More from Josh Groban

Surround yourself with people who trust and get you, who get your demons and believe in you — not just in what you have to offer them. Keep them close.

JG

Josh Groban

High Point University Commencement 2018, 2018

10:02

Video starts at 10:02 — the moment this quote was spoken

The Story Behind This Quote

At 16, wanting to be a professional singer, Groban turned down the chance to fill in for Andrea Bocelli at the Grammy rehearsals — singing a duet with Celine Dion. He told David Foster no. Miraculously, Foster called back and said: 'Get your ass over here. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.' Foster saw something in Groban that Groban couldn't see in himself. That moment — someone believing in you more than you believe in yourself — became foundational. The lesson isn't about saying yes to everything; it's about keeping close the people who understand your struggles and see your potential, because 'they have literally saved my life and career in more ways than they know.'

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