Have you failed?

B

BigBlackCock

I found this speech Denzel Washington gave yesterday at a University quite inspiring.

Denzel Washington: Do You Have the Guts to Fail?
By: Nsenga Burton

Denzel Washington addresses 2011 Penn graduates.

(Getty)Kathy Matheson of the Huffington Post is reporting that Academy Award winner Denzel Washington addressed about 5,000 graduates at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia on Monday. After admitting to a bit of "stage fright," Washington delivered a humorous speech with a sobering truth: Failure is inevitable. Yet instead of having something to fall back on, he said, graduates should "fall forward" -- learn from their mistakes and keep going.

Thomas Edison had countless failed experiments before succeeding with the lightbulb, he said. "Do you have the guts to fail?" Washington said. "If you don't fail, you're not even trying." Washington discussed how he switched from premed to prelaw to journalism, failing at all of them, before turning to drama.

Washington described a second failure about 30 years ago at a miserable tryout for a Broadway musical. Then last year, on the same stage as that audition, Washington won a Tony award for his work in Fences.

Washington's son Malcolm is a sophomore at the Ivy League university. Washington received an honorary doctorate at the ceremony. In granting the degree, Penn President Amy Gutmann said that Washington's moving performances have "entertained us, inspired us and often enlightened us." She also praised his offscreen work with charities and social causes, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Denzel Washington as a commencement speaker isn't too shabby. Offering "real talk" to graduating seniors isn't too shabby, either. Helicopter parents who hover around this generation are so afraid to let these kids fail that many of their offspring lack resiliency. Young people need to know that it is OK to fail as long as you try again. Washington is just the man to deliver the message.
 
Miss Delights

Miss Delights

Diamond Member
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I love this!!! I believe that is soo true & at the end of the day all we do is stress ourselves out in this attempt for perfection when really sometimes you can only achieve so much on the first go...:hello::headbang::eek:ccasion14
 
C

Charlie57

We all learn from our failures, some days I do lots of learning. LOL

:3some:
 
Onwithit

Onwithit

nights are a waste of time
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Sorry BBC but I’m infuriated & I think this is so, so wrong.

How can anyone, compare a failure in a tryout for a frkn useless Broadway Musical to Thomas Edison’s countless failed experiments.
Thomas Edison and other true geniuses' alike, had failures in experiments where sometimes life threatening and these experiments are the results of countless, educated trial and errors where an eventual successes will probably benefit mankind, as Thomas Edison's has.

Kudos to his son Malcolm but so ridicules to memorialise in writing, the whining's and delusions of an Actor basically saying, it’s not OK to fail if you don’t try again..
Denzel should have talked about the weather and how big the clouds where, it would have had the same interest value.
How about Arnold Scharzenegger, he’s got nothing to say except, maybe “Oops”
 
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BigBlackCock

Err, onwithit, I'm not sure if you've read the passage properly. If anything, Washington and Edison have a lot in common.

His point(s) are:

1. Don't be afraid of trying - all you can do is fail if you're not "succesful".

2. Don't be afraid of failure - from failure you learn things just like Edison did - he learn't to make a better lightbulb.

3. I've failed at some things and because of that I know what I'm better at and what I'm not. I've met ssoooooo many people who hate their jobs but still stay at them 'cos they're afraid of leaving their comfort zone and failing.

4. "Washington discussed how he switched from premed to prelaw to journalism, failing at all of them, before turning to drama."

He's an actor - so he gave an acting example. Why are you "infuriated"? Relax buddy!
 
A

Alecia the Foxx

Honestly, BBC, it was a great post. I wouldn't even bother worrying about what Onwithit says, he is not exactly the intellectual type, if you know what I mean.
 
Onwithit

Onwithit

nights are a waste of time
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I’m still infuriated...that an “Actor” would clasp at a “serious” scientific name to colour & give credence to his comical speech.

Young people will get the wrong message and take it to the extremes, without learning or doing more research.
I've had idiots working for me who fail and they just laugh about it, and say sorry over & over again.
Guess who had to pay for that failure.

Some child has to pay if a young woman falls forward into pregnancy & parenthood then fails but that's ok, she’ll try again.That's Bulshit

Trial & Error is not the right way, it works sometimes but not all.

It’s fine if your an actor, fail in your lines etc. and then take two, but not for the more important things.
Make a mistake in maths or writing something, in some stupid Forum, ok. Who give’s a crap.

Failure is not an passé option that I take lightly.

If you like that part of Denzel’s speech, then you guys are welcome to fall forward & fail all you like, good luck.

It’s Not Ok to Fail and be afraid, be very afraid..

Oh, Alicia.. Yawn! with your elitist attitude..
 
Fudd

Fudd

Full Member
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Onwithit said:
Young people will get the wrong message and take it to the extremes, without learning or doing more research. I've had idiots working for me who fail and they just laugh about it, and say sorry over & over again. Guess who had to pay for that failure.
Click to expand...

.....reading the above, I think I now understand your stance......you've missed interpreted the point of BBC's post (ie the concept of learning from your mistakes when you stumble along life's journey), latched onto another issue and the applied your own interpretation. It would appear to me that your problem with these "idiots" maybe more rooted in how you manage them rather than the comparison between an actor and a scientist.

I, too, have come across some real farkwits in the workplace but I found if I didn't resolve the problem (whether it be through training, counseling or, worst case, termination), these farkwits tend to continue their "I don't give a shit" attitude because they see that its ok.

I've also had some great people who had stumbled but through encouragement to take risks and experiment became some real assets.....and that's the true essence of what I take from BBC's post.

Fudd :)

...oh, and another thing, if you believe that Alecia has an elitist attitude, then I would consider it an honur to be lumped into that category.
 
F

Farm Boy

Same thing less bullshit,


"IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN. Don't give up too easily; persistence pays off in the end. The proverb has been traced back to 'Teacher's Manual' by American educator Thomas H. Palmer and 'The Children of the New Forest' by English novelist Frederick Maryat (1792-1848). Originally a maxim used to encourage American schoolchildren to do their homework. Palmer (1782-1861) wrote in his 'Teacher's Manual': 'Tis a lesson you should heed, try, try again. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.' The saying was popularized by Edward Hickson (1803-70) in his 'Moral Song' and is now applicable to any kind of activity." From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Prover
 
F

Farm Boy

Or this from some one with real talent.


From Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem In Memoriam:27, 1850:

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
 
F

Farm Boy

And Winston had this to say.


We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.
 
Onwithit

Onwithit

nights are a waste of time
Gold Member
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Ok, I could have missed the point, I’m not exactly the intellectual type, if you know what I mean.
I work hard in an area that I chosen to do & not as a last resort to make a living.

I like to keep my body in shape at the gym and would prefer Not to end up with 3 boobs (2 tits & pot belly).

I write “elitist attitude” in jest or as sarcasm to feed ones ego, who in turn May just be an narcissistic, egomaniac.

So why would you consider it an an honour to be to be called a person with an elitist attitude.
I do not have the right or reason to call you that & it’s bit like being called a Rich wanker or Prize genius.

A person with an elitist “Attitude” is just a “TALKING HEAD”, no action wana-be who gets their ego involved in a not-so-useful manner
& I have information, on good authority, that Bullies evolve into Elitist Jerks.

An ELITIST person is a member of a Class of people who DESERVE favoured treatment by VIRTUE of their enlightened, perceived superiority in Intellect, Social Status and mostly Financial resources who can & do, surround themselves in the best of everything..
So you cant be a poor elitist .(but you can be a poor snob)
Have you heard that saying “if your so Smart how come you aint rich”

Now do you have all of that & if you do, you don’t need me anyone to say so, you just are an Elitist by those Virtues..

But I already know that I’m not exactly the intellectual type, if you know what I mean.
Do your own research...
 
B

BigBlackCock

Ships are safest in harbour. But that's not what ships are for. A person who has failed has tried and one day will succeed hopefully.

A person who has never failed may be far too conservative in their approach and attitudes. It's the same reason why banks are careful with managers who have "perfect" bank records of loans - it could mean that they've turned away heaps of potential business for fear of being safe.
 
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