Memorable Graduation Advice From the Stars19 of 38
Stephen Colbert to Northwestern University's Class of 2011:
"After I graduated from here, I moved down to Chicago to do improvisation. Now there are very few rules to improv, but one of the things I was taught early on is that you are not the most important person on the scene. Everybody else is. And if everybody else is more important than you are, you will naturally pay attention to them and serve them.
But the good news is you're in the scene, too. So, hopefully to them you’re the most important person, and they will serve you. No one is leading. You're all following the follower, serving the servant. You cannot win improv. And life is an improvisation. You have no idea what is going to happen next, and you are mostly just yanking ideas out of your ass as you go along. And like improv, you cannot win your life, even when it might look like you're winning.
So, no winning. Instead, try to love others and serve others, and, hopefully, find others that love and serve you in return."
"After I graduated from here, I moved down to Chicago to do improvisation. Now there are very few rules to improv, but one of the things I was taught early on is that you are not the most important person on the scene. Everybody else is. And if everybody else is more important than you are, you will naturally pay attention to them and serve them.
But the good news is you're in the scene, too. So, hopefully to them you’re the most important person, and they will serve you. No one is leading. You're all following the follower, serving the servant. You cannot win improv. And life is an improvisation. You have no idea what is going to happen next, and you are mostly just yanking ideas out of your ass as you go along. And like improv, you cannot win your life, even when it might look like you're winning.
So, no winning. Instead, try to love others and serve others, and, hopefully, find others that love and serve you in return."
PeopleStephen Colbert
Photo by Jeff Vespa - © 2014 Jeff Vespa - Image courtesy gettyimages.com