10 LIFE CHANGING LESSONS I LEARNT FROM MARK ZUCKERBERG’S HAVARD SPEECH

I’m tempted to assume we all know who Mark Zuckerberg is, but just in case you are one of the cave men of our time who do not know who Mark is(just kidding) , I got you!

Mark is the revolutionary Founder of Facebook, Chairman and Chief executive officer. Facebook also owns a host of other companies including Instagram and Whatsapp. Need I say more? Okay let me add that this college drop-out finally got his Havard degree 12 years and a networth of $63.3 billion later. He’s the husband of beautiful Priscilla and Father to Max and another beautiful baby girl already on her way.
So there you have it, that’s who Mark Zuckerberg is. Thank me later huh!

Last week, I read his Havard speech the first time, meditated on it a second time and digested it a third time. I have it stored up in my Google drive, Jeeez!!!
I’m never going to lose that. That speech was very loaded. Those words he spoke ignited fire in my heart and soul but I’m not just going to allow those words seat idle in my heart, I’m ready to live by them.

Let me share with you the 10 lessons I learnt from Mark’s Speech.

1. It’s Important For Everyone To Have A Sense Of Purpose & The Freedom To Pursue Their Purpose.

“Purpose is that sense that we are part of something bigger than ourselves, that we are needed, that we have something better ahead to work for. Purpose is what creates true happiness.”
“Today I want to talk about three ways to create a world where everyone has a sense of purpose: by taking on big meaningful projects together, by redefining equality so everyone has the freedom to pursue purpose, and by building community across the world.”

From the above, I learnt that what actually gives one fulfillment in life is knowing that whatever you are doing affects a bigger entity other than yourself. So fulfillment comes from doing something that positively affects others, so he means it’s important for a drycleaner to know that he helps busy people ease of the stress of having to wash themselves, a driver eases the boss of the stress of having to drive again after a long hard day, a cook has a sense of purpose knowing that he is putting smiles on faces and making tummies rejoice at the taste of his delicacies. This further implies that people should be allowed to engage in profitable things that give them joy and makes them feel fulfilled.

2. Ideas Don’t Come Out Fully Formed, They Become Clear As You Work On Them. You Just Have To Get Started.

“Now it’s our turn to do great things. I know, you’re probably thinking: I don’t know how to build a dam, or get a million people involved in anything.
But let me tell you a secret: no one does when they begin. Ideas don’t come out fully formed. They only become clear as you work on them. You just have to get started.”
If I had to understand everything about connecting people before I began, I never would have started Facebook.”

From the above, I learnt that having a great idea is not the ultimate, getting started with the actual work and ensuring that the idea produces something bigger is much more important. You might not fully understand it but be daring enough to take the first step!
Even if you have to do it afraid.
One must be ready to put in work, be ready to fight for what they visualize, bring those dreams to life by making all the necessary efforts. In my own words this means, If we can think it, we can work it!
So let’s get started!

3. It’s Good To Be Realistic But Prepare To Be Misunderstood.

“It’s good to be idealistic. But be prepared to be misunderstood anyone working on a big vision will get called crazy, even if you end up right. Anyone working on a complex problem will get blamed for not fully understanding the challenge, even though it’s impossible to know everything upfront. Anyone taking initiative will get criticized for moving too fast, because there’s always someone who wants to slow you down”

From the above, I learnt that when you bring up new ideas people might call you crazy, not everyone would see the plausibility of your ideas. Not everyone would think you can do it, not everyone would believe in your vision but you have to keep moving anyway. Not everyone would understand when you quit your job to follow your passion, I’m sure Mark’s parents were so mad at him when he dropped out of college. Not everyone would understand it when you leave your comfort zone to go to start over somewhere new. You remember the story of Abraham in the bible?

4. Do Big Things Not Just To Build A Company But To Make An Impact, Not Just For Progress But For Purpose.

“In our society, we often don’t do big things because we’re so afraid of making mistakes that we ignore all the things wrong today if we do nothing. The reality is, anything we do will have issues in the future. But that can’t keep us from starting…..So taking on big meaningful projects is the first thing we can do to create a world where everyone has a sense of purpose.”

From the above I learnt that it’s not enough to be making progress in life, everyone might see you gainfully employed, everyone might see you getting that degree or masters but are you actually fulfilling your life’s purpose? Are you actually making an impact? Are you doing that thing you were truly created for?

INNOVATION TOD 165 FOUNDATION (GIRL TALK WITH L’QUEEN EVENT)

5. Changing Lives Is Not All About Giving Money; You Can Also Give Your Time

“That’s why Priscilla and I started the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and committed our wealth to promoting equal opportunity. These are the values of our generation. It was never a question of if we were going to do this. The only question was when. But it’s not just about money. You can also give time. I promise you, if you take an hour or two a week — that’s all it takes to give someone a hand, to help them reach their potential.”

From the above I learnt that changing lives and helping others reach their full potential is not dependent on how much money you can give but how willing you are to invest your time to better someone else’s life and make their journey much easier. Money might be appreciated but taking the pain to invest time and impact others will be much more valuable to their lives in years to come.

Care to join us in touching lives? Send a mail to innovationtod165@gmail.com

6. Progress Requires Coming Together; Everyone Needs To Be A Part Of It.

“The third way we can create a sense of purpose for everyone is by building community. And when our generation says “everyone”, we mean everyone in the world. Progress now requires coming together not just as cities or nations, but also as a global community.”

From the above I learnt that, progress comes from every one working together and realizing that each one has a part to play to make the global community a better place. Regardless of where we are placed we should work together to make the world better. Building local communities, showing concern for the parts of the world that are left behind in this new globalization, reaching out to them and working towards fighting all the social, health and climate issues the world is encountering right now.

7. Change Starts Local- Start Making A Change Where You Are.

“Change starts local. Even global changes start small — with people like us. In our generation, the struggle of whether we connect more, whether we achieve our biggest opportunities, comes down to this — your ability to build communities and create a world where every single person has a sense of purpose.”

The above goes to reiterate that the Nigerian Campaign “Change begins with me” is absolutely in order and we should all become agents of change wherever we are. Change has to start from one person, to a family, to a community, to the society, the state, the nation, the continent and to the world at large. Are you an agent of change?

8. Great Success Comes From Having The Freedom To Fail.

“An entrepreneurial culture thrives when it’s easy to try lots of new ideas. Facebook wasn’t the first thing I built. I also built games, chat systems, study tools and music players. I’m not alone. JK Rowling got rejected 12 times before publishing Harry Potter. Even Beyonce had to make hundreds of songs to get Halo. The greatest successes come from having the freedom to fail,”

From the above I have learnt that failure is what actually pushes you to strive for more, we should be allowed to fail first, don’t let the restrictive forces of people who don’t want you to get started keep you from taking steps to your fulfillment. Don’t let the fear of making a mistake hold you from trying out something that could change your life. Every failure moves you a step closer to the success your heart craves.

9. Purpose Doesn’t Only Come From Work.

Which means that you don’t only fulfill purpose by the work or job you do but by how what you do affects the people in your community and in the world at large. The things you do outside the four walls of an office that will implant your name on the sands of time.

10. Find The Courage To Make Your Life a Blessing.

“Before you walk out those gates one last time, as we sit in front of Memorial Church, I am reminded of a prayer, Mi Shebeirach, that I say whenever I face a challenge, that I sing to my daughter thinking about her future when I tuck her into bed. It goes:
“May the source of strength, who blessed the ones before us, help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing.”
I hope you find the courage to make your life a blessing”

One of my personal life goals is to live beyond myself, to live in such a way that anywhere I go, anyone I meet, I leave them with a part of me. A smile, a word of advice, a word of encouragement, a little tip, a gift, a donation etc.

I pray that we all find the courage to make our lives a blessing, live to positively impact and enrich others and not just ourselves.

These are the lessons I learnt from Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard Speech and although its not a sermon, this preaches a message that every young person should read, it tells of the kind of desires, ambitions and the kind of lifestyle we should adopt.

God help us all.

Make sure to share this post….Change begins with you.