Graduation time and that means commencement speeches designed to inspire graduates as they leave the known safety of school and set out on the larger, unknown world stage. Celebrities, world leaders, artists, and corporate executives are among the speakers invited to start them off. Their speeches vary, but–not incidentally–almost all use a metaphor to enhance their messages. See what I mean in the brief excerpts below and notice three things:
- The different sources of their metaphors from light to profound
- How appropriate their choices are both for who they are and for their audiences
- How each on its own merits resonates easily with an audience
Pierce Brosnan, Actor, James Bond movies. Dickinson College. Metaphor of choice: James Bond(!)
“… I have the greatest confidence that you can tackle these global challenges with equal effectiveness.”
“However, as someone who has saved the world a few times, or at least played someone who has, I’d like to offer 
you a bit of advice: If you want to save the world, you don’t need to be James Bond…collaboration is key to changing the world. In fact, right now our world doesn’t need a Bond. Our world doesn’t need a lone hero, out to solve things solo. We need people from different disciplines and walks of life, who are willing to work together, who can rely on one another, who can push forward, united … We need people who have a passion, and a sense of a mission.”
Madeleine Albright, Former Secretary of State. Bucknell. Metaphor of choice: Navigation
“…from this day forward, you will have to rely not on grades or guidance from professors to tell you how you are doing and where you stand.”
“You will have to rely, instead, on an inner compass; and whether that compass is true will determine whether you become a drifter who is blown about by every breeze; or a doer, an active citizen determined to chart your own course, question your assumptions, and, when necessary, sail unafraid against strong winds.”
Robert F. Smith, CEO, Vista Equity Partners. Morehouse College. Metaphor of choice: Contracts
“The degree you earn today is one of the most elite credentials that America has to offer. But I don’t want you to think about it as a document that hangs on the wall. Or reflects the accomplishments you made up until now. That degree is a contract. It’s a social contract. It calls on you to devote your talents and energies to honoring those legends on whose shoulders both you and I stand.”
Tim Cook, CEO, Apple.Tulane. Metaphor of choice: The sea
“There’s a saying that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. At Apple, I learned that’s a total crock. You’ll work harder than you ever thought possible, but the tools will feel light in your hands. As you go out into the world, don’t waste time on problems that have been solved. Don’t get hung up on what other people say is practical. Instead, steer your ship into the choppy seas. Look for the rough spots, the problems that seem too big, the complexities that other people are content to work around. It’s in those places that you will find your purpose. It’s there that you can make your greatest contribution. Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of being too cautious. Don’t assume that by staying put, the ground won’t move beneath your feet. The status quo simply won’t last. So get to work on building something better.”
Ken Jeong, “Crazy Rich Asians” actor. University of North Carolina. Metaphor of choice: Theater
“…Find your passion..and if you found your passion, as you graduate, let that evolve.”
“What is your act II? Everyone here has a different timeline. Everyone here has a unique story. Figure out what your act II is, and embrace the change, embrace the twists and the unexpected turns,”
Angela Merkel, German Chancellor at Harvard. Metaphor of choice: Walls
“Our individual liberties are not givens. Democracy is not something we can take for granted. Neither is peace, and neither is prosperity…But if we break down the walls that hem us in, if we step out into the open and have the courage to embrace new beginnings, everything is possible.”
She recalled her frustration as a younger person at walking past the Berlin Wall every day on her way home from work. It was a barrier of steel and concrete that divided the city, its people, and its families, including her own.
“The Berlin Wall limited my opportunities. It quite literally stood in my way. However, there was one thing which this wall couldn’t do through all those years: It couldn’t impose limits on my inner thoughts, my personality, my imagination, my dreams and desires.”
With the wall’s fall in 1989 and the collapse of communism, Merkel now had new possibilities, including a chance to become someone she never imagined she could be.
What she learned from that transformative experience was that “anything that seems set in stone or inalterable can indeed change ..and to approach the walls they’ll inevitably encounter in their lives, whether physical, social, intellectual, or cultural, in similar fashion.”
In parting, Merkel advised graduates to go out into the world and “tear down walls of ignorance and narrow-mindedness, for nothing has to stay as it is.”
Which Metaphor Resonated With You the Most?
The speeches from which the above clips were taken were meant to underscore similar inspiring messages to graduating audiences. Presenting the metaphorical aspects of their speeches here was meant to inspire you to use the power of metaphors whenever you have to sell, influence, or persuade anyone in a speech or in business.
Anne Miller
Make What You Say Pay! – with Metaphors
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