Singer-Songwriter
University of Miami, 2015
Jimmy Buffett, the iconic musician and best-selling author, addressed the University of Miami in 2015. Known for his laid-back island style and hit songs, he shared his wisdom and experiences with the graduates.
10 top life lessons by Jimmy Buffett
- Moderation is Key: Embrace the philosophy of everything in moderation. Strive for balance in life, avoiding extremes that may lead to setbacks. As the speaker learned at 40, the road to success is lengthy, and excesses can derail promising careers.
- Passion Over Profit: Transform your avocation into your vocation. Recognize that success is not solely about talent; it requires a blend of luck, work ethic, and, most importantly, passion. Let passion be your guiding force, prioritizing fulfillment over financial gains.
- Explore the World: As college concludes, seize the opportunity to explore the world. Reflecting on the speaker’s own graduation experience, the elusive future can be navigated with a worldly perspective. Hanging your diploma on the wall is important, but so is the exploration beyond.
- Appreciate Your Luck: Being a graduate is a stroke of luck. Acknowledge the privilege and the gift it represents. Instead of feeling entitled, view it as an opportunity to give back. Act like Santa Claus when possible, spreading good fortune and kindness to others.
- Time is Fleeting: The realization that time is precious echoes throughout the speech. Whether it’s the speaker’s own experience of the changing sleep schedule or the reflection on where time has gone, it emphasizes the importance of being mindful of time’s passage.
- Success Equation: Success isn’t just about talent; it’s a combination of talent, luck, work ethic, and passion. Understanding this equation can guide decisions and efforts in building a fulfilling and successful life.
- Waste Not, Want Not: Reflect on the potential for wasted talent and opportunities. Don’t squander the gifts and chances given to you. Use them wisely and with purpose to avoid the pitfalls of regret later in life.
- Gift of Education: View your education as a valuable gift rather than a deserved entitlement. Appreciate the unique opportunities it brings and consider it a responsibility to share those gifts with others.
- Trust the Universe: Develop a sense of trust in the universe. Understand that life’s journey may have unexpected twists and turns, and embracing trust can provide comfort and guidance.
- Fins Up: End with a call to trust the universe and “fins up!” symbolizing a positive, forward-looking attitude. It serves as a reminder to approach life’s challenges with optimism and resilience.
Best quotes of Jimmy Buffett‘s speech
"Passion, not profit, should always be your guide."Video of Jimmy Buffett‘s Commencement speech at University of Miami
Commencement speech transcript
Here is your Jimmy Buffett checklist for the ever lucid future:
1. All things in moderation. This may take a while.
2. If you can make your avocation your vocation, your life can be blissful.
3. It is time to see the world. Your college days have come to a close for most of you, and you’re going to ask yourself where has all the time gone?
4. Be Santa Claus when you can. Just being a graduate of this great university makes you a lot luckier than most. Don’t ever take this opportunity as something you deserved.
These days I get up the time I used to go to bed.
From: Houston Chronicle, Ken Hoffman
1. Everything in moderation. He said he learned this one the hard way at age 40. Hangovers were starting to feel like surgical recovery. “The road to success is a long, winding road that is littered with wreckages of promising careers that crashed and burned. It’s not a pretty thing to see talent wasted, it’s even sadder to waste it yourself. These days I get up about the time I used to go to bed.”
2. Make your avocation your vocation. “There are four things you need to be successful. Talent is 10 percent. Luck is 20 percent. Work ethic is 30 percent. Passion is 40 percent. Passion, not profit, should always be your guide.”
3. It’s time to see the world. “In 1969, when I last wore a cap and gown for my own graduation from the University of Southern Mississippi, my future was just as elusive as yours. I was broke, up to my neck in overdue college loans, my car had died, I had to pay $300 in parking fines just to get my degree, and my draft lottery number was 8. One reason it did turn out well for me was I used a good portion of my time to see the world. Hang your diploma on the wall and do some traveling.”
4. Be Santa Claus when you can. “Being a graduate of this great university makes you luckier than most. Don’t ever take this opportunity as something you deserve. Think of it as a gift you can repay going forward. Trust the universe and fins up!”