I actually really enjoy most commencement addresses. I love to hear people talk about what they feel is most important in life. Amidst the daily barrage of brainless blather, it's refreshing to hear sincere stories that are borne out of personal experiences.
I also appreciate good graduation speeches because I imagine they are immensely difficult to write. How do you put together words of inspiration without being trite or cliché? How do you give advice without sounding preachy or like you’re telling people how to live their lives? And how do you compose a speech that is entirely original and deliver it in a way that strikes just the right balance between engaging, funny, and profound?
The irony is that while we look to these speakers as templates of success, hoping they may give us something to emulate, they tend to emphasize the need to forge our own paths and to seek the answers within. In this regard, success is different for each of us and depends on how we define it.
One definition of success was made clear at a commencement ceremony I attended where the head of the faculty spoke at length about the need to "accomplish" and to "do great things in your field." Near the end of his speech, he told the graduates, "Stay in touch and let us know about all your successes...so we can brag about them!" He never once mentioned the importance of character, the need to build community, or how crucial it is to live a life of honesty and integrity.
A different definition was presented by the student speaker at my own college commencement ceremony. He reminded us that, while many people were hoping for our success, he was hoping for something else. "When you are faced with the opportunity to commit injustice that may result in your own financial or career success," he said, "I hope you fail. Gloriously!"
Here's one more definition:
"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it." ~Maya Angelou
Wishing you all success (especially you graduates). Thanks for a great year.
Now go practice.
I completely agree with Maya Angelou and her definition of success. Liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it. It sounds so simple, but I can overcomplicate the process. To me, success is having that attitude every step of the way. In my experience, gratitude is the catalyst that allows me to carry this perspective. It takes daily practice, and some days I am more devout than others. But a gratitude practice makes a difference and sets the tone for my day. I am eager to finish this semester strong! I will be a very focused, sleep-deprived, looney tune over these next couple of weeks in order to do so, but it is time to rally! One day at a time, one hour at a time.
ReplyDeleteThese have been a very difficult last couple of months for me where I have considered exactly what success means to me multiple times, but that being said, I would definitely agree with Maya Angelou. Through my hardship of deciding if this was truly a career I wanted to pursue, now that I have basically gone through all the hard work to get my degree, I have found a renewed love of my art, and in the immortal words of Princeton from avenue Q, PURPOSE! All that to say, while I am feeling incredibly burnt out from this last push for graduation, I am extremely proud of everything I have accomplished these last four years and am excited to finish strong. Thank you so much Brian for helping me rediscover my love of musical theatre that I had long since forgotten. Now to go practice, and rehearse my senior project.
ReplyDeleteAHHHH.. we've reached the end! Thanks for everything Doctor! I like to live by a quote from T.S. Eliot that says, "success is relative. It is what we make of the mess we have made of things." THIS IS SO TRUE! Pursuing a career path such as this one, success is SO relative. I think as long as you are doing what you love and contributing to the community, then you have reached the maximum amount of success.
ReplyDeleteI feel VERY crazy that we are at this point. The four years are coming to an end and i honestly could NOT have predicted that my life would be this way. I had a very different idea of what success was going to look like for me when i came here. I thought my voice would be different, my resume would be different, my look, my EVERYTHING would be different. But i feel very content with where I am today, and i love knowing that just because my life hasn't turned out the way i THOUGHT it would, doesn't mean that i haven't achieved just as much as i thought i would. My success looks and feels different than i thought it would, and that's very exciting. Success is personal, and means something different to everyone. I feel a very personal flavor of success after my four years here. I attribute much of my personal and unique successes to YOU doctor, so thank you for all of your wisdom and faith in my abilities for the next four years. I'm excited for the future, I'm proud of my time here, I'm thankful for everything I've learned, and damnit i feel SUCCESSFUL. <3 :)
ReplyDeleteI’ve always been intrigued by everyone’s definitions to success. Because usually, each individual has their own guidelines that they would group “success” into. For me personally, I agree with Maya Angelou. I define success as happiness. If I’m happy with what I put into the world, or how I approach a situation, or how I see myself, then I’m successful. Now, I’m not perfect by any means, and can fall into the approach that many people preach to art students that success is being able to support yourself financially and not worry about how to stay alive--But I also think that’s what makes artists so beautiful. I chose to let my passions drive me to happiness, thus driving me to my success. I just want to love myself, love what I do, and love how I do it.
ReplyDeleteSuccess is always one of those weird words to define because everyones definition for it is different. But I agree with Angelou and would define my success with happy moments. To others what I do or accomplish and count as successes may not be seen as success in their book and I think that's the beauty of it, we all have our differences. And it's also quite interesting to see that people's definitions of success change over time and as they grow and experience life the 'successes' change as well. I think all of it just adds to the notion of the mystery in life, you never know where it will lead you, and if you will 'succeed' or be happy in your life.
ReplyDeleteFor me success has been a very interesting definition and one I am still finding. I have been successful in a field where I have been able to create financial success that many graduates of that field of business are searching for even after college but it was not satisfying. success to me is in the Angelou definition excepting one addition in liking the people around you. after all, you become like the people you are around and if you don't like them then you will grow into a person you are not comfortable being. I am still working on being able to balance what I am going to consider success in life but I think I will try to enjoy the journey of getting there.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe this year is already coming to an end. I loved how you mentioned the struggle in balancing so many different qualities within a speech to accommodate and influence all audiences. That can easily be related to the art we perform. There is so much work to be done that will allow anyone who sees it will be able to both understand and taking something away from it.
ReplyDeleteSuccess means something different to everyone, and I love how Maya puts it. Your individual success lies solely in your own definition of it.
I'm happy to be a part of this program, with people who realize there are many understandings of the word success. I myself think that nothing can be successful without integrity. At least, it can't really work, So my intention is to be as integrous as I'm able. I know that if a person has a very busy life, having complete integrity may not always be possible. But that doesn't mean I can't get pretty close.
ReplyDeleteIt feel like just the other day we were all learning Delovely and learning to love it. Time flies when your'e having fun, and that's what this class and program have been for me. Nothing but fun and extremely educational, as well as beneficial to my career as an artist. One of my favorite goodbye quotes can be found in a Bastille song, Laughter Lines. "I'll see you in the future when we're older. And we are full of stories to be told. Cross my heart and hope to die. I'll see you in the future with your laughter lines." I find that everyone has to say goodbyes and that they are sad, but that doesn't mean that's the end of everything that you or anyone else has experienced. Because of the life that you've lived with everyone else you have blessed them as much as they have blessed you.
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ReplyDeleteOne of the things that I believe artists need to strive for is understanding that other artist’s successes are not direct challenges to their individual success. The purpose of art is to transcend the boundaries and influences of the modern, competitive world that favors backbiting and anger at the success of others. Art and the progress of thought is not a competition. Attempting to destroy the morale and confidence of other artists because they are simply succeeding is detrimental to the progression of our art form. Finding your ways to shows, reading new plays with writers, and supporting other’s success can only make your individual success more fruitful and rewarding. Especially because you will have cultivated a group dynamic that is mutually supportive of each other.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree. Especially going into a field like acting, success has to be a fluid, self based experience. I've always done my best to keep my parameters of success based in my own happiness and my own connection to the work. Commercial success and recognition may be nice, but are unpredictable guidelines to build a life upon. Ultimately, whatever path makes you the most fulfilledin the moment is the one you should trod
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of success as being something sincere and personal to your own experiences. “Success” has always been a concept that felt threatening and unnerving to me since so much of my high school experience in Silicon Valley pushed us towards “success” in STEM majors (and nowhere else). I feel that success may just be a mirage in that you’ll always have things you’d improve about your position. Art’s subjectivity makes it nearly impossible to actually achieve what people consider “success.” If you’re doing it right, I’d even argue you’re failing if you’re not still pissing some people off and "failing" gloriously. Art, in my experience, is meant to upset and enrich our lives, making us question the status quo and what it is to “succeed” at life. The concept, point blank, makes no sense. That is, of course, ignoring the nuance that it can have for each of us individually. Of course I have an idea of what would make me happy in the future and that is my hope for success, although, I hardly ever think of what success would be for me outside of my career goals. Why is that? I hope to focus more on what would feed my soul, what choices I can make for myself that would do wonderful things for the person I am, rather than the actor or singer or even the artist. I still want to set goals and keep on track professionally, but I hope there is always that dialogue in the back of my head, reminding me of how I can help Morgan feel fulfilled.
ReplyDeleteSuccess is always a difficult word. I have a hard time defining exactly what I would need in order to feel successful. It is certainly something that feels immensely far away, as I've always seen success as as the product of decades of hard work and sacrifice. I think have to work on finding ways to feel successful day to day, because that is what builds that long term success I hope to one day achieve. Ultimately I think what Maya Angelou said resonates with me. When I really think about, I find that I ultimately only really want one thing out of life, and that is to do the things I love with the people I love. In ten, twenty, thirty, or fourty years if I am still doing that, then I hope I should be satisfied with myself.
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard to believe that this chapter is about to come to a close! In such a subjective field, it is difficult to pinpoint what achieving success means. Is it making it on Broadway? Is it winning a Tony award? I think my favorite definition you offered was that of Maya Angelou's. There is SO much theatre in the world and SO much more you can do with a theatre degree, and I think it is up to the individual to define success for themselves. For me, working consistently and continuing to grow as a performer is success. And being on Broadway would be nice ;)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that success (whatever that means) isn't all there is to life, if you reach that success without honesty, integrity, and building your community/ relationships. And if you do find "success" through being dishonest, by cheating, and by treating people poorly, you've actually failed. At the end of the day I know that if I've lived my life by creating meaningful relationships, leaving some amount of good in to the world, and that I've been able to do fulfilling work, I've succeeded. And I think it is is SO important to recognize that another persons success is NOT your failure. Be happy and celebrate the people around you's successes! We're all on our own individual timelines in life.
ReplyDeleteI am so cheesy, even if I don’t know anyone graduating I get emotional seeing others celebrate their hard work. The world isn’t ready for these hardworking and talented folks graduating from the ATP and MTP. I love this quote by Maya, I have to agree with her brilliance. As human beings we often expect so much of ourselves and if we don’t do it exactly perfect we are so negative towards ourselves. I’d like to think that success is simple, you must always work hard but it isn’t as hard as we make it out to seem. I’m looking forward to the summer, independent training on my way and really working on finding a vocal coach! Thank you for a wonderful semester!
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of "success" can be particularly obscure in our field. People always use the term "make it"; but there's often such a narrow view of "making it" as an actor that points to greats recognized as "A-Listers". And when people ask me what I'm going to do after I graduate, when I say I'm moving to Los Angeles to be an actor (as in fact, wowza, my degree is in Acting) it often seems to come across to them as invalid. As though it would make more sense for me to graduate with a BFA in Acting and go become a therapist or a dentist or a plumber - since those seem more likely than the notion of "making it as an actor". I'm so grateful for these past 4 years and all the training and people and experiences they've brought me - because honestly, after all that, while of course I want to define my own way of "making it" as an actor, I really just want to be happy. And I think I know how to do that, or at least I'll figure it out...
ReplyDelete...or I won't ;).
I love Maya's idea of success. I think as a performer it is really hard to define success. When I tell people that I am going to be an actor their idea of my success is much different than my own. They see Broadway or Television and Movies as success. Yes. These are versions of success, these are very lofty successes.
ReplyDeletePersonally I see my future success as being able to sustain my lifestyle with a career in the arts. I see it as creating art that makes me feel proud and like I am potentially making a difference in my community.
I see it as a daily battle with my own happiness.
I dont imagine I will ever not want to be an artist. But I know that my idea of success will change over time. And If ever I am unhappy being an artist, my success will be different because I think that as much as being an artist is a part of me, I am also a human being. And I need to remember that that is also important.
ugh. I am getting so emotional about graduating. I feel like I have been working toward this for such a long time and now that it is finally here I am simultaneously terrified and thrilled. Cece is basically kidnapping me and making me go to New York (what a good friend honestly). And I just can't wait to aim for success.
Thank you Brian, for everything you have done to help me feel successful as an artist, and also as a human being. Thank you for reminding me that I'm not shit on the days when I feel like I am and for helping me figure out how to not be shit on the days when I actually am.
<3
(This is the fourth time I've tried to post a comment so hopefully it goes through. And hopefully you didn't get four other notifications. My b.)
ReplyDeleteI have always had a hard time defining my own success. Intellectually, I know that my process is different from others and that I shouldn't compare myself. However, I always find myself turning others' success into my own failures. I definitely have high expectations of myself.
Going forward (post graduation?!?!?) I would like to keep reminding myself that my path is different from everyone else's. Even though there are things I wish I would have done during undergrad, I want to keep reminding myself of the successes that I HAVE had so far, even if they're sometimes minuscule or non-career related. I need to remind myself that progress of any kind can be a success, and pushing myself to do better is something I should be proud of regardless!