Daily Front Row

2012 June 1

Words of Wisdom at LIM's Graduation, via Bloomingdales' Michael Gould

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Michael Gould
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(NEW YORK) Let the commencements commence! At yesterday's LIM College graduation, held at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, Bloomingdale's chairman and CEO Michael Gould provided the keynote address before receiving an honorary doctorate from the fashion and business school. Who doesn't love a little inspiration? With ample sports coach quotes (hey, those dudes know how to motivate towards miracles on the field, right?) and a cool Cherokee vignette to wrap things up—a riff on one's inner angel vs. devil—Gould left the LIM class of 2012 ready to conquer the world. Look out for them in your design studios, PR firms, mag offices, and far beyond! Here are five Gould-en nuggets! BY ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV 

1. "The world is moved by highly motivated people; by enthusiasts, by men and women who want something very much. Who believe very much."

2. "What I'm saying to you today is probably what your parents have said to you all along. And you don't need another lecture from someone you don't know...Learn all your life. Learn from your failures, and learn from your successes." 

3. "Life is about the roles life hands us, not necessarily the roles we've chosen."  

4. "Learn by bearing with the things we can't change, and by taking risks....don't love that passion for taking risks!" 

5. "You'll learn that the world loves talent, and pays on character. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation; your character is what you really are, and your reputation is what others think about you."