{"id":373224,"date":"2019-06-04T07:00:35","date_gmt":"2019-06-04T14:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=373224"},"modified":"2019-06-03T15:40:52","modified_gmt":"2019-06-03T22:40:52","slug":"what-swimmers-can-learn-from-a-commencement-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/what-swimmers-can-learn-from-a-commencement-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"What Swimmers Can Learn From A Commencement Speech"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>By Claire Alongi, Swimming World College Intern.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before college graduates are set free into the world, they have to sit through a commencement speech. To commence means to begin &#8211; a fitting name for the speech given at college graduations which signifies the end of undergraduate or graduate education yet the beginning of a new chapter. Commencement addresses traditionally impart some broad life advice, deviating slightly depending on the speaker&#8217;s angle. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While these speeches are meant to impart life advice to a wide audience, much of what is said can be pared down to be swimming wisdom. From the silly to the serious, let\u2019s take a look at excerpts from commencement speeches past and present to see what kind of takeaway swimmers might find in these speeches for the masses.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Tim Cook at <\/b><b>Tulane University<\/b><b> (2019)<\/b><\/h3>\n<div class=\"oembed-wrap\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Apple CEO Tim Cook keynote speech from Tulane University Commencement 2019\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/taLzKBs-Yu4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere\u2019s a saying that if you do what you love, you\u2019ll never work a day in your life. At Apple, I learned that\u2019s a total crock. You\u2019ll work harder than you ever thought possible, but the tools will feel light in your hands.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swimming is as grueling a sport as you can find. As you improve the sets just get harder, the hours longer, and the chlorine continues to seep out of every pore. Even the most devoted to the sport will have days where it just feels like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">too much &#8211;<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> too much effort, too much pain. But then you\u2019ll also get stronger, and while something harder will always loom on the horizon, you will master other things along the way. Cook\u2019s advice about \u201cthe tools getting lighter\u201d is something every swimmer can take to heart. \u00a0In this case, tools might look like technique or mental toughness and being knowledgeable of the limits of your body.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Bill Nye at <\/b><b>Goucher College<\/b><b> (2019)<\/b><\/h3>\n<div class=\"oembed-wrap\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bill Nye 2019 Commencement speech at Goucher College\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/T6z0K1-qBTY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><b>\u201c<\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, when it comes to changing the world, don\u2019t be scared. Don\u2019t freak out. When you have to perform doing anything \u2026 you might be nervous. You might be scared, and that fear can stop you cold. But don\u2019t let it. As we say in the theater and on television, take that fear and turn it into excitement \u2026 Take a chance. Make a difference \u2026 Turn your fear into excitement and change the world.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The moments between when the official says <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">take your mark<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the high-pitched beep of the starter never get less intense. It can make you freeze up and second-guess yourself. But Nye\u2019s advice to \u201cturn your fear into excitement\u201d is as simple as it is groundbreaking. Instead of thinking of all the things that could go wrong, channel that nervous energy into something positive. Imagine it fueling you as you cut through the water. Easier said than done, but it\u2019s still a good way to shift your mental focus.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>John Krasinski at <\/b><b>Brown University<\/b><b> (2019)<\/b><\/h3>\n<div class=\"oembed-wrap\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"John Krasinski &#039;01 delivers Brown University&#039;s Baccalaureate address, \u201cWhat do I know?&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RIS2dlnlsRo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOne of the best decisions I made in my life was just to lean all the way in \u2026 People ask me how I got into acting, and the truth is, I didn\u2019t get into acting. I got into everything \u2026 For the next four years, I wanted to be part of it all. I formed a new way of thinking. A new way of executing those thoughts. I left my comfort zone and then stayed there, and left again. I experienced firsthand the powerful shift in doing something out of love, rather than necessity.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This advice about \u201cleaning in\u201d can be as much about swimming as it can be about balancing swimming with the rest of life. For lack of a better term, the world of swimming can be a bit of a bubble. Routines are established, and as much as you might loathe the concept of waking up at 5 a.m. for that morning practice, there\u2019s a kind of comfort and camaraderie in the routine. Krasinski\u2019s advice to \u201clean in\u201d to things can be a reminder to swimmers that things happen outside the comfort zone of the bubble too. Figuring out the give and take between swimming and everything else is just as important as those hours you put into the pool.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Denzel Washington at University of Pennsylvania (2011)<\/b><\/h3>\n<div class=\"oembed-wrap\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Penn&#039;s 2011 Commencement Address by Denzel Washington\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vpW2sGlCtaE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Fall forward. This is what I mean: <strong>Reggie Jackson<\/strong> struck out 2,600 times in his career: the most in the history of baseball. But you don&#8217;t hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs. Fall forward. <strong>Thomas Edison<\/strong> conducted 1,000 failed experiments. Did you know that? I didn&#8217;t know that because the onethousand-first was the light bulb. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Washington\u2019s speech is a little more obvious in its applicability to swimming. For every triumphant race there are dozens that don&#8217;t turn out that way. On top of that, there are even more countless hours of training that have left you frustrated and doubting why in the world you\u2019re doing this sport in the first place. Swimming is a team sport, but it is also very much an individual one. Sometimes your own inner thoughts can be your biggest enemy. But, like Washington suggests, falling into those missteps instead of letting them sweep you away will bring you one step closer to touching that wall in record time (even if it\u2019s a record just for you).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Elizabeth Warren at Suffolk University (2016)<\/b><\/h3>\n<div class=\"oembed-wrap\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3bvDPTZvsfk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Knowing who you are will help you when it&#8217;s time to fight. Fight for the job you want, fight for the people who mean the most to you and fight for the kind of world you want to live in.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From coaches to teammates to parents to spectators, there are a lot of voices that go in and out of a swimmer\u2019s head. But Warren\u2019s speech is a reminder that at the end of the day, the most important voice is your own. It\u2019s the one you&#8217;re stuck with, and everyone else is just an interloper. While advice and encouragement from others is crucial, it\u2019s most important that they are carefully chosen additions and not adjustments to who you choose to be as a person and as an athlete.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Kristen Bell at <\/b><b>University of Southern California<\/b><b> School of Dramatic Arts (2019)<\/b><\/h3>\n<div class=\"oembed-wrap\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kristen Bell | USC School of Dramatic Arts Undergraduate Commencement Speech 2019\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uX55V1w2htc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen you respect the idea that you are sharing the earth with other humans, and when you lead with your nice foot forward, you\u2019ll win every time. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but it comes back to you when you need it. We live in an age of instant gratification, of immediate likes. And it is uncomfortable to have to wait to see the dividends of your kindness. But I promise you, it will appear exactly when you need it.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, people are rude. Or obnoxious. Or poke fun at your times or act arrogant and just plain mean. Bell\u2019s advice is a reminder to not sink to that level. While her optimism might be a little far reaching, at its core, swimmers can take to heart the necessity for professionalism and sportsmanship in the pool and on deck. Things do tend to come back around, and it\u2019s far better if you are repaid for your kindness than the alternative.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Conan O\u2019Brien at Dartmouth College (2011)<\/b><\/h3>\n<div class=\"oembed-wrap\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Conan O&#039;Brien&#039;s 2011 Dartmouth College Commencement Address | CONAN on TBS\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KmDYXaaT9sA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMy first job as your commencement speaker is to illustrate that life is not fair. For example, you have worked tirelessly for four years to earn the diploma you\u2019ll be receiving this weekend, and Dartmouth is giving me the same degree for interviewing the fourth lead in Twilight. Deal with it. Another example that life is not fair: if it does rain, the powerful rich people on stage get the tent. Deal with it&#8230;.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While O\u2019Brien\u2019s speech has a delightful taste of sarcasm to it, he does make a good point. Life isn\u2019t fair. Sometimes you will put all the work in, do yards upon yards upon yards of training and still not drop that half-second you wanted. Sometimes you\u2019ll get sick the day before the biggest meet of the season. And while you can gripe and grouch about it, sometimes you just have to grin and bear it and move on.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Dolly Parton at University of Tennessee (2009)<\/b><\/h3>\n<div class=\"oembed-wrap\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Dolly Parton Delivers Commencement Address at the University of Tennessee 2009\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EuOm2lLIOoU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c[T]ake for instance what has worked for me. <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wigs. <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tight clothes. <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Push up bras. <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High heel shoes, five inch high heel shoes&#8230;. <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now people are always asking me, what do you want people to say about you a hundred years from now? I always say I want them to say, \u2018Dang, don\u2019t she still look good for her age.\u2019 <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But all joking aside. <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I think people will remember us for who we were, not how many records we sell or how much money we make. Because I have always said that I have always counted my blessings far more often than I\u2019ve counted my money&#8230;.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it might seem difficult to create a venn diagram to see what swimmers and <strong>Dolly Parton<\/strong> have in common, her wisdom here certainly holds up when it comes to the sport. Records, fame, and glory will only take you so far. There\u2019s more to swimming than just being a stellar athlete &#8211; it\u2019s also about who you are before and after you take off the suit and goggles. In the heat of the moment, gasping for breath and legs burning as you sprint toward the finish, everything can go into tunnel vision. When you hit the wall and see that time, good or bad, it seems like that\u2019s all there is. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the moment will pass, as all moments do. Parton\u2019s words of wisdom are a reminder that we are not just one thing but the sum of all our parts: most of which don\u2019t have to do with record holding yet have everything to do with how we carry ourselves as people in the world. And there\u2019s no right or wrong way to be that person &#8211; whether it means wearing wigs and high heels or sweatpants that smell like chlorine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are loads more commencement speeches out there full of funny quips, heartfelt sentiments, and words of wisdom (check out <a href=\"http:\/\/time.com\/5589307\/best-commencement-speeches-2019\/\">Time<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esquire.com\/entertainment\/g3344\/best-commencement-speeches-of-all-time\/\">Esquire<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/answer-sheet\/post\/funniest-commencement-speeches\/2012\/05\/03\/gIQAzeYA0T_blog.html?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.8b4c21a10803\">The Washington Post<\/a> to see where the above quotes came from, along with others). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is some life advice or swimming advice that has stuck with you through the years? Let us know in the comments!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Claire Alongi, Swimming World College Intern. Before college graduates are set free into the world, they have to sit through a commencement speech. To commence means to begin &#8211;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7379,"featured_media":373226,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6,17],"tags":[52072,87083,392,81474,87088,17967,87084,87087,87086,87090,67849,87085,58566,87092,87091,142,87082,27833,4137,159,87089],"class_list":["post-373224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college","category-commentary","tag-advice","tag-bill-nye","tag-brown-university","tag-claire-alongi","tag-conon-obrien","tag-dartmouth","tag-denzel-washington","tag-dolly-parton","tag-elizabeth-warren","tag-goucher-college","tag-graduation","tag-john-krasinski","tag-kristen-bell","tag-speeches","tag-suffolk-university","tag-swimming","tag-tim-cook","tag-tulane-university","tag-university-of-pennsylvania","tag-university-of-southern-california","tag-university-of-tennesee"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - 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