Inc.com - 15 of the Greatest Graduation Speeches of All Time

Inc.com
by Laura Garnett
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Graduation season is officially upon us. While many of us haven’t been in a cap and gown for quite some time, we can still recognizing the overwhelming sense of excitement and hope this season brings to new graduates. If you’re feeling a little sluggish and uninspired at work, getting back into a new-graduate mindset might just do the trick to help you get back into action and connect with work you love. Here are the top graduation speeches of all time:

1. Joyce DiDonato, Juilliard School (2014)

“One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, right here, right now, in this single, solitary, monumental moment in your life- is to decide, without apology, to commit to the journey, and not to the outcome.”

2. Ellen Degeneres, Tulane University (2009)

“It was so important for me to lose everything because I found out what the most important thing is, is to be true to yourself. Ultimately, that’s what’s gotten me to this place. I don’t live in fear, I’m free; I have no secrets and I know I’ll always be ok, because no matter what, I know who I am.”

3. Steve Jobs, Stanford University (2005)

“I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”

See the entire feature at Inc.com