking has value, he said, but it should not come at the expense of living out your values on a day-to-day basis. About The Sheedy Family Program The Sheedy Family Program in Economy, Enterprise, and Society is a robust intellectual community. Students, faculty, and industry leaders explore the intersections of business and the liberal arts through rigorous coursework, collaborative research, meaningful dialogue, and purpose-driven career discernment. Learn More Originally published by Caroline Mezzalingua at sheedyprogram.nd.edu on May 01, 2026. Posted In Centers and InstitutesAlumni In memoriam: Gilberto Cárdenas, professor emeritus of sociology and founding director of the Institute of Latino Studies July 29, 2026 Notre Dame researchers find doctors played a critical role in the nation’s opioid crisis July 16, 2026 Fulfilling an ecumenical mission: Notre Dame hosts U.S. Coptic bishops gathering for the first time July 01, 2026