There's something special about graduation speeches, isn't there? When I feel down, listening to an inspirational speech always seems to pick me up and give me a bit of perspective. In the spirit of taking on this new year with gusto, here are five wise quotes...
"I've learned that what you think about the world says less about the world than it does about you. And when you show up in this world and have the courage to tell your truth in moments big but more importantly, in moments small, then you are the architect, not only of your own destiny but you're the architect of transformational change... Because, in life, you get one choice over and over again, that is, to accept conditions as they are or to take responsibility for changing them. To yield to the circumstances around you or to show up and do something about them." ― Cory Booker to Stanford University, 2012
"Get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house. Do you think you'd care so very much about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your breast? Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze over Seaside Heights, a life in which you stop and watch how a red-tailed hawk circles over the water gap or the way a baby scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a Cheerio with her thumb and first finger. Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work. Each time you look at your diploma, remember that you are still a student, still learning how to best treasure your connection to others. Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Write a letter. Kiss your Mom. Hug your Dad. Get a life in which you are generous." ― Anna Quindlen to Villanova University, 2010
"You can validate others, empower others, increase the net happiness, the positivity in the world. It could be as simple as your family is going to have dinner tonight and you go to a restaurant and you see someone do something great. Too often, we kind of just sit back and say, 'That was good, that was good service.' Maybe you give an extra tip. You’re at work and you see a colleague who goes above and beyond and you say, 'That was good. They did a nice thing.' What I hope, and this is something I tell myself all the time, is don’t just sit by and observe it. Recognize it. When you see someone does something great, tell them about it. Tell their bosses about it. Tell their family about it. When you do that, all sorts of neat, exciting things are going to start percolating into the universe. Obviously, you’re going to make that person’s day, you're going to make their year. You might make their career. I’ve seen it happen before. You probably, in some way, will make their life. Even more, they’re going to start doing that ultra-positive thing more. People around them are going to see the recognition they got for it and they’re going to start emulating it. And even though it wasn’t your intent, you just wanted to highlight something good that’s happening in the world; people recognize that you are a source of positivity and when you're a source of positivity, people will just naturally gravitate to you." ― Salman Khan to Rice University, 2012
"It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It's not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound re-invention. So, at the age of 47, after 25 years of obsessively pursuing my dream, that dream changed. For decades, in show business, the ultimate goal of every comedian was to host The Tonight Show. It was the Holy Grail, and like many people, I thought that achieving that goal would define me as successful. But that is not true. No specific job or career goal defines me, and it should not define you. In 2000—in 2000—I told graduates to not be afraid to fail, and I still believe that. But today I tell you that whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality." ― Conan O'Brien to Dartmouth College, 2011
"As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life. No one is here today because they did it on their own." ― Amy Poehler to Harvard University, 2011
Do you have any favorite graduation speeches? And here's more wisdom, in case you're in the mood.
(Photo via Stanford University)
