NFL Commissioner
Commencement Speech at UMass-Lowell, 2010
In 2010, UMass-Lowell had the privilege of hosting Roger Goodell, the Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL). Goodell in his visit discussed the world of professional football, leadership in sports, and his role in shaping the NFL, emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship and the administration of one of America's most beloved pastimes.
10 top life lessons by Roger Goodell
- Create a vision, not just a dream. Dreaming is passive; creating a vision is active, requiring determination and planning to turn a dream into a tangible destination.
- Persistence pays off. Goodell’s story of sending 40 letters to the NFL office and facing rejection emphasizes the importance of persistence in the face of setbacks.
- Ask for what you want. Goodell’s proactive approach to seeking a job at the NFL office teaches the lesson of taking initiative and not waiting for opportunities to come to you.
- Be uncomfortable to grow faster. Stepping out of your comfort zone is essential for personal and professional growth. Embrace discomfort as a motivator that propels you forward.
- Learn from rejections. Rejections are not failures but opportunities to learn and improve. Goodell’s multiple rejections ultimately led him to the opportunity that shaped his career.
- Take strategic risks. Driving all night for a three-month internship showed Goodell’s willingness to take strategic risks. Sometimes, unconventional actions lead to extraordinary outcomes.
- Influence of role models. Goodell’s tribute to his father highlights the impact of positive role models. Speaking up for what is right, even in the face of adversity, is a powerful lesson.
- Value honesty and integrity. Goodell’s father’s principled stand against the Vietnam War, despite its political consequences, emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity in one’s actions.
- Learn from others’ experiences. Polling graduates for speech topics reflects Goodell’s recognition of the value in learning from others’ experiences. Seek wisdom from those who have walked similar paths.
- Dream big, but act bigger. Dreaming big is just the beginning; taking concrete actions, even in the face of challenges, is the key to turning dreams into reality.
Best quotes of Roger Goodell‘s speech
"Do more than just dream; create a vision. It takes determination and a plan to turn your dreams into reality.""It's not real until it's real."
Video of Roger Goodell‘s Commencement speech at UMass-Lowell
“It is very common … to tell graduates: dream and dream big. I say do more than that. When you dream you are in an unconscious state. It ends. You wake up. It’s not real. You need to create a vision. This takes determination, and a plan that takes your dream to a destination. “
Commencement speech transcript
In preparing for this speech Goodell poll the graduates to find out what they would like him to talk about. Here is what the graduates wanted to know:
How did you get started and develop your career?
How do you make decisions?
What do you wish someone has told you when you have graduated?
In the speech, Goodell shares plenty of advice and an inspirational story of how he actually sent 40 letters to the NFL office in New York City looking for a job in 1981. Forty rejections came back. But more letters to NFL headquarters followed, until one day a weary league executive invited him to “stop by when you’re in the neighborhood.” “I told him I was in the neighborhood,” recalled Goodell, who then drove all night from Pittsburgh to New York City to apply for what was supposed to be a three-month internship. Twenty-five years later, Goodell was appointed to his dream job: commissioner of the National Football League.
Besides being commencement speaker, he accepted an honorary doctorate in the name of their late father, former U.S. Sen. Charles E. Goodell of New York. His father was one of the first members of the U.S. Congress to publicly oppose the war in Vietnam. That earned him a spot on Richard Nixon’s “enemies list” and effectively ended his political career. “He was a tremendous influence on me and my brothers,” Goodell said. “The world needs to hear the story of my father, who encouraged us to speak up and do what is right.”Don’t let yourself get comfortable. Avoid the comfort zone. Being uncomfortable will motivate you and cause you to grow faster. “