Story of people who overcame failures

A commencement speech or commencement address is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university, generally in the United States. – Wikipedia

There are many famous people commits as commencement speaker. It looks like this is a very big deal even them. Some of them show nervousness. They have a story that has value to tell. I don’t need to famous, but I need to fail more.

One of the most well-known speech would be Steve Jobs at Stanford University in 2005. He shared 3 stories at that time, connecting dots, love and loss, death. I don’t feel that class 2005 at Stanford received his meaningful messages deeply at that time. It is very difficult to think about what life is in early 20s. I, myself, was just looking for what I want to do. This address has views over 32M. How many people are inspired by his address?

So, the commencement address is inspired us even you are not a student. I sometimes watch it and boost motive and passion. I collected the address which I was inspired.

Tim Cook

©2019 Stanford Commencement address by Tim Cook

Timothy Donald Cook is an American business executive and industrial engineer. Cook is the chief executive officer of Apple Inc., and previously served as the company’s chief operating officer under its co-founder Steve Jobs. – Wikipedia

Kick-off with a strong voice. The true story touches people’s hearts. 14 years ago, Steve Jobs stood on the stage as a commitment speaker. I cannot imagine how much pressure he got when he took over the CEO from Steve Jobs. It was the year 2011. Time has flies fast.

– Technology doesn’t change who we are, it magnifies who we are good and the bad.
– Humility of purpose.
– If you want to take credit, first learn to take responsibility.
– Whatever you do in your life, be a builder.
– A determination that I am going to be the best version of myself that I can be.
– Be different, leave something worthly.

Mark Zuckerberg

©Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg Commencement Address | Harvard Commencement 2017

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American internet entrepreneur and philanthropist. Zuckerberg is known for co-founding and leading Facebook as its chairman and chief executive officer. He also co-founded and is a board member of the solar sail spacecraft development project Breakthrough Starshot. – Wikipedia

Mass media informs the failure of Facebook, but investor respects his leadership.

– Finding your purpose is not enough. Create a world where everyone has a sense of purpose.
– The purpose is that sense that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.
– The purpose is what creates true happiness.
– Not only create a new job but also create a new sense of purpose to others.
– No one does when they begin. Ideas don’t come out fully formed. They only become clear as you work on them. You just have to get started.
– Let’s do things, not only create progress but to create purpose.

Sheryl Sandberg

©Sheryl Sandberg Gives UC Berkeley Commencement Keynote Speech

Sheryl Kara Sandberg is an American technology executive, author, and billionaire. She is the chief operating officer of Facebook and founder of Leanin.org. In June 2012, she was elected to Facebook’s board of directors by the existing board members, becoming the first woman to serve on its board. – Wikipedia

One of the huge influencers in the United States. She reminds me of the MeToo movement when I watch her on YouTube.

We hear a lot of sad stories each day on the news. I feel sympathy, but I often through it. We cannot digest every sadness. We are not strong. Sheryl Sandberg talked about her personal sadness, struggles, and current emotion. It comforts me. Because I am facing family loss. Everyone has to accept death in our life. I sometimes wake up midnight, less appetite and depressed. However, we have to feel gratitude each day, find joy as same as her. Be strong.

Oprah Winfrey

©Oprah Winfrey Harvard Commencement speech | Harvard Commencement 2013

Oprah Gail Winfrey is an American media executive, actress, talk show host, television producer, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Chicago, which was the highest-rated television program of its kind in history and ran in national syndication for 25 years from 1986 to 2011. – Wikipedia

Oprah Winfrey makes the audience laugh. It is not an easy, especially serious situation. She knows how to engage with the audience in her career.

– Trouble doesn’t last always from that him this too shall pass.
– Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.
– Learn from every mistake. Because every experience encounter is cheated you and force you into being more of who you are and then figure out what is the next right move.
– The story that’s really about your purpose. Because when you inevitably stumble and find yourself stuck in a hole, that is the story.

Denzel Washington

©Denzel Washington’ Commencement Speech

Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, director, and producer. He has received two Golden Globe awards, one Tony Award, and two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for the historical war drama film Glory (1989) and Best Actor for his role as corrupt detective Alonzo Harris in the crime thriller Training Day (2001). – Wikipedia

– Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. You’ve got to take risks.
– You will fail at some point in your life. Accept it. You will lose. You will embarrass yourself. You will suck at something.
– If you don’t fail, you’re not even trying to get something, you never had you have to do something you never did.
– Imagine you’re on your deathbed and standing around your deathbed are the ghosts representing your unfulfilled potential the ghosts of the ideas you never acted on the ghosts of the talents. You didn’t use and they’re standing around your bed with angry, disappointed, and upset. They say we came to you because you could have brought us to life, they say. and now we have to go to the grave together. I ask you today. How many ghosts are going to be around your bed when your time comes.
– The world needs your talents.
– What are you going to do with what you have?
– Taking risks is also knowing what you know and what you don’t know. It’s open to people and to ideas.
– Never be discouraged, never hold back, give everything you got, Fall forward.

Matt Damon

©Actor Matt Damon offers the 2016 MIT Commencement Address

Matthew Paige Damon is an American actor, film producer and screenwriter. He is ranked among Forbes magazine’s most bankable stars and is one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. – Wikipedia

– Turned toward the problems you see you have to engage and turn towards the problems that you see.
– A human being will take your breath away they will teach you so much, but you have to engage.
– There is a lot of trouble out of MIT, but there’s a lot of beauty too. and I hope you see both.
– Eliminate your blind spots.
– Judge me by how good my good ideas are, not how bad my bad ideas are. you’re a suit up in your armor. you’ve got to get ready to sound like totally fool.
– Not having an answer isn’t embarrassing it’s an opportunity don’t be afraid to ask questions.
– You got to keep listening.
– Democracy requires compromise even when you are 100 percent right. (Barack Obama)

– Not every problem has a high tech solution. We can’t science the you-know-what out of every problem.
– What are you going to be a part of? What is the problem that you will try to solve?
– How lucky you are.

Conclusion: Message for everyone

J. K. Rowling who wrote Harry Potter said she does not remember even a single word what the commitment speaker said when she was graduated college. It may real. Early-20s categorized adults but still young. The majority of graduated is still not sure what they want to do. I was that.

I found many inspired speech, but graduated students may not remember about it as same as J. K. Rowling. YouTube becomes the record at that moment. That’s very nice. When they become the 30s – 40s, they will understand what these speakers wanted to tell them and how meaningful advice was.

I even did not attend a graduation ceremony. I moved to Tokyo after graduated. I was foolish in a peaceful country. I admire this culture of this ceremony in the United States.

Reference:

KEEPINSPIRING.ME: 7 Motivational Graduation Speeches That Will Inspire You
the muse: 5 Commencement Speeches That’ll Inspire You (Even if You Graduated Forever Ago)