graduation moments
Graduation season is in full swing, and that means a whole new chapter of life to many of the graduates who are going to take on the tough and often times harsh reality of working life. But with some inspiring words from those who had persevered, overcame， accomplished individuals & true entrepreneurs among us – those who seize opportunities and make great things happen. They are words of wisdom and the advice they impart is often timeless. Below we’ve rounded up 8 of the most memorable addresses of all time.
1. “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” — Steve Jobs, Stanford University, 2005
2. “What I want to talk to you about today is the difference between gifts and choices. Cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy–they’re given after all. Choices can be hard. You can seduce yourself with your gifts if you’re not careful, and if you do, it’ll probably be to the detriment of your choices.” –Jeff Bezos, Princeton, 2010
3. “It doesn’t matter how far you might rise. At some point you are bound to stumble. … If you’re constantly pushing yourself higher … the law of averages, not to mention the Myth of Icarus, predicts that you will at some point fall. And when you do I want you to know this, remember this: There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.” –Oprah Winfrey, Harvard 2013
4. “Use your knowledge and your heart to stand up for those who can’t stand. Speak for those who can’t speak. Be a beacon of light, for those whose lives have become dark. Fight the good fight against global warming. Be a part of all that is good and decent. Be an ambassador for the kind of world you want to live in” –Julie Andrews at University of Colorado Boulder (2013)
5. “If you’re a Democrat, spend some time talking to a Republican. And if you’re a Republican, have a chat with a Democrat. Maybe you’ll find some common ground, maybe you won’t. But if you honestly engage with an open mind and an open heart, I guarantee you’ll learn something. And goodness knows we need more of that, because we know what happens when we only talk to people who think like we do — we just get more stuck in our ways, more divided, and it gets harder to come together for a common purpose. ” Michelle Obama at Eastern Kentucky University (2013)
6. “Failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged.” J.K. Rowling at Harvard (2008)
7. “A lot of the time the experts, the people who are supposed to be able to tell you what to do, will tell you that you can’t do something even when you know you can. And a lot of the time it’s your friends … who tell you you can do it.” –Mark Zuckerberg, Belle Haven Elementary School (yes, really), 2011
8. “We can make market forces work better for the poor if we can develop a more creative capitalism–if we can stretch the reach of market forces so that more people can make a profit, or at least make a living, serving people who are suffering from the worst inequities. … You have more than we had; you must start sooner, and carry on longer.” –Bill Gates, Harvard, 2007
Inspiring Quotes:
Behind you, all your memories.
Around you, all who love you.
Within you, all you need.
The tassel is worth the hassle
Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just live to make your absence felt!
Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm ~ Winston Churchil
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Graduation is not the end; it’s the beginning
