The Best Advice I Ever Got (33 page)

SOURCE NOTES/PERMISSIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Some comments by the author, Katie Couric, have been adapted from speeches and commencement addresses delivered at institutions such as Case Western Reserve University, Princeton University, and Williams College.

Al Abdullah, Rania, “Through Other Eyes.” © Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah. Used by permission.

Albom, Mitch, “Giving Is Living.” © 2011 by Mitch Albom, Inc. Used by permission.

Albright, Madeleine K., “Never Play Hide-and-Seek with the Truth.” © Madeleine K. Albright. Used by permission.

Amanpour, Christiane, “Thank You, Colonel Shaki.” © Christiane Amanpour. Used by permission.

Angelou, Maya, “Make Your Own Path.” © Dr. Maya Angelou. Used by permission.

Applegate, Christina, “You Don’t Have the Luxury of Negative Thought.” © Christina Applegate. Used by permission.

Aronson, Jane, M.D., “Dare to Be Happy.” © Dr. Jane Aronson. Used by permission.

Axelrod, David, “Don’t Miss Out on Life.” © David Axelrod. Used by permission.

Baker, Russell, “Ten Ways to Avoid Mucking Up the World Any Worse Than It Already Is.” Adapted from
Not Mucking Up the World Any Worse Than It Already Is
, Copyright © 1995 by Russell Baker. Used by permission of Don Congdon Associates, Inc.

Banks, Tyra, “SMIZE … with Your Booty.” © 2010 by Bankable Books, LLC. Used by permission.

Batali, Mario, “Life Is Not a Recipe.” Adapted from a commencement address at Rutgers University, with permission of the author. © Mario Batali. Used by permission.

Beyoncé, “Take Time to Know Yourself.” © Beyoncé Knowles. Used by permission.

Bloomberg, Michael, “The Real Eighty Percent.” © Michael R. Bloomberg. Used by permission.

Bowen, Julie, “Advice I
Wish
I’d Taken.” © Julie Bowen. Used by permission.

Brees, Drew, “Use Adversity as an Opportunity.” © Drew Brees. Used by permission.

Burns, Ken, “Do Something Lasting.” Adapted from a commencement address at Lehigh University, with permission of the author. © 2008 by Ken Burns. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Calhoun, David L., “Develop Your Own Brand of Self-Confidence.” Adapted from a commencement address at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, with permission of the author. © David L. Calhoun. Used by permission.

Carpenter, Edmund N., II, “Before I Die.” © 1938 by Edmund Carpenter. Used by permission of the Estate of Edmund Carpenter.

Carter, Jimmy, “Always Do Your Best.” © President Jimmy Carter. Used by permission.

Case, Scott, “You’re Sitting on a Winning Lottery Ticket—Invest It Wisely.” Adapted from a commencement address at Greenwich High School, with permission of the author. © T. Scott Case. Used by permission.

Chenault, Ken, “Face History and Make History.” Adapted from a commencement address at Howard University, with permission of the author. © Kenneth I. Chenault. Used by permission.

Clash, Kevin, “What I’ve Learned from Elmo.” © Clash Puppets, Inc. Used by permission.

Clinton, William J., “Be a Good Citizen.” © William J. Clinton. Used by permission.

Colbert, Stephen, “Yes … and That’s the Word.” © Stephen Colbert. Used by permission.

Collins, Gail, “Ask, and Ye Shall Receive.” © Gail Collins. Used by permission.

Cosby, Bill, “Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy.” Adapted, with permission from the author, from “The Day I Decided to Quit Show Business, or The Night I Met the Enemy and It Was I,” in
Cosbyology: Essays and Observations from the Doctor of Comedy
(New York: Hyperion, 2001). © 2001 William H. Cosby, Jr. Used by permission.

Crow, Sheryl, “Do the Best You Can.” © Sheryl Crow. Used by permission.

David, Larry, “Curb Your Enthusiasm, Please.” © Larry David. Used by permission.

Dawson, Rosario, “Feast on Your Life.” © Rosario Dawson. Used by permission.

DeGeneres, Ellen, “Be True to Yourself.” Adapted from a commencement address at Tulane University, with permission of the author. © Ellen DeGeneres. Used by permission.

Doyne, Maggie, “Everything You Need Is Everything You Have.” © Maggie Doyne. Used by permission.

Evert, Chris, “Get Off the Sidelines!” © Chris Evert. Used by permission.

Ferguson, Craig, “Hurry Up and Take Your Time.” © Craig Ferguson. Used by permission.

Fox, Michael J., “Be Grateful.” © 2011 Michael J. Fox. Used by permission.

Freeman, Morgan, “You Quit, You Fail.” © Morgan Freeman. Used by permission.

Friedman, Thomas, “Be a Skeptic, Not a Cynic” and “Be an Untouchable, Do What You Love.” Adapted from a commencement address at Williams College, with permission of the author. © Thomas Friedman. Used by permission.

Garten, Ina, “If You Love Doing It, You’ll Be Very Good at It.” © Ina Garten. Used by permission.

Gates, Melinda, “The Sky’s the Limit.” © 2011 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Used by permission.

Gladwell, Malcolm, “Don’t Turn on Your Greatest Asset.” © Malcolm Gladwell. Used by permission.

Goldberg, Whoopi, “Do Unto Others.” © Whoopi Goldberg. Used by permission.

Goldman, Matt, “I Don’t Want to Be Reasonable.” Adapted from a commencement address at the Ross School, with permission of the author. © Matt Goldman. Used by permission.

Guggenheim, Davis, “Don’t Listen to Can’t.” © Davis Guggenheim. Used by permission.

Handler, Chelsea, “Pay Attention!” © Chelsea Handler. Used by permission.

Hsieh, Tony, “Be Lucky.” © Tony Hsieh. Used by permission.

Huffington, Arianna, “A Lot of Greek Chutzpah.” © Arianna Huffington. Used by permission.

Immelt, Jeff, “Be Humbled by What You Don’t Know.” Adapted from a commencement address at Boston College, with permission of the author. © Jeffrey Immelt. Used by permission.

Jackman, Hugh, “Trust Your Gut.” © Hugh Jackman. Used by permission.

Jonas, Kevin, Joe, and Nick, “Remember Where You Come From.” © 2011 Jonas Brothers Enterprises, LLC. Used by permission.

Kent, Muhtar, “In Good Times and in Bad.” © Muhtar Kent. Used by permission.

Keys, Alicia, “The Question.” © Alicia Keys. Used by permission.

Kimmel, Jimmy, “Wisdom You Can Eat.” © 2010 Jimmy Kimmel. Used by permission.

King, Larry, “Learn How to Listen.” © Larry King. Used by permission.

Kwan, Michelle, “Fall Down and Get Back Up.” © Michelle Kwan. Used by permission.

Lauer, Matt, “Sometimes You Gotta Go Off Course.” © Matt Lauer. Used by permission.

Leno, Jay, “Be Open to Other People,” “In Defense of Class Clowns,” and “Marry Your Conscience.” © Jay Leno. Used by permission.

Levine, Ellen, “Get Over Yourself.” © Ellen Levine. Used by permission.

Ling, Lisa, “Give of Yourself.” © Lisa Ling. Used by permission.

Linney, Laura, “Never Read Your Own Reviews.” Adapted from a commencement address at the Juilliard School, with permission of the author. © Laura Linney. Used by permission.

Lopez, George, “Fortune Favors the Bold.” © George Lopez. Used by permission.

Lynch, Jane, “Life Is a Series of Happy Accidents.” © Jane Lynch. Used by permission.

Marsalis, Wynton, “Commit with Your Whole Heart.” © Wynton Marsalis. Used by permission.

Martin, Steve, “Take Chances.” © Steve Martin. Used by permission.

Mayer, Marissa, “When There Isn’t a Right Choice …” © Marissa A. Mayer. Used by permission.

McConaughey, Matthew, “You Were Just Having Trouble.” © Matthew McConaughey. Used by permission.

McGraw, “Dr. Phil,” “Get Excited About Your Life.” © Dr. Phil McGraw. Used by permission.

Mirren, Helen, “Beware of Fear.” © Helen Mirren. Used by permission.

Molina, Raúl de, “Against Apparent Odds, Never Give Up.” © Raúl de Molina. Used by permission.

Mo’Nique, “Not Going Through It … Growing Through It.” © Mo’Nique. Used by permission.

Moore, Wes, “Have Faith, Not Fear.” © Wes Moore. Used by permission.

Nooyi, Indra, “Opportunity Will Find You.” Adapted from a commencement address at the Pennsylvania State University, with permission of the author. © Indra K. Nooyi. Used by permission.

Novogratz, Jacqueline, “Commit to Something Bigger Than Yourself.” © Jacqueline Novogratz. Used by permission.

Oates, Joyce Carol, “ ‘Here Is Life …’ ” © Ontario Review, Inc. Used by permission.

O’Brien, Soledad, “Push Beyond Prejudice.” © Soledad O’Brien. Used by permission.

Odierno, General Ray (U.S. Army), “Real Success.” © General Ray Odierno. Used by permission.

Ohno, Apolo, “It’s Not About the Forty Seconds.” © Apolo Ohno. Used by permission.

Orman, Suze, “Do What Is Right, Not What Is Easy.” © Suze Orman. Used by permission.

Oz, Mehmet, M.D., “Take Time to Really Listen.” © Dr. Mehmet Oz. Used by permission.

Petraeus, General David H., “Be Comfortable with the Uncomfortable.” © General David H. Petraeus. Used by permission.

Plame, Valerie, “Life Is Unfair.” © Valerie Plame Wilson. Used by permission. Powell, Colin, “It Doesn’t Matter Where You Start.” © Colin Powell. Used by permission.

Quindlen, Anna, “Courage Is the Ultimate Career Move.” © Anna Quindlen. Used by permission.

Ramos, Jorge, “Find Your Magic.” © Jorge Ramos, Univision News. Used by permission.

Rice, Condoleezza, “Find Your Next Adventure.” © Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Used by permission.

Roberts, Robin, “Determination Makes the Difference.” © Robin Roberts. Used by permission.

Rodriguez, Alex, “The Power of Words.” © Alex Rodriguez. Used by permission.

Roker, Al, “Willard’s Way.” © Al Roker. Used by permission.

Rushdie, Salman, “Angela’s Asterisks.” © Salman Rushdie. Used by permission.

Salinas, Maria Elena, “You Never Stop Learning.” © Maria E. Salinas. Used by permission.

Schieffer, Bob, “Momo’s Rules.” © Bob Schieffer. Used by permission.

Schmidt, Eric, “Say Yes.” © Eric Schmidt. Used by permission.

Seacrest, Ryan, “The Hardest-Working Guy in Showbiz.” © Ryan Seacrest. Used by permission.

Shaiman, Marc,
“Oh, Miss Midler …”
© Marc Shaiman. Used by permission.

Shriver, Maria, “Don’t Be Afraid of Being Afraid.” Adapted, with permission of the author, from
One More Thing Before You Go
(New York: Free Press, 2005). © Maria Shriver. Used by permission.

Shyamalan, M. Night, “Sadness.” © M. Night Shyamalan. Used by permission.

Simmons, Ruth J., “A Cold Bucket of Water.” © Ruth J. Simmons. Used by permission.

Sirleaf, Ellen Johnson, “No Job Is Small.” Adapted, with permission of the author, from
This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa’s First Woman President
(New York: HarperCollins, 2009). © Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Used by permission.

Sittenfeld, Curtis, “My Other (Less Neurotic) Half.” © Curtis Sittenfeld. Used by permission.

Smiley, Tavis, “Fail Better.” © Tavis Smiley. Used by permission.

Spielberg, Steven, “Listen and Learn.” © Steven Spielberg. Used by permission.

Stanton, Phil, “Inspiration Lives in Unexpected Places.” Adapted from a commencement address at the Ross School, with permission of the author. © Phil Stanton. Used by permission.

Steinem, Gloria, “Top Ten Pieces of Advice I Just Made Up for Myself—See If Any Help You.” © Gloria Steinem. Used by permission.

Stewart, Martha, “Gather the Good Things.” Adapted, with permission of the author, from
The Martha Rules
(Emmaus, Pa: Rodale Books, 2005). Used by permission.

Stockett, Kathryn, “Don’t Give Up, Just Lie.” © Kathryn Stockett. Used by permission.

Stone, Biz, “Think About What Is Valuable.” © Biz Stone. Used by permission.

Stonestreet, Eric, “but mostly, have a really fun time.” © Eric Stonestreet. Used by permission.

Streep, Meryl, “Empathy Opens Doors.” Adapted from a commencement address at Barnard College, with permission of the author. © Meryl Streep. Used by permission.

Stroman, Susan, “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?” © Susan Stroman. Used by permission.

Trump, Donald J., “Know Everything You Can.” © Donald J. Trump. Used by permission.

Vardalos, Nia, “Be Polite.” © Nia Vardalos. Used by permission.

Walker, Wendy, “Positive Energy Is the New Pink.” © Wendy Walker. Used by permission.

Walters, Barbara, “Follow Your Bliss.” © Barbara Walters. Used by permission.

Wang, Vera, “Life by Design.” © Vera Wang. Used by permission.

Wood, John, “Not Every Path Should Be Linear.” © John Wood. Used by permission.

Zakaria, Fareed, “Run Fast, but Don’t Run Scared.” © Fareed Zakaria. Used by permission.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KATIE COURIC is the anchor and managing editor of the
CBS Evening News with Katie Couric
, a
60 Minutes
correspondent, and anchor of CBS News prime-time specials. She has covered most of the major breaking news events over the past fifteen years, including the historic presidential election of 2008, the September 11 attacks, the Columbine tragedy, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the funeral of Princess Diana.