Don Shalvey’s Commencement speech: 7 Lessons For Future Changmaking
As graduation season slowly passes, people’s favorite commencement speeches are being posted online for continuous viewing and contemplation.
I stumbled upon a collection from the Chronicle of Higher Education that had this fantastic portion of Ashoka Fellow Don Shalvey’s speech at the University of Southern California:
Here are a few lessons I’ve learned since my graduation:
Lesson 1. Experience disappointment and disillusionment early in your career. … Disappointment gives you wisdom. Wisdom is like frequent-flyer miles and scar tissue; it does accumulate, and often by accident while you’re trying to do something else. …
Lesson 2. Make excellent mistakes. Work for someone who will let you fail so you’ll learn to embrace the learning that only comes from failure. …
Lesson 3. A great workplace isn’t fancy technology, lattes, health care, sushi lunches, nice offices, or big compensation, but rather it’s stunning colleagues. …
Lesson 4. Remember either you’re networking or you’re not working. Everyone you meet offers lessons in life, insight, and endless possibilities.
Lesson 5. Don’t wait for Superman, or Wonder Woman, or Spiderman, or all the Avengers, for that matter. Believe in the power of local heroes like your parents, neighbors, coaches, farmers, and the like. …
Lesson 6. When given the choice of doing well or doing good, choose doing good.
Lesson 7. People will tell you to make a plan, get a plan, have someone help you design a plan. Take it from me, there is no plan. … Trust the direction your heart sends you. Take a pass on the plan.
Source: chronicle.com
