I didn't get the job but here's the thing: I didn't quit.
I didn't fall back.
I walked out of it to prepare for the next audition, and the next audition, and the next audition.
No, what am I talking about? Here it is.
I found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. Nothing.
The point is every graduate here today has the training and the talent to succeed.
But do you have the guts to fail?
If you don't fail, you're not even trying.
I'm honored and grateful for the invitation today.
I always get a warm welcome when I come to Pennsylvania, except on the few occasions where I wear my Yankee cap.
I met a couple of guys and they were like, "Hey we love you Denzel, but you know you're walking around with that hat on, we don't care who you are."
So you be happy to see that I'm not wearing my Yankee cap today.
I'm wearing my lucky socks, my Yankee t-shirt, my Yankee jock shorts, and Yankee underwear.
But not my Yankee cap.
But still, I'll be honest with you, I'm a little nervous.
I'm not used to speaking at a graduation of this magnitude.
It's a little overwhelming. It's out of my comfort zone.
I had to come even though I was afraid I might make a fool of myself.
In fact, if you really want to know the truth, I had to come exactly because I might make a fool of myself.
Nelson Mandela said there is no passion to be found playing small and settling for a life that's less than the one you're capable of living.
Now I'm sure in your experiences in school, people told you to make sure you have something to fall back on.
"Make sure you got something to fall back on, honey."
But I never understood that concept.
If I'm going to fall, I don't want to fall back on anything.
I want to fall forward.
I figured at least this way I'll see what I'm going to hit.
Fall forward.
Reggie Jackson struck out twenty-six hundred times in his career, the most in the history of baseball.
But you don't hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs.
Fall forward.
Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments.
I didn't know that, because the 1,001st was the light bulb.
Fall forward.
Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.
I got three reasons why that's so important.
First, you will fail at some point in your life. Accept it.
You will lose. You will embarrass yourself. You will suck at something.
There's no doubt about it.
Embrace it, because it's inevitable.
In the acting business, you fail all the time.
Early on in my career, I auditioned for a part in a Broadway musical. Perfect role for me, I thought.
Except for the fact that I can't sing.
So I'm in the wings, I'm about to go onstage, but the guy in front of me is singing like Pavarotti.
I'm just shrinking. I'm getting smaller and smaller.
I didn't get the job.
But here's the thing: I didn't quit. I didn't fall back.
I walked out to prepare for the next audition, and the next audition, and the next audition.
I pray and I pray, but I continue to fail and fail and fail.
But it didn't matter because there is an old saying: you hang around the barbershop long enough, sooner or later you're gonna get a haircut.
So you will catch a break.
And I did catch a break. Last year I did a play called Fences on Broadway. Someone talked about it winning the Tony Award.
But here's the kicker: it was at the Court Theatre.
It was at the same theatre that I failed that first audition 30 years prior.
The point is, every graduate here today has the training and the talent to succeed.
But do you have the guts to fail?
Here's my second point about failure: if you don't fail, you're not even trying.
My wife told me a great expression: "To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did."
The world needs your help.
Africa needs help, Japan needs your help, Alabama needs your help, Philadelphia needs your help.
So you got to get out there. You got to give it everything you got.
Whether it's your time, your talent, your prayers, or your treasures.
Because remember this: you will never see a u-haul behind a hearse.
I'll say it again: you will never see a u-haul behind a hearse.
You can't take it with you.
The Egyptians tried it and all they got was robbed.
So the question is what are you going to do with what you have?
I'm not talking about how much you have.
Some of you have money, some of you have patience, some of you have kindness, some of you have love.
Some of you have the gift of long-suffering.
Whatever it is, whatever your gift is, what are you going to do with what you have?
Now here's my last point about failure: sometimes it's the best way to figure out where you're going.
Your life will never be a straight path.
Many years ago I did this movie called Philadelphia.
We filmed some of the scenes right here on campus.
It's about a man, played by Tom Hanks, who's fired from his law firm because he has AIDS.
He wants to sue the firm but no one's willing to represent him until the homophobic ambulance chaser lawyer, played by yours truly, takes on the case.
In a way, if you watched the movie, you'll see everything I'm talking about today.
You'll see what I mean about taking risks or being willing to fail.
Because taking risk is not just about going for a job.
It's also about knowing what you know and what you don't know.
It's about being open to people and to ideas.
In the course of the film, the character I play begins to take small steps, small risks.
He very slowly begins to overcome his fears, and ultimately his heart becomes flooded with love.
I can't think of a better message as we send you off today.
To not only take risks but to be open to life.
To accept new views and to be open to new opinions.
Because the chances you take, the people you meet, the people you love, the faith that you have—that's what's going to define you.
So members of the class of 2011, this is your mission.
When you leave the friendly confines of Philly, never be discouraged.
Never hold back.
Give everything you've got.
And when you fall throughout life, remember this:
Fall forward.
