6 Inspiring Commencement Speeches by Women

6 Inspiring Commencement Speeches by Women


Oprah Winfrey — 2013 Harvard  “On Failure ”

For an awe-inspiring 30 minutes, the media mogul advised new graduates on failure, success and happiness.

“It doesn’t matter how far you might rise. At some point, you are bound to stumble. If you’re constantly pushing yourself higher and higher, the law of averages predicts that you will at some point fall. And when you do, I want you to remember this: There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction. Now, when you’re down there in the hole, it looks like failure. When that moment comes, it’s okay to feel bad for a little while. Give yourself time to mourn what you think you may have lost. But then, here’s the key: Learn from every mistake, because every experience, particularly your mistakes, are there to teach you and force you into being more who you are.”


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