Have you ever been in a place where it seems like the world is against you, and you’re too old to start over? When you feel lost, like you just need a little extra push in the right direction? Like you have just lacked the booster rockets to help you achieve escape velocity from the gravity of everyday life that has been pulling you down?
I found myself there last week. I tried to find a healthy outlet, or at least a healthier way to numb out, and I had the vague recollection of this speech David Foster Wallace gave to a class of graduating seniors at some semi-important liberal arts college somewhere in the midwest. So I found it, and after finding it and watching it a few times, was inspired to comb YouTube for the best commencement speeches I could find.
The David Foster Wallace one is probably the best. It’s the one I find myself returning to over and over again. I even ripped the audio and downloaded that to my phone, so I could listen to it whenever I need a little extra motivation.
That’s not the only one, though. Another commencement speech I return to over and over again is Neil Gaiman’s “Make Good Art” speech. I also have downloaded the audio from this speech to my phone so I can listen and re-listen to it when I need it. When I am caught up in the mundane world and the petty dramas of day to day life, I turn on the “Make Good Art” speech and it acts as a compass, pointing me to the true north of WHAT I AM REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
Those are my favorites. The ones that are with me daily. But there are more speeches that have some gleaming diamonds of wisdom that are important.
There is the venerable Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech from 2005, with Steve emphasizing all the little ways we progress toward something that we can only see in hindsight. Also: “Keep looking, DON’T SETTLE.”
J. K. Rowling on the importance of imagination:
And, finally, though almost the first 2/3rds is jokes, the end of this commencement speech by Conan O’Brien is great and powerful:
When you feel out of sorts, and you need a little practical advice about whether you heading in the right direction, watch these commencement speeches and feel renewed.