英文毕业典礼演讲稿

英文毕业典礼演讲稿（精选6篇）

篇1：英文毕业典礼演讲稿

Answering speech

Dear professors and dear friends of China Jiliang University,

I’m honored to address you on behalf of all the graduations this year.

I would like to thank my parents, classmates, and friends who helped us ,and encouraged and supported us as we worked towards to our graduate degrees.

I also want to thank Jiliang’s faculty members who served as our instructors，mentor, and friends, relatives, like Prof.Yu, Prof.Gao, Mrs. Liang. Through their commitments, they have inspired us to achieve and guided us to our dream.

On this stage, at my graduation ceremony, when I look back my four years at Jiliang, my mind is filled with memories. May be you will ask me: do you have special to share? Yes, I want to share few simple but critical suggestions with you and with for the coming juniors:

First, be work hard and think smart.

Secondly, believe things happened for a reason.

Thirdly, just as Jobs said at the graduation ceremony in Stanford University, stay hungry, stay foolish.

Today, we will graduate from China Jiliang University, but we will be with Jiliang forever. Let us think forward and work together to make the new history of China Jiliang University.

Thank you.

篇2：英文毕业典礼演讲稿

Dean Khurana,faculty, parents, and most especially graduating students, thank you so much for inviting me. The Senior Class Committee, it’s genuinely one of the most exciting things I’ve ever been asked to do. I have to admit primarily because I can’t deny it. As it was leaked in the WikiLeaks release of the Sony hack that when I was invited I replied and I directly quote my own email. “Wow! This is so nice! I’m gonna need some funny ghost writers.Any idea?”

This initial response now blessedly public was from the knowledge that at my class day we were lucky enough to have Will Ferrel as class day speaker. And that many of us were hung-over, or even freshly high, mainly wanted to laugh. So I have to admit that today, even 12 years after graduation, I’m still insecure about my own worthiness. I have to remind myself today you’re here for a reason.

Today I feel much like I did when I came to Harvard Yard as a freshman in . When you guys were, to my continued shock and horror, still in kindergarten.I feel like there had been some mistake, that I wasn’t smart enough to be in this company. And that every time I opened my mouth, I would have to prove that I wasn’t just a dumb actress. So I start with an apology. This won’t be very funny. I’m not a comedian. And I didn’t get a ghost writer. But I’m here to tell you today, Harvard is giving you all diplomas tomorrow. You are here for a reason.

Sometimes your insecurities and your inexperience may lead you, too, to embrace other people’s expectations. Standards, or values. But you can harness that inexperience to carve out your own path, one that is free of the burden of knowing how things are supposed to be, a path that is defined by its own particular set of reasons.

The other day I went to an amusement park with my soon-to-be 4-year-old son. And I watched him play arcade games. He was incredibly focused, throwing his ball at the target. Jewish mother that I am, I skipped 20 steps, and was already imagining him as a major league player, with what is his aim and his arm and his concentration. But then I realized what he want. He was playing to trade in his tickets for the crappy plastic toys. The prize was much more exciting than the game to get it. I of course wanted to urge him to take joy and the challenge of the game, the improvement upon practice, the satisfaction of doing something well, and even feeling the accomplishment when achieving the game’s goals. But all of these aspects were shade by the little 10 cent plastic men with sticky stretchy blue arms that adhere to the walls. That was the prize. In a child’s nature, we see many of our own innate tendencies. I saw myself in him and perhaps you do too.

Prizes serve as false idols everywhere. Prestige, wealth, fame, power. You’ll be exposed to many of these, if not all. Of course, part of why I was invited to come to speak today, beyond my being a proud alumna, is that I’ve recruited some very coveted toys in my life, including a not so plastic, not so crappy one, an Oscar. So we bump up against the common troll I think of the commencement address people who have achieved a lot telling you that the fruits of the achievement are not always to be trusted. But I think that contradiction can be reconciled and is in fact instructive.Achievement is wonderful when you know why you’re doing it. And when you don’t know, it can be a terrible trap.

I went to a public high school on Long Island, Syosset High School. Ooh, hello, Syosset! The girls I went to school with had Prada bags and flat-ironed hair.And they spoke with an accent, I who had moved there at age 9 from Connecticut mimicked to fit in. Florida, Oranges, Chocolate, Cherries. Since I’m ancient and the Internet was just starting when I was in high school. People didn’t really pay that much of attention to the fact that I was an actress. I was known mainly at school for having a back pack bigger than I was, and always having white-out on my hands.Because I hated seeing anything crossed out in my note looks. I was voted for my senior yearbook I most likely to be an contestant on Jeopardy, or code for nerdiest.

When I got to Harvard just after the release of Star Wars: Episode 1. I knew I would be starting over in terms of how people viewed me. I feared people would have assumed I’d gotten in just for being famous, and that they would think that I was not worthy of the intellectual rigor here. And it would not have been far from the truth. When I came here I had never written a 10-page paper before. I’m not even sure I’ve written a 5-page paper. I was alarmed and intimidated by the calm eyes of a fellow student, who came here from Dalton or Exeter who thought that compared to high school the workload here was easy. I was completely overwhelmed, and thought that reading 1000 pages a week was unimaginable, that writing a 50-page thesis is just something I could never do. I had no idea how to declare my intentions. Icouldn’t even articulate them to myself.

I’ve been acting since I was 11. But I thought acting was too frivolous and certainly not meaningful. I came from a family of academics, and was very concerned of being taken seriously. In contrast to my inability to declare myself, on my first day of orientation freshman year, five separate students introduced themselves to me, by saying, I’m going to be president. Remember I told you that. Their names, for the record, were Bernie Sanders, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Barack Obama, and Hilary Clinton. In all seriousness, I believed every one of them, their bearing and self-confidence alone seemed proof of their prophecy where I couldn’t shake my self-doubt. I got in only because I was famous. This was how others saw me and it was how I saw myself. Driven by these insecurities, I decided I was going to find something to do in Harvard that was serious and meaningful that would change the world and make it a better place.

At the age of 18,I’d already been acting for 7 years, and assumed I find a more serious and profound path in college. So freshman fall I decided to take neurobiology, and advanced modern Hebrew literature, because I was serious and intellectual. Needless to say, I should have failed both. I got Bs,for you information, and to this day, every Sunday I burn a small effigy to the pagan Gods of grade inflation.

But as I was fighting my way through Aleph Bet Yod Y’d shua in Hebrew, and the different mechanisms of neuro-response, I saw friends around me writing papers on sailing, and pop culture magazines, and professors teaching classes on fairly tales and The Matrix. I realized that seriousness for seriousness’s sake was its own kind of trophy, and a dubious one, a pose I sought to counter some half-imagined argument about who I was. There was a reason that I was an actor. I love what I do. And I saw from my peers and my mentors that it was not only an acceptable reason, it was the best reason.

When I got to my graduation, sitting where you sit today after 4 years of trying to get excited about something else. I admitted to myself that I couldn’t wait to go back and make more films. I wanted to tell stories, to imagine the lives of others. I have found or perhaps reclaimed my reason. You have prize now, or at least you will tomorrow. The prize is a Harvard degree in your hand. But what is your reason behind it?

My Harvard degree represents for me, the curiosity and invention that were encouraged here, the friendships I’ve sustained, the way Professor Graham told me not to describe the way light hit a flower, but rather the shadow the flower cast, the way Professor Scarry talked about theatre is a transformative religious force, how Professor Coslin showed how much our visual cortex is activated just by imagining. Now granted these things don’t necessarity help me answer the most common question I’m asked: What designer are you wearing? What’s your fitness regime? Any make up tips? But I have never since been embarrassed to myself as what I might previously have thought was stupid question. My Harvard degree and other awards are emblems of the experiences which led me to them. The wood paneled lecture halls, the colorful fall leaves, the hot vanilla Toscaninis, reading great novels in overstuffed library chairs, running through dining halls screaming: Ooh! Ah! City steps!City steps!City steps!City steps!

It’s easy now to romanticize my time here. But I had some very difficult times here to. Some combination of being 19, dealing with my first heartbreak, taking birth control pills that have since been taken off the market for their depressive side effects, and spending too much time missing day light during winter months, led me to some pretty dark moments. Particularly during sophomore year, there were several occasions where I started crying in meetings with professors. Overwhelmed with what I was supposed to pull off. When I could barely get myself out of bed in the morning.Moment when I took on the motto for my school work. Done. Not good.If only I could finish my work, even if it took eating a jumbo pack of sour Patch Kids to get me through a single 10-page paper. I felt that I’ve accomplished a great feat. I repeat to myself. Done.Not good.

A couple of years ago, I went to Tokyo with my husband, and I ate at the most remarkable sushi restaurant. I don’t even eat fish. I’m vegan. So that tells you how good it was. Even with just vegetables, this sushi was the stuff you dreamed about. The restaurant has six seats. My husband and I marveled at how anyone can make rice so superior to all other rice. We wondered why they didn’t make a bigger restaurant and be the most popular place in town. Our local friends explains to us that all the best restaurants in Tokyo are that small, and do only one type of dish: sushi or tempura or teriyaki. Because they want to do that thing well and beautifully. And it’s not about quantity. It’s about taking pleasure in the perfection and beauty of the particular.

I’m still learning now that it’s about good and maybe never done. And the joy and work ethic and virtuosity we bring to the particular can impart a singular type of enjoyment to those we give to, and of course,to ourselves.

In my professional life, it also took me time to find my own reasons for doing my work. The first film I was in came out in 1994. Again, appallingly, the year most of you were born. I was 13 years old upon the film’s release and I came still quote what the New York Time said about me verbatim.Ms Portman poses better than she acts. The film had a universally tepid eristic response and went on to bomb commercially. That film was called The Professional, or Leon in Europe. And today, 20 years and 35 films later, it is still the film people approach me about the most to tell me how much they loved it, how much it moved them, how it’s their favourite movie. I feel lucky that my first experience of releasing a film was initially such a disaster by all standards and measures. I learned early that my meaning had to be from the experience of making the film and the possibility of connecting with individuals rather than the foremost trophies in my industry: financial and critical success. And also these initial reactions could be false predictors of your works ultimate legacy.

I started choosing only jobs that I’m passionate about and from which I knew I could glean meaningful experiences. This thoroughly confused everyone around me: agents, producers, and audiences alike. I made Goya’s Ghost, a foreign independent film and studied act history visiting the produce everyday for 4 months as I read about Goya and the Spanish Inquisition. I made V for Vendetta, studio action movie for which I learned everything I could about freedom fighters, whom otherwise may be called terrorists from Menachem Begin to Weather Underground. I made Your Highness, a pothead comedy with Danny McBride and laugh for 3 months straight. I was able to own my meaning and not have it be determined by box office receipts or prestige.

By the time I got to making Black Swan, the experience was entirely my own. I felt immune to the worst things anyone could say or write about me, and to whether the audience felt like to see my movie or not. It was instructive for me to see for ballet dancers once your technique gets to a certain level, the only thing that separates you from others is your quirks or even flaws. One ballerina was famous for how she turned slightly off balanced. You can never be the best, technically. Some with always have a higher jump or a more beautiful line. The only thing you can be the best at is developing your own self. Authoring your own experience was very much what Black Swan itself was about. I worked with Darren Aronofsky the director who changed my last line in the movie to It was perfect. Because my character Nina is only artistically successful when she finds perfection and pleasure for herself, not when she was trying to be perfect in the eyes of others. So when Black Swan was successful financially and I began receiving accolades I felt honored and grateful to have connected with people. But the true core of my meaning I had already established. And I needed it to be independent of people’s reactions to me.

People told me that Black Swan was an artistic risk. A scary challenge to try to portray a professional ballet dancer. But it didn’t feel like courage or daring that drove me do it. I was so oblivious to my own limits that I did things I was woefully unprepared to do. And so the very inexperience that in college had made me insecure, made me want to play by others’ rules. Now is making me actually take risks, I didn’t even realize were risks. When Darren asked me if I could ballet, I told him I was basically a ballerina which by the way I wholeheartedly believed. When it quickly became clear that preparing for the film that I was 15 years away from being a ballerina. It made me work a million times harder and of course the magic of cinema and body doubles helped the final effect. But the point is, if I had known my own limitations, I never would have taken the risk. And the risk led to one of my greatest artistic personal experiences. And that I not only felt completely free. I also met my husband during the filming.

Similarly, I just directed my first film, A Tale of Love in Darkness. I was quite blind to the challenges ahead of me. The film is a period film, completely in Hebrew in which I also act with an eight-year-old child as a costar. All of these are challenges I should have been terrified of, as I was completely unprepared for them, but my complete ignorance to my own limitations looked like confidence and got me into the director’s chair. Once there, I had to figure it all out, and my belief that I could handle these things, contrary to all evidence of my ability to do so was only half the battle. The other half was very hard work. The experience was the deepest and most meaningful one of my career. Now clearly I’m not urging you to go and perform heart surgery without the knowledge to do so! Making movies admittedly has less drastic consequences than most professions and allows for a lot of effects that make up for mistakes.

The thing I’m saying is, make use of the fact that you don’t doubt yourself too much right now. As we get order,we get more realistic, and that includes about our own abilities or lack thereof. And that realism does us no favors. People always talk about diving into things you’re afraid of. That never worked for me. If I’m afraid, I run away. And I would probably urge my child to do the same. Fear protects us in many ways. What has served me in diving into my own obliviousness. Being more confident than I should be which everyone tends to decry American kids and those of us who have been grade inflated and ego inflated. Well, it can be a good thing if it makes you try things you never might have tried. Your inexperience is an asset, and will allow you to think in original and unconventional ways. Accept your lack of knowledge and use it as your asset.

I know a famous violinist who told me that he can’t compose because he knows too many pieces. So when he starts thinking of the note, an existing piece immediately comes to mind. Just starting out one of your biggest strengths is not knowing how things are supposed to be. You can compose freely because your mind isn’t cluttered with too many pieces. And you don’t take for granted the way how things are. The only way you know how to do things is your own way. You have will all go on to achieve great things. There is no doubt almost that. Each time you set out to do something new, your inexperience can either lead you down a path where you will conform to someone else’s values, even though you don’t realize that’s what you’re doing. If your reasons are you own, your path, even if it’s a strange and clumsy path, will be wholly yours. And you will control the rewards of that you do by making your internal life fulfilling.

At the risk of sounding like a Miss America contestant, the most fulfilling things I’ve experienced have truly been the human interactions: spending time with women in village banks in Mexico with FINCA microfinance organization, meeting young women who were the first and the only in their communities to attend secondary schools in rural Kenya with Free the Children group that built sustainable schools in developing countries tracking with gorilla conservationists in Rwanda. It’s a cliche, because it’s true, that helping others ends up helping your more than anyone. Getting out of your own concerns and caring about some else’s life for a while, reminds you that you are not the center of the universe. And that in the ways we’re generous or not, we can change the course of someone’s life. Even at work, the small feat of kindness crew member, directors, fellow actors have shown me have had the most lasting impact.

And of course, first and foremost, the center of my world is the love that I share my family and friends. I wish for you that your friends will be with you through it all as my friends from Harvard have been together since we graduated. My friends from school are still very close. We have nursed each other through heartaches and danced at each others’ weddings. We’ve held each other at funerals and rocked each other’s new babies. We worked together on projects helped each other get jobs and thrown parties for when we’ve quit bad ones. And now our children are creating a second generation of friendship as we look at them toddling together. Haggard and disheveled working parents that we are.Grab the good people around you and don’t let them go. The biggest asset this school offers you is a group of peers that will both be your family and your school for life.

I remember always being pissed at the spring here in Cambridge.Tricking us into remembering a sunny yard full of laughing frisbee throwers. After 8 months of dark freezing library dwelling. It was like the school has managed to turn on the good weather as a last memory we should keep in mind that would make us want to come back. But as I get farther away from my years here I know that the power of this school is much deeper than weather control. It changed the very question that I was asking to quote one of my favourite thinkers Abraham Joshua Heschel: To be or not to be is not the question, the vital question is how to be and how not to be.

篇3：在南加州大学毕业典礼上的演讲

不管怎么样, 我想我来这里演讲是合适的, 因为我看到后面有一排年纪较大且没有穿学位礼服的 (家长) 听众。我自己养育过许多子女, 我知道他们真的比坐在前面这些穿学位礼服的学生更感光荣。父母为子女付出了很多心血, 把智慧和价值传授给子女, 他们应该永远受到尊敬。我还很高兴地看到我的左边有许多亚洲人的面孔, 我这辈子一直很崇拜孔子, 我很喜欢孔子关于“孝道”的思想, 他认为孝道既是天生的, 也需要教育, 应该代代相传。你们大家可别小看这些思想, 请留意在美国社会中亚洲人的地位上升得有多快。我认为这些思想很重要。

好啦, 我已经把今天演讲的几个要点写了下来, 下面就来介绍那些对我来说最有用的道理和态度。我并不认为它们对每个人而言都是完美的, 但我认为它们之中有许多具有普遍价值, 也有许多是“屡试不爽”的道理。

是哪些重要的道理帮助了我呢?我非常幸运, 很小的时候就明白了这样一个道理:要得到你想要的某样东西, 最可靠的办法是让你自己配得上它。这是一个十分简单的道理, 是黄金法则。你们要学会己所不欲, 勿施于人。在我看来, 无论是对律师还是对其他人来说, 这都是他们最应该有的精神。总的来说, 拥有这种精神的人在生活中能够赢得许多东西, 他们赢得的不止是金钱和名誉。还赢得尊敬, 理所当然地赢得与他们打交道的人的信任。能够赢得别人的信任是非常快乐的事情。

有的时候你们会发现有些彻头彻尾的恶棍死的时候既富裕又有名, 但是周围绝大多数人都认为他们死有余辜。如果教堂里满是参加葬礼的人, 其中大多数人去那里是为了庆祝这个小子终于死了。这让我想起了一个故事——有一个这样的混蛋死掉了, 神父说:“有人愿意站出来, 对死者说点好话吗?”没有人站出来, 好长时间没有人站出来, 最后有个人站了出来, 他说:“好吧, 他的兄弟更糟糕。” (听众大笑) 。这不是你们想要得到的下场, 以这样的葬礼告终的生活, 不是你们想要的生活。

我很小就明白的第二个道理是, 正确的爱应该以仰慕为基础, 而且我们应该去爱那些对我们有教育意义的先贤。我懂得这个道理且一辈子都在实践它。萨默赛特·毛姆 (Somerset Maugham) 在他的小说《人性的枷锁》中描绘的爱是一种病态的爱, 那是一种病, 如果你们发现自己有这种病, 应该赶快把它治好。

另外一个道理——这个道理可能会让你们想起孔子——是, 获得智慧是一种道德责任, 它不仅仅是为了让你们的生活变得更加美好。有一个相关的道理非常重要, 那就是你们必须坚持终身学习。如果不终身学习, 你们将不会取得很高的成就。光靠已有的知识, 你们在生活中走不了多远。离开这里以后, 你们还得继续学习, 这样才能在生活中走得更远。

就以世界上最受尊敬的公司伯克希尔·哈撒韦来说, 它的长期大额投资业绩可能是人类有史以来最出色的。让伯克希尔在这一个十年中赚到许多钱的方法, 在下一个十年未必还能那么管用, 所以沃伦·巴菲特不得不成为一部不断学习的机器。层次较低的生活也有同样的要求, 我不断地看到有些人在生活中越过越好, 他们不是最聪明的, 甚至不是最勤奋的, 但他们是学习机器, 他们每天夜里睡觉时都比那天早晨聪明一点点。孩子们, 这种习惯对你们很有帮助, 特别是在你们还有很长的路要走的时候。

阿尔弗雷德·诺斯·怀特海曾经说过一句很正确的话, 他说只有当人类“发明了发明的方法”之后, 人类社会才能快速地发展。他指的是人均GDP的巨大增长和其他许多我们今天已经习以为常的好东西。人类社会在几百年前才出现了大发展, 在那之前, 每个世纪的发展几乎等于零。人类社会只有发明了发明的方法之后才能发展, 同样的道理, 你们只有学习了学习的方法之后才能进步。

我非常幸运。我读法学院之前就已经学会了学习的方法。在我这漫长的一生中, 没有什么比持续学习对我的帮助更大。再拿沃伦·巴菲特来说, 如果你们拿着计时器观察他, 会发现他醒着的时候有一半时间是在看书。他把剩下的时间大部分用来跟一些非常有才干的人进行一对一的交谈, 有时候是打电话, 有时候是当面, 那些都是他信任且信任他的人。仔细观察的话, 沃伦很像个学究, 虽然他在世俗生活中非常成功。

学术界有许多非常有价值的东西。不久之前我就遇到一个例子, 我是一家医院的理事会主席, 在工作中接触到一个叫约瑟夫·米拉的医学研究人员。这位仁兄是医学博士, 他经过多年的钻研, 成为世界上最精通骨肿瘤病理学的人。他想要传播这种知识, 提高骨癌的治疗效果。他是怎么做的呢?嗯, 他决定写一本教科书, 虽然我认为这种教科书最多只能卖几千册, 但世界各地的癌症治疗中心都买了它。他休了一年假, 把所有的X光片弄到电脑里, 仔细地保存和编排, 他每天工作17小时, 每周工作七天, 整整坚持了一年。这也算是休假啊。假期结束的时候, 他写出了世界上最好的两本骨癌病理学教科书中的一本。如果你们的价值跟米拉差不多, 你们想要获得多大的成就就能获得多大的成就。

另一个对我非常有用的道理是我当年在法学院学到的。那时有位爱开玩笑的教授说:“什么是法律头脑?如果有两件事交织在一起, 相互之间有影响, 你努力只考虑其中一件, 而完全不顾另一件, 以为这种思考方式既实用又可行的头脑就是法律头脑。”我知道他是在说反话, 他说的那种“法律”方法是很荒唐的。这给了我很大的启发, 因为它促使我去学习各学科中所有的重要道理, 这样我就不会成为那位教授所描绘的蠢货。因为真正重要的大道理占每个学科95%的分量, 所以对我而言, 从所有的学科吸取我所需要的95%的知识, 并将它们变成我思维习惯的一部分, 也不是很难的事情。当然, 掌握了这些道理后之后, 你们必须通过实践去使用它们。这就像钢琴演奏家, 如果不持续练习, 就不可能弹得很好。所以我这辈子不断地实践那种跨学科的方法。

这种习惯帮了我很多忙, 它让生活更有乐趣, 让我能做更多的事情, 让我变得更有建设性, 让我变得非常富有, 而这无法用天分来解释。我的思维习惯只要得到正确的实践, 真的很有帮助。但这种习惯也会带来危险, 因为它太有用了, 如果你们使用它, 当你们和其他学科的专家——也许这位专家甚至是你们的老板, 能够轻而易举地伤害你们——在一起时, 你们会常常发现, 原来你们的知识比他更丰富, 更能够解决他所遇到的问题, 当他束手无策的时候, 你们有时会知道正确的答案。遇到这样的情况是非常危险的, 如果你们的正确让有身份有地位的人觉得没面子, 可能会引发极大的报复心理。我还没有找到避免受这个严重问题伤害的完美方法。

尽管我年轻时扑克牌玩得很好, 但在我认为我知道的比上级多的时候, 我不太擅长掩饰自己的想法, 没有很谨慎地去努力掩饰自己的想法, 所以我总是得罪人。现在人们通常把我当成一个行将就木的没有恶意的古怪老头, 但在从前, 我有过一段很艰难的日子。我建议你们不要学我, 最好学会隐藏你们的睿智。我有个同事, 他从法学院毕业时成绩是全班第一名, 曾在美国最高法院工作过, 年轻时当过律师, 当时他总是表现出见多识广的样子。有一天, 他上级的高级合伙人把他叫进办公室, 对他说:“听好了, 查克, 我要向你解释一些事情, 你的工作和职责是让客户认为他是房间里最聪明的人。如果你完成了这项任务之后还有多余的精力, 应该用它来让你的高级合伙人显得像是房间里第二聪明的人。只有履行了这两条义务之后, 你才可以表现你自己。”嗯, 那是一种在大型律师事务所里往上爬的好办法, 但我并没有那么做。我通常率性而为, 如果有人看不惯我的作风, 那就随便咯, 我又不需要每个人都喜欢我。

我想进一步解释为什么人们必须拥有跨科学的心态, 才能高效而成熟地生活。在这里, 我想引用古代最伟大的律师马尔库斯·图鲁斯·西塞罗的一个重要思想。西塞罗有句话很著名, 他说, 如果一个人不知道他出生之前发生过什么事情, 在生活中就会像一个无知的孩童。这个道理非常正确, 西塞罗正确地嘲笑了那些愚蠢得对历史一无所知的人。但如果你们将西塞罗这句话推而广之——我认为你们应该这么做——除了历史之外, 还有许多东西是人们必须了解的。所谓的许多东西就是所有学科的重要思想。但如果你对一种知识死记硬背, 以便能在考试中取得好成绩, 这种知识对你们不会有太大的帮助。你们必须掌握许多知识, 让它们在你们的头脑中形成一个思维框架, 在随后的日子里能自动地运用它们。如果你们能够做到这一点, 我郑重地向你们保证, 总有一天你们会在不知不觉中意识到:“我已经成为我的同龄人中最有效率的人之一。”与之相反, 如果不努力去实践这种跨科学的方法, 你们中的许多最聪明的人只会取得中等成就, 甚至生活在阴影中。

我发现的另外一个道理蕴含在麦卡弗雷院长刚才讲过的故事中, 故事里的乡下人说:“要知道我会死在哪里就好啦, 我将永远不去那个地方。”这乡下人说的话虽然听起来很荒唐, 却蕴含着一个深刻的道理。对于复杂的适应系统以及人类的大脑而言, 如果采用逆向思考, 问题往往会变得更容易解决。如果你们把问题反过来思考, 通常就能够想得更加清楚。例如, 如果你们想要帮助印度, 应该考虑的问题不是“我要怎样才能帮助印度?”与之相反, 你们应该问:“我要怎样才能损害印度?”你们应该找到能对印度造成最大损害的事情, 然后避免去做它。也许从逻辑上来看两种方法是一样的, 但那些精通代数的人知道, 如果问题很难解决, 利用反向证明往往就能迎刃而解。生活的情况跟代数一样, 逆向思考能够帮助你们解决正面思考无法处理的问题。

让我现在就来使用一点逆向思考。什么会让我们在生活中失败呢?我们应该避免什么呢?有些答案很简单, 例如, 懒惰和言而无信会让我们在生活中失败。如果你们言而无信, 就算有再多的优点, 也无法避免悲惨的下场。所以你们应该养成言出必行的习惯, 懒惰和言而无信是显然要避免的。

另外要避免的是极端的意识形态, 因为它会让人们丧失理智。你们看到电视上有许多非常糟糕的宗教布道者, 他们对神学中的细枝末节持有不相同、强烈的、前后矛盾的神学观点, 偏偏又非常固执, 我看他们中有许多人的脑袋已经萎缩成卷心菜了 (听众大笑) 。政治意识形态的情况也一样。年轻人特别容易陷入强烈而愚蠢的意识形态中, 而且永远走不出来。当你们宣布你们是某个类似邪教团体的忠实成员, 并开始倡导该团体的正统意识形态时, 你们所做的就是将这种意识形态不断地往自己的头脑里塞。这样你们的头脑就会坏掉, 而且有时候是以惊人的速度坏掉。所以你们要非常小心地提防强烈的意识形态, 它对你们的宝贵头脑是极大的危险。

每当我感到自己有陷入某种强烈的意识形态的危险时, 我就会拿下面这个例子来提醒自己, 有些玩独木舟的斯堪的纳维亚人征服了斯堪的纳维亚所有的激流, 他们认为他们也能驾驶独木舟顺利地征服北美洲的大漩涡, 结果死亡率是百分之百。大漩涡是你们应避开的东西, 强烈的意识形态也是, 尤其是你们的同伴全都是虔诚的信徒时。

我有一条“铁律”, 它帮助我在偏向于支持某种强烈的意识形态时保持清醒。我觉得我没资格拥有一种观点, 除非我能比我的对手更好地反驳我的立场。我认为我只有在达到这个境界时才有资格发表意见。迪安·艾奇逊 (1893—1971年, 美国著名政治家和律师, 在制定美国冷战时期外交政策上扮演过重要角色——译者注) 有一条“铁律”, 它来自奥兰治的沉默者威廉 (William the Silentof Orange, 1533—1584年, 尼德兰独立战争中领导荷兰人反抗西班牙人的统治, 被尊为荷兰国父——译者注) 说过的一句话, 那句话的意思大概是“未必要有希望才能坚持”。我的做法听起来跟这条“铁律”一样极端, 对大多数人而言, 这么做可能太难了, 但我希望对我来说它永远不会变得太难。我这种避免陷入强烈的意识形态的方法其实比迪安·艾奇逊的“铁律”更容易, 也值得学习。这种别陷入极端意识形态的方法在生活中是非常非常重要的, 如果你们想要成为明智的人, 严重的意识形态很有可能会导致事与愿违。

有一种叫做“自我服务偏好”的心理因素也经常导致人们做傻事, 它往往是潜意识的, 所有人都难免受其影响。你们认为“自我”有资格去做它想做的事情, 例如, 透支收入来满足它的需求, 那有什么不好呢?嗯, 从前有一个人, 他是全世界最著名的作曲家, 可是他大部分时间过得非常悲惨, 原因之一就是他总是透支他的收入。那位作曲家叫做莫扎特。连莫扎特都无法摆脱这种愚蠢行为的毒害, 我觉得你们更不应该去尝试它 (听众大笑) 。

总的来说, 嫉妒、怨憎、仇恨和自怜都是灾难性的思想状态。过度自怜可以让人近乎偏执, 偏执是最难逆转的东西之一, 你们不要陷入自怜的情绪中。我有个朋友, 他随身携带一叠厚厚的卡片, 每当有人说了自怜的话, 他就会慢慢地、夸张地掏出那一叠卡片, 将最上面那张交给说话的人。卡片上写着“你的故事让我很感动, 我从来没有听过有人像你这么倒霉”。你们也许认为这是开玩笑, 但我认为这是精神卫生。每当你们发现自己产生了自怜的情绪, 不管是什么原因, 哪怕由于自己的孩子患上癌症即将死去, 你们也要想到, 自怜是于事无补的。这样的时候, 你们要送给自己一张我朋友的卡片。自怜总是会产生负面影响, 它是一种错误的思维方式。如果你们能够避开它, 你们的优势就远远大于其他人, 或者几乎所有的人, 因为自怜是一种标准的反应。你们可以通过训练来摆脱它。

你们当然也要在自己的思维习惯中消除自我服务的偏好, 别以为对你们有利的就是对整个社会有利的, 也别根据这种自我中心的潜意识倾向来为你们愚蠢或邪恶的行为辩解, 那是一种可怕的思考方式。你们要让自己摆脱这种心理, 因为你们想成为智者而不是傻瓜, 想做好人而不是坏蛋。你们必须在自己的认知行动中允许别人拥有自我服务的偏好, 因为大多数人无法非常成功地清除这种心理, 人性就是这样。如果你们不能容忍别人在行动中表现出自我服务的偏好, 那么你们又是傻瓜。

所罗门兄弟公司的法律顾问曾经做过《哈佛法学评论》的学生编辑, 是个聪明而高尚的人, 但我亲眼看到他毁掉了自己的前途。当时那位能干的CEO说有位下属做错了事, 总顾问说:“哦, 我们在法律上没有责任汇报这件事, 但我认为那是我们应该做的, 那是我们的道德责任。”从法律和道德上来讲, 总顾问是正确的, 但他的方法却是错误的。他建议日理万机的CEO去做一件令人不愉快的事情, 而CEO总是把这件事一推再推, 因为他很忙嘛, 完全可以理解, 他并不是故意要犯错。后来呢, 主管部门责怪他们没有及时通报情况, 所以CEO和总顾问都完蛋了。

遇到这种情况, 正确的说服技巧是本杰明·富兰克林指出的那种, 他说:“如果你想要说服别人, 要诉诸利益, 而非诉诸理性。”人类自我服务的偏好是极其强大的, 应该被用来获得正确的结果。所以总顾问应该说:“喂, 如果这种情况再持续下去, 会毁掉你的, 会让你身败名裂, 家破人亡。我的建议能够让你免于陷入万劫不复之地。”这种方法会生效的。你们应该多多诉诸利益, 而不是理性, 即使是当你们的动机很高尚的时候。

另外一种应该避免的事情是受到变态的激励机制的驱动。你们不要处在一个你们表现得越愚蠢或者越糟糕, 它就提供越多回报的变态激励系统之中, 变态的激励机制具有控制人类行为的强大力量, 人们应该避免受它影响。你们将来会发现, 有些律师事务所规定的工作时间特别长, 至少有几家现代律师事务所是这样的。如果每年要工作2400个小时, 我就没法活了, 那会给我带来许多问题, 我不会接受这种条件。我没有办法对付你们中的某些人将会面对的这种局面, 你们将不得不自行摸索如何处理这些重要的问题。

变态的工作关系也是应该避免的, 你们要特别避免在你们不崇敬或者不想像他一样的人手下干活, 那是很危险的。所有人在某种程度上都受到权威人物的控制, 尤其是那些为我们提供回报的权威人物。要正确地应对这种危险, 必须同时拥有才华和决心。在我年轻的时候, 我的办法是找出我尊敬的人, 然后想办法调到他手下去, 但是别批评任何人, 这样我通常能够在好领导手下工作。许多律师事务所是允许这么做的, 只要你们足够聪明, 能做得很得体。总之, 在你们正确地仰慕的人手下工作, 在生活中取得的成就将会更加令人满意。

养成一些让你能保持客观公正的习惯当然对认知非常有帮助。我们都记得达尔文特别留意相反的证据, 尤其是他证伪的是某种他信奉和热爱的理论时。如果你们想要在思考的时候尽量少犯错误, 就需要这样的习惯。人们还需要养成核对检查清单的习惯, 核对检查清单能避免很多错误, 不仅仅对飞行员来说是如此。你们不应该光是掌握广泛的基础知识, 而是应该把它们在头脑中列成一张清单, 然后再加以使用。没有其他方法能取得相同的效果。

另外一个我认为很重要的道理就是, 将不平等最大化通常能够收到奇效。这句话是什么意思呢?加州大学洛杉矶分校 (UCLA) 的约翰·伍登 (John Wooden) 提供了一个示范性的例子。伍登曾经是世界上最优秀的篮球教练。他对五个水平较低的球员说:“你们不会得到上场的时间——你们是陪练。”比赛几乎都是那七个水平较高的球员在打的。嗯, 这七个水平高的球员学到了更多——别忘了学习机器的重要性——因为他们独享了所有的比赛时间。在他采用非平等主义的方法时, 伍登比从前赢得了更多的比赛。我认为生活就像比赛也充满了竞争, 我们要让那些最有能力和最愿意成为学习机器的人发挥最大的作用。如果你们想要获得非常高的成就, 你们就必须成为那样的人。你们不希望在50个轮流做手术的医生中抓阄抽一个来给你们的孩子做脑外科手术。你们不希望你们的飞机是以一种太过平等主义的方式设计出来的。你们也不希望你们的伯克希尔·哈撒韦采用这样的管理方式。你们想要让最好的球员打很长时间的比赛。

我经常讲一个有关马克斯·普朗克的笑话。普朗克获得诺贝尔奖之后, 到德国各地作演讲, 每次讲的内容大同小异, 都是关于新的量子物理理论的, 时间一久, 他的司机记住了讲座的内容。司机说:“普朗克教授, 我们老这样也挺无聊的, 不如这样吧, 到慕尼黑让我来讲, 你戴着我的司机帽子坐在前排, 你说呢?”普朗克说:“好啊。”于是司机走上讲台, 就量子物理发表了一通长篇大论。后来有个物理学教授站起来, 提了一个非常难的问题。演讲者说:“哇, 我真没想到, 我会在慕尼黑这么先进的城市遇到这么简单的问题。我想请我的司机来回答。” (听众大笑)

好啦, 我讲这个故事呢, 并不是为了表扬主角很机敏。我认为这个世界的知识可以分为两种:一种是普朗克知识, 它属于那种真正懂的人。他们付出了努力, 他们拥有那种能力。另外一种是司机知识。他们掌握了鹦鹉学舌的技巧;他们可能有漂亮的头发;他们的声音通常很动听;他们给人留下深刻的印象。但其实他们拥有的是伪装成真实知识的司机知识。我想我刚才实际上描绘了美国所有的政客。 (听众鼓掌。) 如果你们在生活中想努力成为拥有普朗克知识的人, 而避免成为拥有司机知识的人, 你们将遇到这个问题——到时会有许多巨大的势力与你们作对。

从某种程度上来讲, 我这代人辜负了你们, 我们给你们留了个烂摊子, 现在加利福尼亚州的立法机构里面大多数议员是左派的傻瓜和右派的傻瓜, 这样的人越来越多, 而且他们没有一个人是可以被请走的。这就是我这代人为你们做的事情。但是, 你们不会喜欢太过简单的任务, 对吧?

另外一件我发现的事情是, 如果你们真的想要在某个领域做得很出色, 那么你们必须对它有强烈的兴趣。我可以强迫自己把许多事情做得相当好, 但我无法将我没有强烈兴趣的事情做得非常出色。从某种程度上来讲, 你们也跟我差不多。所以如果有机会的话, 你们要想办法去做那些你们有强烈兴趣的事情。

还有就是, 你们一定要非常勤奋才行。我非常喜欢勤奋的人。我这辈子遇到的合伙人都极其勤奋。我想我之所以能够和他们合伙, 部分原因在于我努力做到配得起他们, 部分原因在于我很精明地选择了他们, 还有部分原因是我运气好。我早期的生意上曾经有过两位合伙人, 他们俩在大萧条期间合资成立了一家建筑设计施工公司, 达成了很简单的协议。“这是个两个人的合伙公司。”他们说, “一切平分。如果我们没有完成对客户的承诺, 我们俩要每天工作14个小时, 每星期工作7天, 直到完成为止。”不用说你们也知道啦, 这家公司做得很成功。我那两位合伙人广受尊敬。他们这种简单的老派观念几乎肯定能够提供一个很好的结果。

另外一个你们要应付的问题是, 你们在生活中可能会遭到沉重的打击, 不公平的打击。有些人能挺过去, 有些人不能。我认为爱比克泰德 (Epictetus) 的态度能够引导人们作出正确的反应。他认为生活中的每一次不幸, 无论多么倒霉, 都是一个锻炼的机会。他认为每一次不幸都是吸取教训的良机。人们不应该在自怜中沉沦, 而是应该利用每次打击来提高自我。他的观点是非常正确的, 影响了最优秀的罗马帝国皇帝马库斯·奥勒留 (Marcus Aurelius) , 以及随后许多个世纪里许许多多其他的人。你们也许记得爱比克泰德自拟的墓志铭:“此处埋着爱比克泰德, 一个奴隶, 身体残疾, 极端穷困, 蒙受诸神的恩宠。”嗯, 现在爱比克泰德就是这样被铭记的:“蒙受诸神的恩宠。”说他蒙受恩宠, 是因为他变成智者, 变成顶天立地的男子汉, 而且教育了其他人, 包括他那个时代和随后许多世纪的人。

我还有个道理简单地说说。我的爷爷芒格曾是他所在城市唯一的联邦法官, 他担任这个职位长达40年之久。我很崇拜他。我的名字跟他相同。我对他非常孝顺, 我刚才还在想:“芒格法官看到我在这里会很高兴的。”我爷爷去世许多年啦, 我认为自己有责任接过火炬, 传达他的价值观。他的价值观之一是, 节俭是责任的仆人。芒格爷爷担任联邦法官的时候, 联邦法官的遗孀是得不到抚恤金的。所以如果他赚了钱不存起来, 我奶奶将会变成一个凄凉的寡妇。除此之外, 家有余资也能让他更好地服务别人。由于他是这样的人, 所以他终生量入为出, 给他的遗孀留下了一个舒适的生活环境。

但这并非是他节俭的全部功效。我爷爷尚在人世的时候——那是1930年代的事情了——我叔叔的小银行倒闭了, 如果没有外力的帮助, 将无法重新开业。我爷爷用他的优质资产的三分之一去交换那家银行的劣质资产, 从而拯救了它。我一直记得这件事情。这件事情让我想起豪斯曼 (A.E.Housman, 1859—1936, 英国古典文学学者, 诗人) 的一首短诗, 那首诗好像是这样的:

别人的想法

是飘忽不定的

他们想着和恋人幽会

想走大运或出大名

我总是想着麻烦

我的想法是稳重的

所以当麻烦来临时

我早已做好准备

你们很可能会说:“谁会在生活中整天期待麻烦的到来啊?”其实我就是这样的。在这漫长的一生中, 我一直都在期待麻烦的到来。现在我已经84岁啦。就像爱比克泰德, 我也拥有一种蒙受恩宠的生活。我总是期待麻烦的到来, 准备好麻烦来临时如何对付它, 这并没有让我感到不快乐。这根本对我没有任何害处, 实际上, 这对我有很大的帮助。所以我要把豪斯曼和芒格法官的道理传授给你们。

由于在你们将要从事的行业中有大量的程序和繁文缛节, 最后一个我想要告诉你们的道理是, 复杂的官僚程序不是文明社会的最好制度。更好的制度是一张无缝的、非官僚的信任之网。没有太多稀奇古怪的程序。只有一群可靠的人, 他们彼此之间有正确的信任。那是玛约医疗中心手术室的运作方式。如果那里的医生像律师那样设立许多像法律程序那么繁琐的规矩, 更多的病人会死于非命。所以当你们成为律师的时候, 永远别忘记, 虽然你们在工作中要遵守程序, 但你不用总是被程序牵着鼻子走。你们应该生活在追求的是尽可能地培养一张无缝的信任之网。如果你们拟定的婚姻协议书长达47页, 那么我建议你们这婚还是不结为妙。 (听众大笑)

好啦, 在毕业典礼上讲这么多已经够啦。我希望这些老人的废话对你们来说是有用的。最后, 我想用《天路历程》中那位真理剑客年老之后唯一可能说出的话来结束这次演讲:“我的剑传给能挥舞它的人。” (来源:《穷查理宝典》, 上海人民出版社2010年出版)

未必要有希望才能坚持

篇4：美国十大毕业典礼演讲

苹果电脑总裁2006年。斯坦福大学

记着你总会死去，是我知道的防止患得患失的最佳办法。赤争条来去无牵挂，还有什么理由不随你的心。

你的时间是有限的，因此不，要把时间花在过别人的生活上。不要被教条所困——让自己的生活成为他人想法的结果。不要让他人的意见淹没了你自己内心的声音。最重要的是，要有勇气跟随你的本心与直觉。它们好歹已经知道你真正想让自己成为什么。其他的，都是次要的。

保持饥饿。保持愚蠢。

2.杰瑞·朱克

导演、电影制片人2003年。威斯康辛大学

如果你一生都在睡觉，你的梦想是否实现就无关紧要了。

问你自己一个问题：如果我不是必须做得完美，那我还努力什么呢?

没有人会像你自己那样对自己的失败那么在意。你是唯一沉湎于你自己的重要性的人。对于其他所有人来说，你只是雷达荧光屏上的一个光点。所以，只管前行吧。

3.马克·刘易斯

教授、临床心理学家2000年，德克萨斯大学(奥斯汀)

有时候你会干得很漂亮，有时候你会失败。但二者都不是成功的量度。成功的量度是你自己对你的所为怎么看。让我换一句话说：让自己幸福的办法是喜欢你自己，喜欢你自己的办法是只做让你自己感到骄傲的事情。

有一个老的笑话，不是很好笑，它是这么说的：“无论你去到那里，你总是你。”这是真的。你一生中跟你在一起最多的人是你自己，如果你不喜欢你自己，那你就会总是跟你不喜欢的人在一起。

4.大卫·福斯特·华莱士

小说家2005年，肯尼恩学院

有两条小鱼在一起游泳，一天他们碰巧遇到了一条老鱼。老鱼向他们点头，并说：“早上好，孩子们。水怎么样?”这两条小鱼继续往前游，其中一条小鱼实在忍不住了，问另一奈小鱼：“水是什么东西?”

简单的意识，对我们生活中如此真实、如此必不可少、无处不在、无时不在的事物的意识，需要我们一遍一遍地提醒自己：“这是水。”“这是水。”

在一天又一天的成人世界中做到这点，保持意识清醒而鲜活，是不可想象地难。

5.约翰·沃尔什

作家和艺术历史学家2000年，惠顿神学院

一次做一件事情。给你每一次经历全部的注意力。努力抵抗被别的声色之物和其他想法、任务分心。一旦分心了，引导你的内心重新回到你做的事情上。

我不是在反对学习多个学科的众多知识，鉴赏力真的很有用。我所警告的是分心与干扰，无论是你主动招惹的，还是让它发生的，就像我一生所做的那样。在棒球场上，得分高的击球员对此有更深体会：他们谈的是“专注”，他们把它看得跟力量一样重要。在心理学家的描述中，高技能的攀岩者、网球运动员、钢琴家已经超越了专注，达到了他们所称的经验之“流”，那是一种跟岩石、网球或音乐融为一体的感觉。“我vs，它”已然消失，跟任务合二为一，给人以更高水平的愉悦体验，而不仅仅是成功地完成了任务。我有这种体验，虽然很少，但来得还不算迟，或许你也有这种体验。这是最高形式的快乐。如果你一次专注于做一件事情，你就会有更多这样的体验。

6.迈克尔·奥斯兰

电影制片人2006年，印第安纳大学

你必须相信你自己和你的工作。当我们第一部电影《蝙蝠侠》创下史无前例的票房纪录时，我接到了艺术家联合会会长的电话，他在数年之前曾跟我谈过，他说我疯了。如今他说，“迈克尔，我给你打电话不只是祝贺蝙蝠侠的成功，我说过你是一位梦想家。”你看，关键在这里，当他们说你有多差，你的想法有多糟的时候，不要信他们的话，同时，当他们告诉你你有多么了不起，你的想法多美妙时，也不要相信他们。你就只相信你自己，你会做好的。还有，是的，不要忘记推销你自己和你的想法。左右大脑你都得用。

你的挫败感阈值一定得高。想想那些被好莱坞每一家制片厂拒绝的人。你必须去敲一扇扇的门，直到指节流血。大门会在你面前砰然关上，你必须重振旗鼓，弹去身上的灰尘，再敲下一扇门。这是实现你人生目标的唯一办法。

7.大卫·L·卡尔霍恩

商人2005年，弗吉尼亚理工大学

我在GE为一个名叫杰克·韦尔奇的家伙工作了20年。他既是一位伟大的领导者，也是一位伟大的导师。如果我必须找出这么多年他对我说的最慷慨激昂的主题，那就是自信。自信是最重要的，它是成功必不可少的，是所有在其他方面大相径庭的伟大领导者的共同特征。

如何获得自信?培养你内心的自信的秘密是什么?

首先，你必须下决心每天都通过你的工作和家庭生活去获得智力、道德、技术与专业上的增进。你需要每天问自己：我是在加速还是在后退?我还在学习吗?我是在重复做同样的事情或就像奥蒂斯·瑞汀所说的那样“坐在海湾的码头上，看潮起潮落”?

对学习的渴望是不受年龄限制的。

培养自信的另一个重要途径是寻找最难的工作，最枯燥的科学、工程或管理的挑战。

8.厄尔·巴肯

商人2004年，夏威夷大学

无论怎么考量，大黄蜂从空气动力学上讲是最不健全、不应该会飞的。但是，这个小蜜蜂有着像涡轮喷气飞机一样的翅膀，能够带着它圆乎乎的身体飞到任何植物的花蕊上去采蜜。大黄蜂是最坚韧的生灵，它们不知道它们不能飞，因此它们只管嗡嗡地把翅膀扇个不停。

千万不要屈服于悲观。不知道你不会飞，你会飞得像鹰一样高。不要到头来埋怨自己因为自己太懒或太怕高飞而无所作为。做一只大黄蜂!飞到天上去!你会做到的。

9.布兰德利·惠特福德

演员2006年，威斯康辛一麦迪逊大学

第一，爱上过程，结果自然会来。第二，做你的事。第三，一旦你准备好，把你的准备丢进垃圾桶里。第四，你能做的，超出了你的想象。第五，聆听。第六，采取行动。

你有一个选择。要么你成为环境的被动受害者，要么你成为你自己生命的英雄。行动是冷漠、玩世不恭与绝望的解毒剂。

10.伍迪·海耶斯

大学橄榄球教练1986年，俄亥俄州立大学

在橄榄球场上，我们总是说其他队战胜不了我们。我们必须坚信我们不能打垮我们自己。所有人都必须这么做，确保自己不要被自己打垮。

你会发现，来得容易的东西总是一文不值。事实上，我从来没有看到哪位橄榄球运动员带看微笑完成阻截的。从来没有。

关掉你的电脑，关掉你的手机，去发现你周围的人性。什么也比不上牵着你蹒跚学步的孙子的手。

篇5：毕业典礼英文演讲稿

”In fact, as I look out before me today, I dont see a thousand hopes for a bright tomorrow. I dont see a thousand future leaders in a thousand industries. I see a thousand losers.

“Youre upset. Thats understandable. After all, how can I, Lawrence Larry Ellison, college dropout, have the audacity to spout such heresy to the graduating class of one of the nations most prestigious institutions? Ill tell you why. Because I, Lawrence ”Larry“ Ellison, second richest man on the planet, am a college dropout, and you are not.

”Because Bill Gates, richest man on the planet -- for now, anyway -- is a college dropout, and you are not.

“Because Paul Allen, the third richest man on the planet, dropped out of college, and you did not.

”And for good measure, because Michael Dell, No. 9 on the list and moving up fast, is a college dropout, and you, yet again, are not.

“Hmm . . . youre very upset. Thats understandable. So let me stroke your egos for a moment by pointing out, quite sincerely, that your diplomas were not attained in vain. Most of you, I imagine, have spent four to five years here, and in many ways what youve learned and endured will serve you well in the years ahead. Youve established good work habits. Youve established a network of people that will help you down the road. And youve established what will be lifelong relationships with the word therapy. All that of is good. For in truth, you will need that network. You will need those strong work habits. You will need that therapy.

”You will need them because you didnt drop out, and so you will never be among the richest people in the world. Oh sure, you may, perhaps, work your way up to No. 10 or No. 11, like Steve Ballmer. But then, I dont have to tell you who he really works for, do I? And for the record, he dropped out of grad school. Bit of a late bloomer.

“Finally, I realize that many of you, and hopefully by now most of you, are wondering, Is there anything I can do? Is there any hope for me at all? Actually, no. Its too late. Youve absorbed too much, think you know too much. Youre not 19 anymore. You have a built-in cap, and Im not referring to the mortar boards on your heads.

”Hmm... youre really very upset. Thats understandable. So perhaps this would be a good time to bring up the silver lining. Not for you, Class of 00. You are a write-off, so Ill let you slink off to your pathetic $200,000-a-year jobs, where your checks will be signed by former classmates who dropped out two years ago.

“Instead, I want to give hope to any underclassmen here today. I say to you, and I cant stress this enough: leave. Pack your things and your ideas and dont come back. Drop out. Start up.

”For I can tell you that a cap and gown will keep you down just as surely as these security guards dragging me off this stage are keeping me down . . .“

篇6：毕业典礼的英文演讲稿

For every person I’ve named, for every example I’ve cited, there are thousands of other Harvard citizens C students and alumni, faculty and staff C who are making the world better in more ways than we could possibly imagine. That is the power of this institution C not its brand, not our buildings, not our pomp and circumstance (as wonderful and terrific as that is). This University, Harvard, is its people C their aspirations, their achievements C their diversity of background, experience and thought C their desire to see beyond themselves and their devotion to serving others.

So, yes, I am an optimist. I’m an optimist because I live and work among all of you C because I see what you can do and because I know the boundless potential of what you can do. May we look to one another for inspiration in the years to come. May the expectations placed on us be exceeded only by our ability to meet them. And may Harvard continue to be a wellspring of hope for the world. It’s an honor to serve you as your president.

Congratulations to our newest alumni C and thank you to all.