Lessons from Mark’s Speech (Part 1)
This piece was modified from its original version with consent from the author; published in 2 parts.
I am tempted to assume we all know who Mark Zuckerberg is, but just in case you are one of the cavemen of our time who does 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 Harvard degree 12 years and a net worth 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.

Some time ago, I read his Harvard speech the first time, meditated on it a second time and digested it a third time. Let me share with you the ten lessons I learned 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 learned that what gives one fulfillment in life is knowing that whatever you are doing affects a bigger entity other than yourself. Fulfillment comes from doing something that positively affects others. So Mark means it’s important for a dry-cleaner to know that he helps busy people ease off the stress of having to wash; a driver reduces the stress of having to drive again after a long hard day. 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 learned 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!
Create a goal on #GoalCheers today and succeed.
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 learned that when you bring up new ideas, people might call you crazy, not everyone would see the plausibility of your thoughts. 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 goals; 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 learned that it’s not enough to make progress in life, everyone might see you gainfully employed, everyone might see you getting that degree or masters but are you truly fulfilling your life’s purpose? Are you really making an impact? Are you doing that thing you were indeed created for?
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 learned 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.
This post was written by Tolu L’queen Oluwaseyi-Daniel, for GoalCheers’ blog. Tolu is an author, blogger, editor, daughter, sister, friend, mentor, wife, mom, singer, believer, banker, public speaker, humanitarian, introvert and extrovert all together. You can find more from her at www.LQueenWrites.com.
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