Charlie Day’s Speech Teaches Us To Tell Stories

Charlie Day Inadvertently Teaches Marketers To Tell Stories To Sell

What is there to say about this speech? This speech is amazing and inspiring. Charlie Day is the last person that I would think, yeah he’s a great speaker and he would give some of the most insightful inspiring statements, but he did.

Now, I love Charlie Day. So when I heard he did a commencement speech I thought, sure I’ll watch that, just sort of thinking it would be a funny 20-minute video. There’s a reason this video almost has 2 million views on YouTube. It’s refreshing, inspiring, and REAL. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything.

While he’s now in the “honorary doctorate” group with Mike Tyson and Kermit the Frog, and how Doctor Charlie Day sounds like a club DJ, he actually gives quite an intelligent and coherent speech. Very unlike what his character from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” would do.

One of the great things about Charlie’s speech is that he tells stories to prove his point. Three to be exact. If you check this blog we have mentioned time and time again that it’s important to tell stories, because it get the audience interested and is one of the best ways to get the viewer to relate to what you’re selling.

He talks about his time at college, his struggles, and how your diploma means almost nothing in today’s society, but not in the sense you think. He basically breaks down three stories about how your diploma can’t do anything for you. YOU have to do it. It’s up to you to create your future. To follow your dreams. To work hard. To take a chance. And to struggle. The struggle is inevitable.

Don’t let the struggle break you, let it build you. There are three fantastic quotes in his speech, which I’ve included below if you don’t feel like spending the 20 minutes to watch it (although I think you should).

“You cannot let a fear of failure, or a fear of comparison, or a fear of judgment, stop you from doing what’s going to make you great. You cannot succeed without this risk of failure. You cannot have a voice without the risk of criticism, and you cannot love without the risk of loss. You must go out and you must take these risks. Everything I am truly proud of in this life has been a terrifying prospect to me.”

“You do not have to be fearless. Just don’t let fear stop you.”

“Do what’s uncomfortable, and scary, and hard—but pays off in the long run. Be willing to fail.”