Leveraging Inexperience

In her speech at commencement, actress Natalie Portman addresses a group of graduating students at Harvard's Senior Class Day. She shares some of her own experience as a college student there and how her time there taught her to ask different questions and believe in herself more.

The Academy Award winner says feelings of insecurity and inexperience may make people embrace other people's standards and expectations, but you should instead harness the emotions to carve your own path, free of the burden of knowing how things should be. The speech at commencement states achievement is wonderful when you know why you do something, otherwise it could be a trap. Focusing on the reason behind the prize, the keynote speaker encourages people to gleam meaning from their experiences and connections with people rather than financial and critical success.

Making your own meaning, rather than having it determined by others, is the key to creating your own experience. This is done by believing you can do it and working hard.