Ambition

All forms of success, from being a great mother to being a great actor, take tenacity and determination. They say for every light on Broadway there is a broken heart, an unrealized dream — and that's the same in every profession.

For many of you, this may be your proudest achievement. I don't believe that. Class of 2012, your proudest moments are the ones you've yet to come across.

Don't wait until they tell you you are ready. Get in there. Show it. Do it.

Own those qualities of youthful recklessness. They give us the power to achieve incredible things, whether in our careers, in public service, in our communities, or around the world.

Don't be afraid to shoot the long ball. Take the risk. Life is too short to spend your time avoiding failure. If I had worried about failure or listened to those who do, I would never have started my company and never run for mayor.

Hold fast to your dreams, for when dreams die, life is like a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

It is not a disgrace to not reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim, is sin.

Always protect your reputation — and have the courage to follow your dreams.

Do not leave before you leave. Do not lean back; lean in. Put your foot on that gas pedal and keep it there until the day you have to make a decision, and then make a decision.

Don't let your fears overwhelm your desire. Let the barriers you face — and there will be barriers — be external, not internal. Fortune does favor the bold, and I promise that you will never know what you're capable of unless you try.

All work and no imagination will most definitely make you an under-performer. Do you have the imagination to see yourself doing something truly exceptional?

There's a lesson in this: never start out asking for someone you'd eventually settle for.