An Inspiration

“There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized” – Conan O Brien, Dartmouth Commencement Address ‘11

“It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound reinvention.”

“No specific job or career goal defines me, and it should not define you. In 2000, I told graduates to not be afraid to fail, and I still believe that. But today I tell you that whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality. “

“Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.”

These are a few excerpts from Conan O Brien’s Dartmouth commencement address for the class of 2011. At NYU, we had the honor of the (arguably) much more accomplished Bill Clinton, but I love Coco, and I knew he would find a way to appeal to me.

As recent college graduate, I am, like I assume most others in my position are, sitting on my ass, frantically searching for a mediocre job while hoping I don’t get one too boring as I try and figure out what I want to do with my life. This isn’t just a question of “What kind of job do I want?”; it requires deeper introspection about what kind of person I am, what I will be happy doing for the rest of my life, which of my passions should I let go of, where and how I want to live, if I want to make money or be famous or be happy or all of the above. It’s just a terrible, insecure, confusing time.

Which is why Conan’s speech appealed to me. He addresses a group of driven students graduating from an Ivy League university, and assures them that they will be disappointed. He tells them when the rest of us mortals already know and fear: life is not fair. We will face innumerable disappointments, and we will fail. The trick is to get back up, use that failure as an opportunity for reinvention, and try again.

Coco mentioned something similar in his Harvard '00 commencement speech as well:

"I left the cocoon of Harvard, I left the cocoon of Saturday Night Live, I left the cocoon of the Simpsons. And each time it was bruising and tumultuous. And yet every failure was freeing, and today I’m as nostalgic for the bad as I am for the good. So that’s what I wish for all of you—the bad as well as the good. Fall down. Make a mess. Break something occasionally. Know that your mistakes are your own unique way of getting to where you need to be. And remember that the story is never over."

After listening to these speeches, I’m almost excited to fail. Perhaps it will get me out of my rut and inspire me to do something significant, something remarkable.