Oprah Winfrey’s speech at Stanford(from 13:31 to 17:43)
And after eight months, I lost that job. They said I was too emotional. I was too much. But since they didn't wantto pay out the contract, they put me on a talk show in Baltimore. And the moment I sat down on that show, themoment I did, I felt like I'd come home. I realized that TV could be more than just a playground, but a platform forservice, for helping other people lift their lives. And the moment I sat down, doing that talk show, it felt likebreathing. It felt right. And that's where everything that followed for me began.
And I got that lesson. When you're doing the work you're meant to do, it feels right and every day is a bonus,
regardless of what you're getting paid.
It's true. And how do you know when you're doing something right? How do you know that? It feels so. WhatI know now is that feelings are really your GPS system for life. When you're supposed to do something or notsupposed to do something, your emotional guidance system lets you know. The trick is to learn to check yourego at the door and start checking your gut instead. Every right decision I've made—every right decision I've
ever made—has come from my gut. And every wrong decision I've ever made was a result of me not listening to
the greater voice of myself.
If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. That's the lesson. And that lesson alone will save you, my friends, a lot of grief.
Even doubt means don't. This is what I've learned. There are many times when you don't know what to do.
When you don't know what to do, get still, get very still, until you do know what to do.
And when you do get still and let your internal motivation be the driver, not only will your personal life improve,
but you will gain a competitive edge in the working world as well. Because, as Daniel Pink writes in his bestseller, A Whole New Mind, we're entering a whole new age. And he calls it the Conceptual Age, where traits thatset people apart today are going to come from our hearts—right brain—as well as our heads. It's no longer justthe logical, linear, rules-based thinking that matters, he says. It's also empathy and joyfulness and purpose,
inner traits that have transcendent worth. These qualities bloom when we're doing what we love, when we're
involving the wholeness of ourselves in our work, both our expertise and our emotion.
So, I say to you, forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, just harness your power to your passion.
Honor your calling. Everybody has one. Trust your heart and success will come to you.
So, how do I define success? Let me tell you, money's pretty nice. I'm not going to stand up here and tell youthat it's not about money, 'cause money is very nice. I like money. It's good for buying things. But having a lot ofmoney does not automatically make you a successful person. What you want is money and meaning. You wantyour work to be meaningful. Because meaning is what brings the real richness to your life. What you really want
is to be surrounded by people you trust and treasure and by people who cherish you. That's when you're reallyrich.
So, lesson one, follow your feelings. If it feels right, move forward. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it.