Experiences are the most valuable lessons that a person can convey or pass on to others so that they can learn from them and become better. Nowadays, you may have listened to several speeches at the commencement and graduation of colleges and universities. In these speeches, successful people share their experiences and deliver speeches to students which are supposed to motivate them on the path to success. They are supposed to make students advance in life, career and future studies.
But taking a closer look at such speech, you will discover that these “didactic” motivation speeches to students actually hold within them hilarious lessons. Read on to know what these motivation speeches actually teach students and to be ready to say, “I can write my speech successfully as well”.
1. Joke All the Time like Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey can unarguably be called the funniest man in the world. In his speech to the graduating class of Maharishi University of Management in 2014 he jokes around all the time but he is a profound man. With his wit and wisdom he teaches students:
- There will always be two choices either love or fear, it is always better to choose love.
- Fear sometimes comes in the guise of practicality but we only have to ask the universe for the seemingly impossible.
- If challenges are seen as advantageous, dealing with them productively is possible.
There always “soft serve ice-cream with sprinkles”! So stop lamenting, “eat your feelings” and crack a witty joke at the job interview. Stay playful and who knows that maybe just by jesting, you might score an A in the exam!
2. Drop out of College like Steve Jobs to Become Successful
You are too smart for what they teach you in college any way. There isn’t a thing that you do not already know and college will just waste your time. If these are some of the things that you deliberate upon every single day then take inspiration from Steve Jobs – the most successful emblem overcoming failure.
In his commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005, Steve Jobs says: “If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do.”
Perfect solution to all of your questions and problems – drop out to become successful!
3. Use Four Letter Words like Bono
Apart from teaching the students that the world is malleable and it is waiting for you to hammer it into any shape that you want. Quite unlike other speeches, Bono urged students to pay heed to the plight of Africa. “My name is Bono. I am a rock-star!” This is how Bono, the lead singer of U2 commenced his speech at The University of Pennsylvania in 2004. Sure you use four-letter worded sentences to express what you mean. After all it is not the wordiness in the sentences that is impactful, it is the intent.
4. Define Words like Ellen De Generes
Have you listened to the way Ellen De Generes begins the commencement speech at Tulane University in 2009? If you have then you probably know that according to her the word commencement actually means “common cement”. Hilarious, right? But upon glancing back at the speech’s beginning, you will realize the importance of breaking down problematic statements into chunks and then determining how to deal with one section at a time is important. Bit by bit, breaking word like Ellen, you can transcend to great heights of achievements.
The one thing that you will find in common to all of the speeches is humor and light-heartedness with which the speakers conveyed their thoughts and shared their experience with the audiences. With a cool mind, strategic thinking you can accomplish your goals. If not, then at least you have a chance of becoming the funniest person in the world by cracking a pun or an incredibly funny joke!