Since this speech has been really popular among Estonians, then I decided to create an english transcript of the speech – so you can learn Estonian from the video while reading English text

English translation for the graduation speech

Please wake up your neighbour and tell him it’ s speech time.

Dear co-creators, teachers, graduates.

It´s a beautiful certificate, it really is.

But it doesn’ t change much.

It doesn’ t change much, because tomorrow my parents will still be as proud of me as they were yesterday. My girlfriend will still love me as much as she did before. My clients will pay me as much as they paid before. And my friends will still want to hang out with me.

It doesn’ t change much… compared to the extent that years in Tartu University have already changed us.

Couple of years ago I met a course-mate and it turned out into a journey of creating a training company that has inspired thousands of people to become a better version of themselves. I believe this company would have never been established, unless we had met during this course.

At night when I go to sleep, I get to say good night to the most beautiful, caring and fabulous girl I have ever met. We met for the first time right here, in Tartu University. She was my course-mate.

This (certificate) doesn’ t change much, but the stories that live inside of you, they change a lot. And it pales when compared with what is coming. It pales when compared with all the stories you will be creating.

Close your eyes for a moment. Breathe in… and out.

Skim the moments you appreciate, moments that empower you. That made you shine. You can imagine your favorite teachers. And while imagining it, do a trick. Pinch your ear and amplify all the good emotions you have inside of you.

Next time when you want to return to that empowering state, just pinch your ear and remind yourself.

The advertisement of Economics faculty did not say “matchmaker” or “business incubator”, but there’ s something more than that. It all supported creating a business, living, joy and work.

There are people who helped us to experience that. Some of them were frustrating, some inspiring. Some of them made us cry, others made us laugh. Some of them made things complicated, others made it simple.

And it’ s all necessary, because only later we connect the dots and understand why something bad, complicated, difficult… was actually awesome for us. Was good for us.

For example, think about your MBA thesis, what do you feel after you’ ve done it? Versus the feeling you had an hour before the deadline and you were still printing it? That’ s the relief that will come after achievement.

I’m honored to use this opportunity to recognize our favorite teachers…

//  recognizing favorite professors and lecturers  //

So now there should be a some sort of a point, right? Some message, right?

A journalist was running after Mahatma Gandhi, saying “Gandhi! What is your message to the world?”

Gandhi replied: “My life is my message.”

What I would love to do right now is to gather all the lives you have, bit by bit, all the stories that you have. And spread them all over these walls so that everyone could see them and say “This is my message“.

… but I will not do it… Because there’ s not enough room to fit all those experiences and actions that you will do after leaving this room. This is why we paint it to the sky and enjoy observing it among the stars.

If there’ s one thing to ask yourself among this adventure, it is: “What would I really love to do right now?“.

Perhaps it’s the mutual part among all your stories, that we observe among the stars at night.

Ships are safe in harbour, but it’ s not what ships are made for.

You can life a safe life, acting as your mother, friends or wallet tells you.

But it’ s not what you are made for. You are made to create something extraordinary.

Remember the 6 months you spent for writing your MBA thesis. Where you had to say “no” to so many things, admitting “I would really love to, my friends, but I can’ t do that right now, I need to finish my studies.”

This moment is exceptional, because all the things you had to say “no”, you can now say “yes“.

Tonight when you go to your home, take your dreams from the drawers. The ones that you have kept there arguing “when I finish the school, then I will start living!”

Take those dreams and start living today!

We made our Estonian version of 50 people 1 question – in full HD and with English subtitles (press “play” and then button “cc” on the Youtube player to enable subtitles).

We received many answers and left many people pondering. What would be your answer to the question “What inspires you to take action?”

I got some inspiration from Anthony Robbins´ foundation of success and decided to enrich this model with my own tips and ideas on how to manifest more success in your life. This is how the 4 step success model looks like:

The concept is simple:

Your beliefs determine your understanding of your potential. This potential determines whether you dare to take action. By taking action you get resultsand by interpreting these results you form your beliefs. The circle of success where each link plays vital role in creating success of failure. Which one would you choose?

If you prefer success, then take a look on these ideas I generated for making sure that each link would empower your success.

How to tap your hidden potential?

Your potential is your understanding of what you are capable of doing.

• Set your focus - make clear what is most important for you now? Which activities would have the strongest impact on your future?
• Make a list of your resources – write down all the opportunities and resources you could use.
• Make a list of previous successes - write down all the things you have been successful in.
• Amplify your special skills – use the talents that you have been recognized for.
• Find out what your friends think about you – ask people you trust to give their opinion on what you seem to be really good at.
• Test yourself- if you are having difficulties using the previous tips, try out different personality tests to find out what your strengths and special talents are.

How to take your ideas into action?

Ideas without implementation are worthless.

• Force yourself - create an irreversible need to take action. Take yourself into a state where you just have to do it and succeed.
• Set a deadline – define a specific date by which you will have it done.
• Be an experimenter – don´t worry about failure, but test, experiment.
• Give promises you have to fulfill – tell others how you are going to do it. After promising you just have to do it, otherwise you will be embarrassed if you are asked “so, did you do it?”.
• Eliminate unimportant - get rid of things and activities that do not add value to you. What could you eliminate now?
• Slice your goal into smaller tasks – make an action plan of achievable tasks that gradually reach your final goal.
• Grab some inspiration from your role-models – look how your role-models have done great things and decide that you will perform at the same level.
• Take action immediately – never leave a place of goal-setting without taking action to IMMEDIATELY do something to move a step closer to reaching the goal.

Before diving into tips on how to get better results, check out this inspiring video with Michael Jordan:

How to achieve really good results?

Result is what you want to achieve. Then again you define what it is that you have achieved.

• Clarify your measurement criteria – how do you know that you have achieved your goal? How do you measure it?
• Set higher goals - higher goals make you do more and this way you will achieve a greater result, than you would have achieved with modest goals.
•  Decide to become the superstar in your niche field – decide to become really good in your specific domain and devote yourself to do it.
• There is no failure, there is only feedback – whatever happens, this is what happened and you received feedback about it. Learn from it and move on.
• Reject rejections – don´t let fools take you down.
• See positive in everything- see what opportunities the result offers, whatever it is. You interpret your results.

How to form positive, empowering beliefs?

Your  beliefs determine how you see the world. They form the lens through which you see the world.

• Enjoy recognition – sincerely thank everyone who have appreciated your achievements. Let the good feeling go through you and decide: “Yes, I´m really good!”
• Create positive affirmations – repeat positive affirmations about yourself out loud, make sure to add the emotion to each time you say the affirmation.
• Write you beliefs manifest – write down all the things you believe in. Define, which are your empowering and which are your dis-empowering beliefs. Brake the dis-empowering and amplify the empowering beliefs.
• Use hypnosis – let experts help you reprogram your beliefs (only use this if you have found a trustworthy therapist and you are unable to find any other option that works).

Apply these principles now and let your circle of success expand! Get yourself an inspiring coach to accelerate your success.