Skip to main content

Inspiring commencement speeches

Like what J.K Rowling said about herself, I too can't remember a single word from the speaker at my graduation ceremony more than a decade ago. High chance that I might have fallen asleep as what I always did during lectures. I figured that the speaker at my commencement must not have been half as entertaining as Oprah and Rowling. 

The commencement speeches below are true gems. Although it's well past the time that I should be listening to them, I still find them inspiring, timeless. 



Oprah Winfrey's commencement speech

JK Rowling's commencement speech

Common points that I have distilled from their seemingly different messages are:
  • We need to have a vision for ourselves - with that only can we pave our own path in life to success. (I like Oprah's case of her boyfriend asking her to go for a ride and she would ask 'to where?'.)
  • We need to know what we are capable of and learn to make good impacts to the world with this talent/ service of ours (know we can touch other people's lives).
  • Surround yourself with good people. People who are worthwhile to be with, who want the best for you and make you a better person.

The 2 lady speakers are outstanding in their own ways of delivering the intended messages, like the way they draw references and experiences to themselves. I guess owing in part to the extraordinary and undulant life stories that they had behind the glamour of success.


Indeed, if life is all calm, peaceful and rosy, what's there to strive for? 
"You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default." - J.K Rowling




 ***
Like what you read? View my other posts here
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reflections for year 2024

2024 has been a relatively peaceful year. So peaceful that I have read countless novels and other books, met my sports buddies almost every weekend and picked up horticulture. Physical and mental health As we say, health is wealth. I have stuck fairly consistently with my exercise regime and tried to include more fruits and vegetables in my meals (although I eat out more and cook less these days). My weight, BP and cholesterol levels are doing ok. For those 40 years and above, remember to get your  subsidized health screenings from the government . Working less and meeting up with friends more contributed to an improved mental health. I see that the government has stepped up on initiatives in the community but work place initiatives from employers still seemed lackluster, especially for those who can't WFH and need to commit 44 hours or more a week at frontline work. I have also started a Gratitude journey to celebrate all my little life milestones. Financials Investment wise ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The best credit card for my house reno & prep

As updated in my previous post, I have finally bought my own place solo. For the past few months I have been busy coordinating with various contractors and vendors for my house renovation. As I am still on flexi work schedule, I decided to be my own ID. With only a simple renovation in mind, I set my reno budget as 20k (aircon & fixtures inclusive). The renovation process and acting as my own ID were not as easy as I thought. It took me about a month to gather and compare quotations from different contractors and another few weeks to finalize all the things that I need my chosen contractor to do. I eventually settled for a main contractor who specializes in carpentry work but also provides painting, tiling and electrical services. I have grossly underestimated the amount of defects that need fixing for this resale flat. Fortunately, the floor tiles and some of the existing built-ins are still in good condition so I kept them, otherwise I would have burst my budget. The first issue ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shit happens and I lost my low-hanging fruits

My POSB SAYE account just hit its 25th month —the much-anticipated “month of maturity.” I was all ready to enjoy the 3.5% bonus interest I’d patiently saved for… only to receive a measly $17+ cash gift instead of a few hundred dollars. I was about to send a message to query the bank what caused this interest drop versus what I have gotten on the 13th month. Confused, I double checked my account history and— gasp! —found a single $50 transfer I’d made to a joint account in one of the past months. I hadn’t even realized that I’d chosen the SAYE account as the fund transfer source. For those unfamiliar with the T&Cs of POSB SAYE: “To receive the additional 3.5% p.a. Cash Gift Interest, ensure that you do not make any withdrawal from your POSB SAYE account.”   “If a withdrawal is made in the month, this will result in the previously accumulated additional 3.5% p.a. interest to be forfeited.” Yes, one tiny transfer = months of bonus interest gone . Even depositing it back the...
Post a Comment
Read more