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9 Inspirational Graduation Quotes

Graduation speeches offer inspiration to everyone, even those who are not receiving a diploma. Whether or not you’re a graduate, we hope these inspirational quotes from famous commencement speeches will bring you encouragement and motivation.

A silhouetted figure being pulled up to the sky by a large amount of balloons.
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1 of 9

“Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.”

— Conan O’ Brien (Dartmouth College, 2011)


Close up of green leaves.
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2 of 9

“The ‘uh-oh’ moments are worth cherishing just as much as ‘ah-ha’ moments: Mistakes, failures, embarrassments and disappointments are a necessary component of growing wise.”

— Sonia Sotomayor (University of Rhode Island, 2016)

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3 of 9

“The world is such a gloriously multifaceted, diverse place that there are people in the world who will like you, the real you, as you are.”

— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Wellesley College, 2015)


A stack of various textbooks with a diploma resting on one of them and a graduation cap on top.
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4 of 9

“This is your time and it feels normal to you but really there is no normal. There’s only change, and resistance to it and then more change.”

— Meryl Streep (Barnard College, 2010)


A bright orange dart on the bullseye of a dartboard.
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5 of 9

“Trust your gut, keep throwing darts at the dartboard. Don’t listen to the critics and you will figure it out.”

— Will Ferrell (University of Southern California, 2017)

A pixel rendering of a silhouetted figure looking up into the night sky.
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6 of 9

“We do not need magic to transform our world, we carry everything we need inside ourselves already, we have the power to imagine better.”

— J.K. Rowling (Harvard University, 2008)

A group of diverse students in front of a chalkboard holding colorful communication bubbles.
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7 of 9

“Engage and inspire, whether on an individual level or loudly within your communities. Talk about your accomplishments. It’s very important. Be humble, but not too humble. Don’t be invisible.”

— Pharrell Williams (New York University, 2017)

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Graduates in cap and gown attending their commencement.
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8 of 9

“You can go slow. Allow your dreams and goals to change, but live an intentional life.”

— Kumail Nanjiani (Grinnell College, 2017)


A swimming expert diving underwater as sunlight pours through.
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9 of 9

“When life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, find the surface and breathe again.”

— Sheryl Sandberg (University of California, Berkeley, 2016)

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