Ian Brennan, the co-creator of the hit TV show Glee, returned to his alma mater to deliver a commencement address that was equal parts stand-up comedy and hard-earned wisdom. His first piece of advice — work hard — was deliberately the most straightforward, and he delivered it with characteristic humor: 'Make it a thing that people say about you, you know, Man, he's ugly, but he sure works hard.' The insight was that in a world obsessed with natural talent and innate gifts, effort is the one truly democratic variable. Intelligence, charisma, and appearance are largely given; work ethic is entirely chosen. Brennan emphasized this wasn't about being an 'obsessive type A maniac' — you can work intensely for eight hours and then go home and relax. Coming from someone whose career path had been shaped by a combination of talent and extraordinary chance — he was literally 15 seconds from missing the flight that led to the chain of events creating Glee — the emphasis on hard work was a counterbalance to his own story of lucky breaks.