Salutatorian Speech Looking ahead! Success is about pushing yourself forward to complete that extra mile, never content with what you have and always being hungry for more, seizing every opportunity to grow, both as a scholar and as a person, attaining that determining edge which is fundamental to being happy and successful and to have the competitive edge.
In a period where economic recession dominates many of our discussions, this crisis has become the big bad wolf for our generation. The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it. We’ve been doing so, preparing for what’s to come, in becoming the versatile and over-
Maria Sousa, Form 12
achieving group we are now. We leave here carrying a
As typical of speeches, I have chosen a quote not from
is the wisdom of the future. Here we stand, with houses
a great philosopher or an inspiring renascence figure. I
made of solid rock, no wolf can tear asunder.
bring you a quote from a 7-times Mr Olympia, Mr Uni-
There was a baseball player, who was afraid of running
verse, published writer, iconic actor and former gover-
past first base. One day, fighting against the public’s mis-
nor of California. Arnold Schwarzenegger said “life is
conceptions and his own uncertainties, he decided to at-
continuously being hungry”. In fact he was not referring
tempt running towards the second base. He struck the
to his bodybuilder metabolism. Success is about push-
ball hard and ran. Midway, he fell to the floor. All his fears
ing yourself forward to complete that extra mile, never
had caught up with him and he was lying on sand, crying
content with what you have and always being hungry
his heart out. Everyone around him laughed, not because
for more, seizing every opportunity to grow, both as a
he had fallen, but because he had no idea what had really
scholar and as a person, attaining that determining edge
happened. He’d scored a homerun! This serves not only
which is fundamental to being happy and successful and
as a metaphor but as a lesson. Believe that you can do
to have the competitive edge. Being hungry and setting
it, because no one else will do it for you. Your determina-
challenging goals for oneself pushes one to new hori-
tion and resolve alone will help you overcome the limita-
zons. I know I am preaching to the choir as we are the
tions you face. Don’t be afraid to fall because sooner or
class of 2012, the best there was and ever will be.
later you’ll score a home run.
108 clip in . october outubro 2012
new perception of the future, always remembering what we’ve built and never forgetting that the error of the past