The Speech

Hey everyone, my name is Dhryl Anton. I know, it’s a weird spelling—D-h-r-y-l, no vowels. Everyone calls me Doc. So that is easy to remember. I’m not usually one for public speaking, but I was asked to come here today and share some of the things I’ve learned in my extraordinary life.

The truth is, I don’t get invited to speak very often. Why? Well, it’s because I have a habit of saying things that people don’t always want to hear. I’m here today to share some of the lessons I’ve learned from my unique experiences. Even if it’s not the usual motivational speech you might expect, I hope you’ll hear me out with an open mind.

My journey hasn’t been a typical one, and I’ve faced my fair share of challenges along the way. But through it all, I’ve gained some valuable perspective that I think is worth sharing, even if it might be a little different from what you usually hear.

So, thanks for having me here today. I appreciate the chance to talk to you all and hopefully give you something real to think about beyond the ordinary. Let’s dive in and see what we can uncover together. Take what you need and leave the rest.

When I was younger, let us just say much younger, and that is about twice the amount of time most of you have been on this planet. I, too, sat where you do now. I too, like you, was listening to someone, like me, make a speech like this to me. Who they were, I can’t tell you. What they said, I don’t remember. There is one thing about graduation day that I do remember. I remember sitting where you are right now. I remember the knot in my chest, the sinking feeling in my gut, and the bitter taste of uncertainty. I know what you are feeling because, unlike most people, I kept that feeling. I savored it. I nursed it. I came to learn to recognize that feeling in my life. I came, very painfully, to appreciate it for what it is. Listen to me when I tell you this. If my life on earth has taught me anything, it is this. It is not any god you pray to, any story you believe, it is not your family, not your friends, not your culture, which are borders old men drew on a map, not your social status, not what college you go to, not who you love—none of that will have the impact on your life that your relationship with that feeling that you feel right now will. So hear me on this, because it is the unapologetic truth. Your relationship with uncertainty is the architect of your life. Your relationship with uncertainty is the architect of your life. Your relationship with uncertainty is the architect of your life.

Now here is the thing, You and you alone decide what your relationship with uncertainty is going to be. Uncertainty is like fire. It can forge steel. It can consume everything. Your relationship with it can make you great. It can make you complacent. It can drive you. It can make you settle for less. It is this relationship that will define you.

As for wisdom, I am not a big believer in it. My experience has taught me that wisdom is something you get just after, that moment, when you needed it. You get wisdom after, not before. I can give you some advice. You may question the source of the advice, but I have found it to be unimpeachable. I took the advice of a homeless man I met in Washington Square Park. I had a few extra dollars, and he seemed to need it more than I did. I was young. I figured I could always hustle some more. So I gave him what I had and only kept my fare for the subway. As I was walking away, he said something to me that I never forgot. He said, Kid. Yes! Someone called me a kid once. He said, “I don’t want your charity, so I’ll give you something in exchange. You gave me your last. I’ll give you my last bit. “ I stopped and turned to listen. It’s a piece of advice. I smiled and agreed to the terms. He said. “Listen, if anyone tells you you can do less and get more, they are a liar. That is how you tell who the liars are. If you do less, you get less. If you do more, you get more.”Only a sucker believes they can do less and get more. Short cuts are for suckers. Don’t be a sucker. That is how I got here. Watch out for the liars. You hear me, kid? Do less. Get less. Do more. Get more.”

I got the distinct impression, whether from his manner or tone of voice, that that advice came from the bottom of a deep well of pain. Strangely enough, and to this day, I cannot tell you why I listened to him. I wrote it down. I said it to myself over and over as I sat on the A train. Do less. Get less. Do more. Get more.

Here is another life lesson I want to share. I wish I could say I knew this because I was smart. Unfortunately, I learned painfully that I wasn’t smart. Smart is something stupid people try to feel to get away from feeling stupid. I learned not to run from that feeling. Embrace it with humility. Stupidity is not a feeling you run away from. Shame is a poison that will kill your self-esteem. That feeling of being stupid is something to laugh at. Laugh because it is the signature of the first step on the journey to knowledge. I am not here because I am smart. I am here because I have experience. This bit of insight was gained in the hardest way possible.

Here is the thing, life is a competitive sport. It is not free. It is not a gift. It is not fair, and it is not supposed to be. Life is an opportunity to compete. Nothing is free. If you see the word free, then that’s a trap. Nothing is free. There is always a price. For anything you want in life, there is a price. Here is the secret. Don’t avoid the price. Pay it. You will spend more, work harder, and ultimately pay ten times more just to avoid paying the price. You will pay more running away than if you just paid the price and got what you wanted. I know it sounds crazy now. But I am going to tell you that most of you are trying to figure out the angle, the scheme, and the secret. Here is the secret. The secret is that there is no secret. If you paid the price, you would have it by now. Find out the price and pay it. There is no angle. Do more. Get more. Do less. Get less.

Finally, if you want to be great, then learn at the feet of masters. I have had the privilege of working for four billionaires; it was a personal goal of mine when I was young. I wanted to understand how they think. I knew that I wasn’t going to learn to be great from a book. I needed to learn it from a person. I needed someone to teach me. I wrote to the people I wanted to learn from. I offered them to work for free. I explained that I was willing to do anything they asked of me. I sincerely asked for help. To my utter surprise, I never got a single rejection. I was a young kid, in the eighties, working on Wall Street personally, one-on-one, with some of the biggest players there ever were. All because I asked, but more importantly, I was willing to do more and pay the price. When I got to Silicon Valley, I followed the same script. I realized from all those books I used to read about great men in history growing up. There is one thing they all have in common. They learned at the feet of masters. I decided early on that that was how I was going to do that. Find masters and learn from them. I was going to follow the old master-apprentice strategy. The one thing I have learned about masters is that they keep their word, and they will outwork you. That is the difference that makes them different. They are not smarter. What my time working for them taught me is that they all share the same core values. They work for it, and they know how. This is what makes them masters. If you want to be a master, then you have to be willing to do the work. Do more. Get more. Do less. Get less.

Now, not everyone wants to be great. Let me say that again. Not everyone wants to be great. Not everyone needs to be. Being great is not for everyone. That is perfectly fine. A lot of people covet greatness, but not a lot of people want it. Again, that is exactly how it is supposed to be. Greatness is a calling. It is not for everyone. Greatness is something other people say when the fight is over. Those who will be great have felt it before. Greatness is what they do with that feeling in the pit of your stomach I was talking about at the start. Greatness is the result of a certain kind of relationship with uncertainty.

A good speech answers three questions: What? So what? And now what? So the “what” is this: Your relationship with uncertainty is the architect of your life. You decide. You alone. What are you going to do with what you know? The “so what” is this: Here is the secret to success in anything in life:. Do more. Get more. Do less. Get less. It’s the physics of success. You can’t change physics. The “now what” is this: To survive, you need a job; to be successful, you need a career; and to be great, you need a calling. A calling requires passion. You don’t find your passion; you bring passion to the table. What you should not do is pretend. You cannot fake it. Faking never lasts. You have to come to the table with passion. To bring passion, you need to be driven. You have to do more than just wish. You have to do more than just want. You have to work for it. You have to not settle for anything less. You have to be great. Many will covet, but few are called. Greatness is a calling. You have to pick up the phone. The only question that remains is: What do you demand of your life?

You are living in the most remarkable era in human history, a time of unparalleled opportunity and potential. Don't pay attention to people who complain about the past because their nostalgia prevents them from seeing the truth. The world has always been the way it is. Different costumes, but the same story. But today, you have a chance to write a new script. Ditch the culture and the costume.

In your lifetime, we may conquer aging itself. The collective knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors pale in comparison to the insights accessible to a single child today. Embrace the future with open arms and turn your gaze forward, for therein lies the path to progress.

Tune out the voice of negativity and pessimism. Those who claim the world is shrouded in darkness have simply closed their eyes to the light. As the Buddhist saying goes, “It is the eyes that are closed that see a world in darkness.” To see a better world, open your eyes. Embrace the opportunities before you.

Each and every one of you has the potential to achieve more than we could have ever imagined. Opportunity is the most precious gift, and you are fortunate to have it in abundance. Many in this world do not even have that luxury. Gratitude is the right attitude. You want to know what a winner is? A winner is someone who sees how good something could be, no matter how bad it is. A loser is someone who sees how bad it is, no matter how good they have it. Don’t be a loser. Make the most of your opportunities.

Take this seemingly stupid advice: When you discover your passion, whether it be a subject to learn or a mentor to follow, do not negotiate with reality. Accept it with humility and gratitude, pay the price, and put in the work. Gratitude is the right attitude. Always. If you take these lessons to heart and embark on this journey with dedication, success will find you sooner than you ever imagined. This is the tried-and-true path that every successful individual has walked before you.

You stand at the threshold of an era where the entirety of human knowledge will be accessible in the palm of your hand. Soon, you will have at your fingertips not just information, but the actual minds that are far greater than any human who has ever lived. This is a gift beyond measure, and it is your responsibility to make the most of it. Do not waste your energy on complaints or looking back with regret. Nothing we have accomplished in the past can compare to the heights you will reach in the future. You stand on the shoulders of giants, we lift you on our shoulders for a reason. So you have a perspective that we could only dream of.

Cast aside those who neither build nor dream, for they will only hinder your progress. Embrace the limitless potential within you and strive for more. Go forth with confidence and determination, knowing that you have the power to shape the world in ways we cannot even imagine. This is your moment, your time to shine. Seize it with all your might and be the change you wish to see in the world. Do more, get more.