If you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.
Interpretation
The quote encourages us to pay attention to the lessons of the past and to take action in the present to create a meaningful life.
In this quote, Robin Williams emphasizes the importance of being attuned to the wisdom and legacy of those who came before us. He suggests that by listening closely to what they shared, we can find inspiration to live our lives to the fullest. The phrase 'carpe diem,' or 'seize the day,' urges us to embrace the present moment and take charge of our destinies, reminding us that we all have the potential to make our lives extraordinary through our choices and actions.
In practice
Using the quote during a graduation speech to inspire graduates to pursue their dreams.
It's that idea that you can have one drink - and no you can't. Within a week I was drinking heavily. It was so quick that even I was like, 'Wow.' Because you have that initial warm feeling going, 'Oh, I remember this'. And your body does, too. And your body goes, 'Yeah, so do I'. Then the demon voice comes, 'Yeah, so do I. You know what would be great? You know we bought a little bottle before? A full bottle would be wonderful'.
I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.
Sometimes over things that I did, movies that didn't turn out very well - you go, 'Why did you do that?' But in the end, I can't regret them because I met amazing people. There was always something that was worth it.
I've never been asked to appear on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!,' so I guess I mustn't be on the professional skids just yet.
The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and yelling, 'You want a piece of me?'
I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form when I'm doing stand-up and stuff. It's vivid that way. I can't type it into an iPad - I think that would put a filter into the process.
I'm going to be dead for a long time, so I have a lot to do now.
If the risk is fully aligned with your purpose and mission, then it's worth considering.
I wish for a world where everyone understands that discomfort is the price of legendary. And fear is just growth coming to get you.
Outrun the people who quit when they feel discomfort, outrun the people who stop because of despair, outrun the people who are delayed because of prejudice, outrun the people who surrender to failure, and outrun the opponent who loses sight of the goal. Because if you want to win, the will can never retire, the race can never stop, and faith can never weaken.
A race, like an individual, lifts itself up by lifting others up.
People come out to see you perform and you've got to give them the best you have within you.
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