--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was pretty sure I lacked the wisdom to…" description: "\"I was pretty sure I lacked the wisdom to be the commencement speaker, but after stewing over the idea for about 48 hours, I decided that if the senior ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15a/anders-holm-20496_graduation_i-was-pretty-sure-i-lacked-the-wisdom-to_1106638.jpg" --- # I was pretty sure I lacked the wisdom to be the… ![“I was pretty sure I lacked the wisdom to be the commencement speaker, but after stewing over the idea for about 48 hours, I decided that if the senior class at the University of Wisconsin wants me to come speak, I'll do whatever they ask me. I love that school.” quote by Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15a/anders-holm-20496_graduation_i-was-pretty-sure-i-lacked-the-wisdom-to_1106638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15a/anders-holm-20496_graduation_i-was-pretty-sure-i-lacked-the-wisdom-to_1106638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15a/anders-holm-20496_graduation_i-was-pretty-sure-i-lacked-the-wisdom-to_1106638.jpg) > “I was pretty sure I lacked the wisdom to be the commencement speaker, but after stewing over the idea for about 48 hours, I decided that if the senior class at the University of Wisconsin wants me to come speak, I'll do whatever they ask me. I love that school.” [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He accepted the speaking invitation despite doubts, showing commitment to community and love for his alma mater. **In simple terms:** He agreed to speak out of love for the school. Key Takeaway Embrace opportunities even when uncertain. Themes education commitment community confidence Mood inspirational personal Type commencement motivational When to use this quote - graduation ceremonies - student mentorship - career advice - volunteering Key Concepts public speaking personal growth alumni relations Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if fear held you back? - How can you support your alma mater? A Different Perspective Fear may linger; preparation is key. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commencement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commencement/) [Graduation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Senior class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senior-class/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [In 1986, our commencement speaker was George Schultz, secretary of state, fourth in line to the president. You get me-basic cable's second most popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/in-1986-our-commencement-speaker-was-george-schultz-secretary-of/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/a-graduation-ceremony-is-an-event-where-the-commencement-speaker/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [“I was sitting with the rest of my college graduating class listening to the commencement speaker prepare us for life after graduation, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-lansky/i-was-sitting-with-the-rest-of-my-college-graduating-class-listening/) Doug Lansky > [I knew from an online search that the Wisconsin State Historical Society, on the vast University of Wisconsin campus, held the papers of Sigrid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-knew-from-an-online-search-that-the-wisconsin-state-historical/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [Other than motherhood, the eight years that I spent at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, I have incredibly fond memories of. It's a beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-clark/other-than-motherhood-the-eight-years-that-i-spent-at-the-university/) [Laurel Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-clark/) > [When I went to my parents I was at the University of Wisconsin, and I just couldn't wait anymore to go be an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-rowlands/when-i-went-to-my-parents-i-was-at-the-university-of-wisconsin-and-i/) [Gena Rowlands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-rowlands/) > [There was so much fake news in Wisconsin, that Scott Walker stuff, they had fake polls. The protests in Madison, which is where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-was-so-much-fake-news-in-wisconsin-that-scott-walker-stuff-they/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [After high school, I went to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point for a year, and I studied musical theatre. By that point, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-osnes/after-high-school-i-went-to-the-university-of-wisconsin-stevens-point/) [Laura Osnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-osnes/) > [ Although I was four years at the University \[of Wisconsin\], I did not take the regular course of studies, but instead picked out what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/although-i-was-four-years-at-the-university-of-wisconsin-i-did-not/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [“Rumor had it that Professor Jerkwad had a history of holding classes in bars and using the school's senior class as harvesting grounds for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-casagrande/rumor-had-it-that-professor-jerkwad-had-a-history-of-holding-classes/) [June Casagrande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-casagrande/) > [When I was elected for the first time in '06 I'd never been elected to any body. City councils, school board, community college boards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-de-leon/when-i-was-elected-for-the-first-time-in-06-i-d-never-been-elected-to/) [Kevin de Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-de-leon/) > [You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/you-can-steer-yourself-in-any-direction-you-choose/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [“It was around the time of the divorce that all traces of decency vanished, and his dream of being the next great Southern writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/it-was-around-the-time-of-the-divorce-that-all-traces-of-decency/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [I was allergic to school. I was completely befuddled by school. I was trying so hard, but I couldn't succeed. I took geometry for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/i-was-allergic-to-school-i-was-completely-befuddled-by-school-i-was/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) > [I was voted Most Humorous in my senior class in high school, and I was a fan of comedy, my whole life. I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-riggle/i-was-voted-most-humorous-in-my-senior-class-in-high-school-and-i-was/) [Rob Riggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-riggle/) ## More by Anders Holm > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [Portishead's production is just insane beats you would expect to be on a KRS-One album. But then there's this little white girl with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/portishead-s-production-is-just-insane-beats-you-would-expect-to-be/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [Consider what people think of you, but don't be afraid of what people think of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/consider-what-people-think-of-you-but-don-t-be-afraid-of-what-people/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm pretty restless in bed, so I can lie there for a couple of hours and be like, 'Hey, that happened today. What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-m-pretty-restless-in-bed-so-i-can-lie-there-for-a-couple-of-hours/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I think I saw 'Rushmore' my senior year in high school. You know, Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, there's such a voice to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-think-i-saw-rushmore-my-senior-year-in-high-school-you-know-wes/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I've always been a little high maintenance. I'm, like, upper-middle-class maintenance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-ve-always-been-a-little-high-maintenance-i-m-like-upper-middle/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [To get what you want out of life, all you can really do is find out who you are, and do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/to-get-what-you-want-out-of-life-all-you-can-really-do-is-find-out/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I had the pleasure of working for Hart Hanson as the writers' assistant on the Fox show 'Bones.' He was always willing to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-had-the-pleasure-of-working-for-hart-hanson-as-the-writers/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm way more in my head acting than I am when I'm writing. So there's a weird love/hate on both ends. But writing, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-m-way-more-in-my-head-acting-than-i-am-when-i-m-writing-so-there-s/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not embarrassed to watch anything on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-m-not-embarrassed-to-watch-anything-on-tv/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [It was actually the movie 'Rushmore' that made me first realize that I could try writing, but 'Cheers' is the best show ever. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/it-was-actually-the-movie-rushmore-that-made-me-first-realize-that-i/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [Although the odds are you're not gonna get the acting job you go out for, it's easier to successfully audition than it is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/although-the-odds-are-you-re-not-gonna-get-the-acting-job-you-go-out/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [Aaron Peirsol was the man. Ryan Lochte is also insane. Like, if Phelps wasn't around, we'd all be talking about Ryan Lochte as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/aaron-peirsol-was-the-man-ryan-lochte-is-also-insane-like-if-phelps/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not a highly outgoing person. I'm pretty guarded when you first meet me. But being in a Speedo for my entire life growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-m-not-a-highly-outgoing-person-i-m-pretty-guarded-when-you-first/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I was born in the U.S., and that's who I rep. Although when the winter Olympics come around, I'm pretty partial to Norway's success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-was-born-in-the-u-s-and-that-s-who-i-rep-although-when-the-winter/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) [Explore all 30 Anders Holm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) ## More Commencement quotes > [En Ma Fin Est Ma Commencement - In my end is my beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/en-ma-fin-est-ma-commencement-in-my-end-is-my-beginning/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [The closing period of the fifteenth century witnessed the slow but sure increase of the churches of the Brethren. Although far from being unmolested,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-hall-gillett/the-closing-period-of-the-fifteenth-century-witnessed-the-slow-but/) Ezra Hall Gillett > [The whole point of a commencement speech is to say something encouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/the-whole-point-of-a-commencement-speech-is-to-say-something/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) > [I never expected to join the ranks of commencement speakers, especially at my alma mater. I had a tough time there, left eagerly, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-ruhle/i-never-expected-to-join-the-ranks-of-commencement-speakers/) [Stephanie Ruhle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-ruhle/) > [Delight is the secret. Learn of pure delight and thou shalt learn of God. What then was the commencement of the whole matter? Existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/delight-is-the-secret-learn-of-pure-delight-and-thou-shalt-learn-of/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [The year 1826 was remarkable for the commencement of one of those fearful droughts to which we have reason to believe the climate of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sturt/the-year-1826-was-remarkable-for-the-commencement-of-one-of-those/) [Charles Sturt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sturt/) > [The commencement speech is not, I think, a wholly satisfactory manifestation of our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/the-commencement-speech-is-not-i-think-a-wholly-satisfactory/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [“The most perfect life develops as a circle, and terminates in its beginning, making it impossible to say, This is the commencement, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lew-wallace/the-most-perfect-life-develops-as-a-circle-and-terminates-in-its/) [Lew Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lew-wallace/) > [There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-is-no-such-thing-as-failure-failure-is-just-life-trying-to-move/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [If you think that happiness means total peace, you will never be happy. Peace comes from the acceptance of the part of you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/if-you-think-that-happiness-means-total-peace-you-will-never-be-happy/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [There happen to be whole large parts of adult American life that nobody talks about in commencement speeches. One such part involves boredom, routine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/there-happen-to-be-whole-large-parts-of-adult-american-life-that/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [It is clear the future holds great opportunities. It also holds pitfalls. The trick will be to avoid the pitfalls, seize the opportunities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/it-is-clear-the-future-holds-great-opportunities-it-also-holds/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [It was a myth that's often perpetuated at commencement that holds that only hope and promise lie beyond the halls of academe. Don't worry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/it-was-a-myth-that-s-often-perpetuated-at-commencement-that-holds/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) > [The stunning part was that one time Neil McElroy the Secretary of Defense who was the father of one of our classmates spoke and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-stunning-part-was-that-one-time-neil-mcelroy-the-secretary-of/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Nothing is as easy to make as a promise this winter to do something next summer; this is how commencement speakers are caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/nothing-is-as-easy-to-make-as-a-promise-this-winter-to-do-something/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) [Browse all 131 Commencement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commencement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was pretty sure I lacked the wisdom to be the commencement speaker, but after stewing over the idea for about 48 hours, I decided that if the senior class at the University of Wisconsin wants me to come speak, I'll do whatever they ask me. 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