The former African American First Lady, Michelle Obama
During a speech to the sophomore class at Bell Multicultural High School in Washington, Michelle Obama stated, “Once you have completed your education, you will have the foundation you need to build a successful life.” According to her, finishing school is the only way students can overcome adversity and achieve their goals.
Michelle recommends that students think carefully about who they will be to decide to pursue a degree. This reflection goes deeper into the question: how do you plan to live your life every day?
At a ceremony at Eastern Kentucky University, Michelle asked young people, “How are you going to react when you don’t get that job where you have put your dreams and illusions?”
Rather than encouraging young graduates to prepare for success, she reflected on the importance of resilience and moving forward despite difficulties. For Michelle, challenging times are the times that define us because they challenge us to prove ourselves.
Michelle’s advice to students is to build character and be persistent every day of their lives and never give up. Regarding this point, she assures “if you are willing to go deeper, if you are willing to get up when you fall, if you are willing to work and dedicate yourself until your weakness turns into strength, then you will develop a set of skills that you can mold and apply to whatever situation you find, “insists the former first lady of the United States.
The iconic figure shares one of her secrets: She has never hired anyone for an outstanding career path, but for their human quality, which includes hard work, being trustworthy, and being open to new points of view.
All of these values are learned from parents and the communities in which we grew up. For Michelle, what the world needs is resilience.
Three speeches are being inspired the most by Michelle Obama.
“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”
(At the Young African Women Leaders Forum in Soweto, South Africa)
“I want our young people to know that they matter, that they belong. So don’t be afraid — you hear me, young people? Don’t be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered. Empower yourselves with a good education, then get out there and use that education to build a country worthy of your boundless promise. Lead by example with hope, never fear.”
(Her final speech as First Lady)
“…we both realized that success isn’t about how your life looks to others, it’s about how it feels to you. We realized that being successful isn’t about being impressive, it’s about being inspired. And that’s what it means to be your true self. It means looking inside yourself and being honest about what you truly enjoy doing. Because graduates, I can promise you that you will never be happy plodding through someone else’s idea of success. Success is only meaningful — and enjoyable — if it feels like your own.”
(Oregon State University Commencement address 2012)
Sources:
- https://youtu.be/VxW5D5VPg_0
- https://latinamericanpost.com/34662-michelle-obamas-best-advice-for-young-generations
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2017/05/31/michelle-obamas-best-advice-to-young-people/?sh=721173625083
- https://us-east-2.console.aws.amazon.com/polly/home/SynthesizeSpeech
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