--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't be afraid to make an ass of…" description: "\"“Don't be afraid to make an ass of yourself. I do it all the time, and look what I got.\" (Spoken at a graduation ceremony while holding aloft an honora..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/anonymous-1_graduation_don-t-be-afraid-to-make-an-ass-of-yourse_1125758.jpg" --- # Don't be afraid to make an ass of yourself. I do it all… ![“Don't be afraid to make an ass of yourself. I do it all the time, and look what I got." (Spoken at a graduation ceremony while holding aloft an honorary doctoral degree from McGill University)” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/anonymous-1_graduation_don-t-be-afraid-to-make-an-ass-of-yourse_1125758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/anonymous-1_graduation_don-t-be-afraid-to-make-an-ass-of-yourse_1125758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/anonymous-1_graduation_don-t-be-afraid-to-make-an-ass-of-yourse_1125758.jpg) > ““Don't be afraid to make an ass of yourself. I do it all the time, and look what I got." (Spoken at a graduation ceremony while holding aloft an honorary doctoral degree from McGill University)”” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embrace vulnerability and humor; taking risks and making mistakes can lead to growth and unexpected success. **In simple terms:** Don’t fear looking foolish; it can be rewarding. Key Takeaway Be bold, laugh at yourself, keep trying. Themes courage humor growth risk-taking Mood playful encouraging reflective Type advice motivational humorous When to use this quote - public speaking - career advancement - personal development - creative endeavors Key Concepts Self-awareness resilience learning through failure Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn embarrassment into learning? - When is it wise to be serious instead? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper insecurities and not all audiences appreciate self-deprecation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Graduation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation/) [Graduation ceremony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation-ceremony/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) [Star trek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-trek/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Just wanted to congratulate myself on sitting through your graduation ceremony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-wanted-to-congratulate-myself-on-sitting-through-your-graduation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [People will frighten you about a graduation…They use words you don't hear often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/people-will-frighten-you-about-a-graduation-they-use-words-you-don-t/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/death-is-very-likely-the-single-best-invention-of-life-it-is-life-s/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I went to McGill University, but I didn't graduate. They won't graduate me because I didn't have a degree in any one thing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachelle-lefevre/i-went-to-mcgill-university-but-i-didn-t-graduate-they-won-t-graduate/) [Rachelle Lefevre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachelle-lefevre/) > [Many years ago Rudyard Kipling gave an address at McGill University in Montreal. He said one striking thing which deserves to be remembered. Warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halford-luccock/many-years-ago-rudyard-kipling-gave-an-address-at-mcgill-university/) [Halford Luccock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halford-luccock/) > [Although I'm a business major out of McGill University, I know nothing... but then I found out much later in life, nobody knows anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/although-i-m-a-business-major-out-of-mcgill-university-i-know-nothing/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Indeed I have always found that the only thing in regard to Toronto which faraway people know for certain is that McGill University is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/indeed-i-have-always-found-that-the-only-thing-in-regard-to-toronto/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [My intention was to enroll at McGill University but an unexpected series of events led me to study physics at the Massachusetts Institute of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-altman/my-intention-was-to-enroll-at-mcgill-university-but-an-unexpected/) [Sidney Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-altman/) > [So, I went to McGill University in Montreal to study soil chemistry and microbiology, which I did complete, but realized early that little of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-mulay/so-i-went-to-mcgill-university-in-montreal-to-study-soil-chemistry/) [Suhasini Mulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-mulay/) > [The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying says that death is the graduation ceremony, while living is just a long course in learning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/the-tibetan-book-of-living-and-dying-says-that-death-is-the/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [The funny thing about karma is that it will always be there, maybe on your birthday, waving at you during your graduation ceremony or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kuan/the-funny-thing-about-karma-is-that-it-will-always-be-there-maybe-on/) Ian Kuan > [Ceremony assists people to adjust to change (a marriage ceremony does this for families), to recognize achievement (a classic example is a graduation ceremony),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dally-messenger/ceremony-assists-people-to-adjust-to-change-a-marriage-ceremony-does/) Dally Messenger > [Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/don-t-let-the-noise-of-others-opinions-drown-out-your-own-inner-voice/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Openness isn't the end; it's the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/openness-isn-t-the-end-it-s-the-beginning/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Graduation quotes > [Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/each-year-more-than-100-000-high-school-graduates-with-proved-ability/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it sure has earned a lot of people graduate degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-irving/curiosity-may-have-killed-the-cat-but-it-sure-has-earned-a-lot-of/) Robyn Irving > [A much as I say I'm ready to graduate I know I'm going to miss high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-much-as-i-say-i-m-ready-to-graduate-i-know-i-m-going-to-miss-high/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My graduation speech: I would like to thank wikipedia, copy and paste. I'm out peeps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brookelle-willcox/my-graduation-speech-i-would-like-to-thank-wikipedia-copy-and-paste-i/) Brookelle Willcox > [Just wanted to congratulate myself on sitting through your graduation ceremony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-wanted-to-congratulate-myself-on-sitting-through-your-graduation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Only one-third of college students from the bottom quarter of households graduate, while two-thirds of students from the top quarter do. Both ability and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-temin/only-one-third-of-college-students-from-the-bottom-quarter-of/) Peter Temin > [When one considers our nation's educational foundations - Harvard, Yale, Princeton and most of our respected institutions were originally Christian - it becomes evident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-falwell/when-one-considers-our-nation-s-educational-foundations-harvard-yale/) [Jonathan Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-falwell/) > [In the summer we graduated we flipped out completely, drinking beer, cruising in our cars and beating up each other. It was a crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/in-the-summer-we-graduated-we-flipped-out-completely-drinking-beer/) [Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/) > [My undergraduate studies at Brown and graduate degrees from Harvard prepared me for a multifaceted career as an actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hill-harper/my-undergraduate-studies-at-brown-and-graduate-degrees-from-harvard/) [Hill Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hill-harper/) > [John Shook's experience shows just how important problemsolving is at Toyota - it comes before any other job skill for the graduate intake. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-burns/john-shook-s-experience-shows-just-how-important-problemsolving-is-at/) Martin Burns > [The golden opportunity you are seeking is within yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/the-golden-opportunity-you-are-seeking-is-within-yourself/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [“On the other side of graduation was her actual life, the slow narrowing of possibilities that would catch her and freeze her in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ling-ma/on-the-other-side-of-graduation-was-her-actual-life-the-slow/) [Ling Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ling-ma/) > [Go God's way! His is the most reliable route to follow when life gets complicated. It will have its tough moments, but you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/go-god-s-way-his-is-the-most-reliable-route-to-follow-when-life-gets/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [“The last days before graduation are bad enough, God knows--out of the womb you go, ready or not. The halls rang with the laughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-savage/the-last-days-before-graduation-are-bad-enough-god-knows-out-of-the/) [Elizabeth Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-savage/) > [And the commencement of atonement is the sense of its necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/and-the-commencement-of-atonement-is-the-sense-of-its-necessity/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) [Browse all 1,260 Graduation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Don't be afraid to make an ass of yourself. 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