Oracle's CEO Larry Ellison at the 2000 Graduation Ceremony of Yale University:
Yale graduates, I am sorry - if you don't like this. I would like to ask you to do something for me. Please - I look around and take a look at the classmates who stand on your left. I look at the students who stand on the right. Please imagine this situation: From now on, 10 years later, after 30 years later, this person standing on the left of you today will be a loser; the person on the right, the same, is also a loser. And you, guys standing in the middle, what do you think? The same is a loser. Failure experience. Failure is excellent.
To be honest, I am standing here today, I didn't see the bright future of a thousand graduates. I didn't see a thousand excellence leaders in a thousand industries, I saw a thousand losers. You are frustrating, this is understandable. Why, I, Ellison, a retired student, actually spread it in the US's most prestigious school? Let me tell you why. Because, I, Ellison, the second rich person on this planet is a returned student, and you are not. Because Bill? Gates, the most rich people on this planet - as far as it is, it is a retired student, and you are not. Because of Allen, the third rich person on this planet also retired, and you didn't.
Let's take a little evidence, because Dell, the ninth rich person on this planet - his ranking is still rising, and it is also a retreat. And you are not. You are very depressed, this is understandable. You need these useful work habits in the future. You need this "treatment" in the future. You need them, because you didn't drop out of school, so you will never be the richest people in the world. Oh, of course, you may, maybe, in your way to the 10th, 11th, like Steve. But I didn't tell you who he is working, is it? According to the record, he is a graduate student, and it has been able to open a little later. Now, I guess a lot of people in the middle, maybe it is most people, I am pondering, what can I do? Do I have a future? of course not. It's too late, you have absorbed too much things, thinking that you know too much. You are not 19 years old. You have a "built-in" hat, oh, I refer to the degree cap you have on your head. Well, you are already very frustrated. This is understandable. So, now it is time to discuss the essence - it is not for you, 2000 graduates. You have been reimbursed and don't consider. I think, you secretly touch the poor work of 200,000, where there is, the salary is signed by the classmates who drop out of school two years ago. In fact, I hope that I have no graduation in my eyes. I want to say to them, leave here. Pack your things, take your idea, don't come back. Depth, start action. I want to tell you that a hat is a degree in a degree. I must make you farther - just like these security guards, I will just take me from this podium ... (at this time, Larry is separated. Podium
