Wrestler, Actor
Commencement speech at Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, 2015
John Cena ’95, WWE United States Champion addressed the graduating class of 2015 at Cushing Academy, He emphasized living in the moment, and highlighted the value of life lessons over academic knowledge. Commending accountability, he celebrated the class's achievements and expressed pride10 top life lessons by John Cena
- Sacrifice and Starting Anew: “Just to be here, you guys sacrificed and left behind your family, your friends, and your social circles, and started over again from scratch.”
- Living in the Moment: “I think we should focus on the now, on what you guys have done to be here today.”
- Standing Out: “To take that one step to walk through the door, to be here, sets your head and shoulders above the rest.”
- Emotional Resilience: “Even the smallest ripple in a social circle can cause an emotional tidal wave.”
- Appreciating the Journey: “You guys are so far ahead of all of them. It’s truly just amazing.”
- Taking Life Lessons Over Academics: “The life lessons that I learned at Cushing Academy, I carry with me every single day like you’d carry a cell phone.”
- Accountability and Challenging Authority: “Challenge authority, but be accountable for your actions.”
- Adapting to Change: “You started from scratch. You made new social circles. You found yourself, you made new developments.”
- Celebrating Achievements: “Celebrate, enjoy, rejoice, party responsibly. But damn it, celebrate.”
Pride and Foundation: “You not only receive a diploma but trust me, you received the best possible foundation for the future of your life
Best quotes of John Cena‘s speech
"Enjoy today, because it only happens once."Commencement speech transcript
Thank you, headmaster Torino for the kind words, not the introduction, because that was a bunch of crap. Just the fact that he could make coach Dowling smile, I think the only other time coach Dowling ever smiled was when he was kicking my butt on Tuesday practice down that field. I don’t have one of these. I’m just going to put this over here by the mints.
My name is John Cena and as you just heard, I’m a 15-time WWE champion and class of ’95 graduate, which basically means what I do for work is I get inside a 20-foot ring, and opposite me is a man in spandex, wearing baby oil, usually angry at me, unbeknownst for me to the reason, but we end up fighting. And that’s my job. Man, that just hit me. Anyway, a very unlikely candidate, 20 years later to be speaking here in front of the class of 2015. So, I truly thank the faculty, the administration, and wholeheartedly thank the graduating class of 2015 for allowing me to be here today.
Now, after those lengthy words, by the headmaster, I realized that I’m pretty much the only thing separating you from graduation, which means we’re going to settle this one way. I challenge each and every one of you to steel cage match. The only way to get your diploma is to go through me. Sorry, sometimes I get confused and think I’m still at work. I kid, I kid. I am to be brief though. And I’m just going to try to put some perspective on what’s happened, absolutely right now in front of us.
I’m sure for the past year, especially being seniors with college applications, SATs, ACTs, all tat junk. You guys keep hearing about the future and the future. And even today, you’ll hear about the future. And the future shows a lot of promise. But I think we should focus on the now, on what you guys have done to be here today. And I’ve sat in those seats and I know what it’s like to be here. And it’s a wonderful gauntlet. Just to be here, you guys sacrificed and left behind your family, your friends, and your social circles, and started over again from scratch.
And at your age, I know that even the smallest ripple in a social circle can cause an emotional tidal wave. And to do that, just to take that one step to walk through the door, to be here, sets your head and shoulders above the rest. Across the country right now, there are very similar ceremonies going on, where families are gathering, sending congratulations to senior classes. You guys are so far ahead of all of them. It’s truly just amazing.
I can sit out here and even hear stories from this morning’s speeches and just see the outgoing personalities and all the student body. You guys are just in the middle of a wonderful experience. And I don’t want you to ever take that for granted.
20 years ago, I sat where you’re at. And actually, some of the faculty who were there then are still here today. I don’t want them to take any offense to any of this. And I really tried to think about this hard last night. I can not remember a single thing that I learned in text while I was here at Cushing Academy, not one thing. But I hope they have a great feeling of pride and accomplishment to understand that the life lessons that I learned at Cushing Academy, I carry with me every single day like you’d carry a cell phone and I use them every single day like you use Instagram.
Integrity, creativity, respect, discipline, hell even logistics. You guys don’t know what it’s like to elect one person during study hall to go down to the food, the sub shop on the corner, give them money for 40 orders. Have them come back, have each of them be all right, and actually get some change. Like that’s just snap to logistics. And even this morning, you know what? In a Vincent speech, I actually, I told you fine speech. I shook your hand. You can tell your whole classmates that, hey, when I got here, I messed up and you can be accountable for your actions.
This morning, I sat in the Dean’s office in one of those comfortable chairs kicked myself back on. Yeah, this is a much better situation than I was sitting here 20 years ago getting yelled at. But once again, those were decisions that I made to challenge authority. And I encourage you to do the same but be accountable for your actions. And judging by your speech, it’s obvious that you all are.
I shook hands with a young man named Carlos this morning. Carlos, Carlos, where is he? Where’s he at? Stand up. Carlos, do you remember our conversation? I shook hands, I asked you how you’re doing. What’d you say? And that’s exactly what you said. I see Carlos, I turn around and say, hey man, how you doing? He goes, we made it. Carlos, I applaud you for that. Because that’s the one point that I want to make today. You made it. You absolutely made it.
You hung in there. You started from scratch. You made new social circles. You found yourself, you made new developments, your failures, your successes, your triumphs, your friendships, your experiences. You guys made it. Don’t throw it away today. I know a lot of you, I remember when I was sitting there, I just wanted to get my diploma and get on with my future. The future will be there. Your friends are here today. Your families are here today. Some of the friends are here today that you won’t see for a while. Celebrate, enjoy, rejoice, party responsibly. But damn it, celebrate. Because as Carlos, so eloquently stated, we made it.
And by some upside-down circumstances, I was lucky enough to get the 2015 leadership award. But if there was some trophy for that award, I would leave it right here because the leaders for 2015 are sitting in these chairs in front of me.
So, in closing, it is with the utmost sincerity that I truly say to each and every one of you, I am so very proud of all of you. And today you not only receive a diploma but trust me from a man who sat there 20 years ago, you received the best possible foundation for the future of your life that you could possibly receive. Enjoy today, because it only happens once. And this has been one hell of a ride. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2015.”