as I sat where you said just about to
get my degree in having the dream of
wanting to open my own production
company I had the question of how how am
I gonna get where I am to where I truly
want to be when the path is not clear
how I know so many of you are wondering
and asking the question how I have the
degree you may even have the job but the
job necessarily isn't taking you exactly
where you want to be so many of you are
wondering how do you maximize what
you've been given do you know what you
have on the inside the degree cannot
quantify the power of who you really are
don't find your identity in the four
years of what you've done here you are
who you are no matter what it says on
your diploma I need you to know that you
have what it takes to make it you have
the creativity you have the power and
you have the purpose but the question of
how still remains how you're going to do
it
[Music]
here are four tips to be successful in
business first and foremost you have to
be crazy you have to be absolutely crazy
that you can achieve a dream that no one
in this earth has ever achieved turn to
your neighbors say look in my eyes do
you see the determination in my eyes
you've got to be crazy come on i sat
where you said 19 years ago and I had a
crazy dream to become a producer in
Hollywood with my own deal and people
said Nevada is not possible then you're
african-american you're a Christian
there's no way you can find a place I
said listen don't put what hasn't
happened in your life on me because
what's getting ready to happen no one
has seen in the earth you've got to be
crazy yes
[Applause]
[Music]
- your difference is your destiny your
difference is your destiny do not
exchange what makes you different for
what makes you common stop trying to fit
in find comfort in standing out the path
of your destiny is built on how unique
and authentic you are there is a
tendency to get out of this place and
just say oh my
I graduated from Marshall I'm just like
every other graduate no you're not don't
do yourself a disservice Marshall has
never seen what's on the inside of you
neither has the world of business so all
your difference keep your edges sharp
don't send them down just to fit into a
company's limited idea of who you are
and what you can do your difference is
your destiny
[Applause]
[Music]
and and and I stand before you you know
when I when I was graduating marshal I
had I did an emphasis in
entrepreneurship and for my
entrepreneurship program thesis project
I did a business plan for my production
company that I wanted to start when I
was 22 do you know nobody wanted to
funding
so I had a question do I just give up on
the dream or do I still own my
difference and commit to the process I
[Music]
committed to the process do you know it
took 16 years after graduating out of
this institution to finally get the
production company do you know the third
key key in order to be successful as you
must carry a crown before you wear one
[Music]
so for me the crown was getting my own
production company what was the third
path service even though in 22 I wanted
the company I was not ready I didn't
have the integrity I didn't have the
character I didn't have the experience
how was I able to finally get the dream
to manifest through service so you can
serve your way to the top when you make
your boss's life easier I guarantee you
you may have periods of unemployment but
you will never be without a job and
service never goes out of style
you may not have the job you want but
treat it like it is the job you want and
I guarantee you you will never see
people say no we don't want you your
service is the key to often you want the
throne and the crown which you don't
want to serve somebody I got a newsflash
for you you got to help somebody else
carry their crown before you are fit to
wear yours I don't know who I'm talking
to but somebody gotta get the message of
service today
if you are what like how I was nineteen
years ago you were downright scared how
is it gonna happen many of you while
you're happy you're putting on a smiling
place the reality is this you really
aren't sure and underneath the smile
underneath the the yes I'm excited
there's a bit of emptiness I've been
there see our entire lives up and to
this point has been broken down into
quarters midterms semesters finals
report cards in GPAs and summer breaks
yet for the first time for some of you
you will no longer have these parameters
and it's scary to think about what the
next phase of life will hold
even the power and the prestige of this
great institution is not enough to
insulate you from the fear that some of
you have about your future and the quiet
questions that persist in your heart
did I make the right decision
will I achieve the success I dream about
can I ever find peace
too often this millennial generation you
want to microwave your success when was
the last time you had a good microwave
meal it doesn't exist it's hot quick and
it goes away quick
if you become successful quickly you
will lose it quickly I want that good in
the oven big success for you I don't
care how long it takes but when it comes
out it's gonna smell like preparation
who am I talking to right now don't rush
the process commit to it and it will
take you everywhere you need to be the
fourth and final tip in order to be
successful in business you have to find
the old town road some of y'all know
what I'm talking about for those that do
not I will just take a minute to explain
the number one song in the country that
has topped the Billboard 100 is called
the old town road it's by an artist
named Montero Lamar Hill
otherwise known as little nas ex and he
did a remix of this song featuring the
country legend Billy Ray Cyrus now what
was amazing about this song is that
people said no no lil nas next you're
too different you're african-american
you're from Atlanta you can't top the
country charts and he said let me go get
Billy Ray Cyrus to let y'all know what's
really going on my difference is my
destiny but what was interesting is the
song is so catchy you may miss what the
old town road is
[Music]
see lil nas ex had a dream that his
parents did not share that he could
become successful in music and in
country when no one else that looked
like him had so he wrote a song about
becoming successful the old town road is
the road to success and the horse that
he wants to ride is the path that's
going to take him there in the song it
says I want to take my horse to the old
town road and ride till I can't no more
so I just want to talk to somebody right
now you gotta take your horse your horse
called your purpose your horse called
your destiny and you ride that thing all
the way to success and can't nobody tell
you nothing your parents may not get it
your girlfriend man I get it your
boyfriend may not get it but as long as
you get it you owe it to yourself to
keep on riding until you get to that
place that you see in your head that
nobody else can see and once you get to
your old town road you keep on riding
you keep on fighting your people are
pushing why because you're gonna see
yourself in a place that you never
thought possible truth be told we live
in a culture of fear and there are too
many that have chosen not to pursue
their destiny because they were too
afraid I don't want you to have fear be
your obstacle not to pursue what's in
your heart too many have missed out on
the fullness of life because they've
allow fear to push them in the opposite
direction instead of facing it that
head-on here's what I want you to know
it's time to fight back against the
culture of fear anything you're afraid
of you must make it your to-do list
I repeat anything you're afraid of you
must make it your to-do list it's okay
to be afraid but you've got to do it
anyway but the question of how how are
you gonna do it still persist I want you
to do this I want you to ride off and
put your two fingers in the end I want
you to fight on may God bless you may
God keep you as you ride on to your old
town road
[Applause]
you
[Applause]
you