I found that nothing in life is worth it unless you are taking risks
nothing Mandela said there's not any passion to be found playing small
and settling for a life that's but the one you're capable of living now
I'm sure in your experiences in class and applying to high school and
picking.
Your major and deciding what you'd value more highly to
undertake to to with life I'm sure those who told you to create sure you
have got got got got something to fall back on ensure you've something
to fall back on honey but I never understood that concept having
something to fall back on if I'm visiting fall don't want to fall back
on anything.
I would like to fall forward I figure a minimum of this
manner I'll see what I'm visiting hit without consistency you'll never
finish so do what you feel captivated to obsessed with attempt do not be
afraid to fail there's a no such as you test was nine dots and you had
to draw five lines with a pencil within these nine dots without lifting
the pencil the only real because of screw was to travel
outside.
The box don't be afraid to think outside the box do not be
afraid to fail big to dream big but remember dreams without goals my
just dreams Reggie Jackson struck out 26 hundred times in his career the
foremost within the history of baseball but you're doing not hear about
the strikeouts people remember the homeruns fall forward Edison
conducted 1,000 failed experiments did you recognize.
That I didn't know
that because the 1,000 and first was the sunshine bulb fall forward
every failed experiment is one step closer to success you've to require
risks which I'm sure you almost certainly heard that before but I'd
value more highly to speak to you about why that's important you'll fail
at some point in your life accept it you'll lose you'll embarrass
yourself you'll suck at something there isn't any doubt about it and
that.
I know that's probably not a standard message for a graduation
ceremony today I'm telling you embrace it because it's inevitable within
the acting business you fail all the time early in my career I
auditioned for part during a Broadway musical perfect role on behalf of
me i assumed except the particular incontrovertible fact that I'm unable
to sing.
I didn't get the task but here's the thing I didn't quit I
didn't fall back I walked out of there to organize for the next audition
therefore the following audition and thus the following audition I
prayed I prayed which I prayed but I still fail and fail and fail but it
didn't matter because you recognize what there's an old saying you lurk
around the barbershop long enough sooner or later you're visiting urge a
haircut so you'll catch a chance which i did catch an event last year.
I
did a play called fences on Broadway but here's the kicker he was at
the Court Theatre it absolutely was at the identical theatre that I
failed initially audition 30 years prior the purpose is every graduate
here today has the training and thus the talent to succeed but do I've
got the middle to fail if you're doing not fail you're not even trying
I'll say it again if you're doing not fail you are not even trying to
induce something you never had you've must be compelled to undertake to and do to undertake and do something you never did its 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 skills you didn't use and they are
standing around your bed angry disappointed and upset they're saying we
came to you because you will have brought us to life they're saying and
now we've must trip the grave together so I ask you today what
percentage ghosts are visiting be around your bed when it slow comes Music.
I just returned from South Africa's beautiful country but there
are places there with terrible parvat poverty that require help when
Africa's just the tip of the iceberg the middle East needs your help
Japan needs your help Alabama needs your help Tennessee needs your help
Louisiana needs your help.
Philadelphia needs your help the planet needs
plenty and that we need it from you we actually can we want it from you
teenagers I mean I'm not speaking for the rest people up here but I do
know I'm getting barely grayer we would have liked from you the youth
because remember this but you obtain to induce out there you acquire to
provide it everything you bought whether it's ages your talent
your.
Prayers or your treasures Music what are you visiting do with
what you have got I'm not talking about what quantity you have got
reasonably you're business majors a number of you're theologians nurses
sociologists quite you've money a number of you've got patients reasonably you've kindness reasonably you've got loved form of you've got a gift of long-suffering whatever it's
whatever your gift is what are you visiting do with what you have got
alright now here's my last point about failure sometimes.
It's the only
because of work out where you're going your life will never be a
straight path I started at Fordham University as a pre-med student I
took a course called that cardiac morphogenesis I couldn't read it I could not say it that sure couldn't pass it so then I made a call to
travel into pre-law then journalism and with no academic focus my grades
took off in their own direction.
I was a 1.8 GPA and
the university very politely suggested
that it would be better to wish some
time off I accustomed be 20 years old I accustomed be at my
lowest point so at some point which I remember the precise day March 27 1975 I
was helping my mother and her beauty
shop my mother owned a store up in
my Vernon and there is there was this
older woman who was considered one all told.
The elders within the town which I didn't know
her personally but I accustomed be looking within the
mirror and each time I looked through
the mirror I could see her behind me and
she was observing him she just kept
looking at me whenever I verified it
she kept giving me these strange looks
so she finally took the dryer off her
head and says to some she said something
I'll always remember
she said young boy I've got a prophecy a
spiritual prophecy
she said you're visiting travel the
world and speak to immeasurable people
and within the years.
That follow at the identical time as
that woman prophesize I've got traveled
the world which I've got spoken as demands
of people through my movies millions who
up till this present day couldn't see me I wound
up till this present day I could not see while I
was reprehension them which they couldn't
see me that only see the movie it
couldn't see the 000 me
but I see you today Music and I'm encouraged by what I see which I'm
strengthened by what I see
because taking risk isn't almost
going for employment it is also about knowing
what you recognize and what you're doing not know
it's about being hospitable people and to
ideas the possibilities you take.
The people
you meet the people you'd like
the faith that you simply just just just simply simply just have that's what's
going to define you
never be discouraged never twiddling my thumbs
give everything you've and after you
fall through out light remember this
fall forward
