08 December 2008
The Contest with Your Own Potential
Michael Dell is the chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of Dell Computer Corporation, the company he founded in 1984. In 1992, Mr. Dell became the youngest CEO ever to earn a ranking on the Fortune 500. He spoke to graduates at the University of Texas at Austin in 2003. (Excerpt used with permission.)
You have an abundance of opportunities before you – but don’t spend so much time trying to choose the perfect opportunity, that you miss the right opportunity. Recognize that there will be failures, and acknowledge that there will be obstacles. But you will learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others, for there is very little learning in success….
Many times along the way, you’re going to ask why. Why am I on this path? What is it all about? You’ll ask yourself those questions in 10 years and in 20 years as often as you’re asking them now. Well … I have an answer for you. It’s all about winning. That’s right, winning.
But I’m not talking about the most points, or toys, or sales. I’m talking about winning in a contest with your own potential. I’m talking about believing in yourself enough to become the best accountant, engineer, or teacher you can possibly be. I’m talking about never measuring your success based on the success of others – because you just might set the bar too low.
