The staff at the Marine Military Academy paid me a great compliment by asking me to speak at the graduation dinner and present a few awards to the graduating cadets.  In a classic case of misjudging my audience, I prepared a 10-minute mostly serious speech–the kind of stuffy thing that you’ve come to expect from graduation ceremonies.  But after talking to a couple of people at the school this afternoon, I realized that what I presented would not have been well received.  The graduation dinner is supposed to be a lighthearted affair, and comments should be short.  I went back to the hotel and re-worked my presentation, cutting it in half and lightening it up.

By all indications, my talk was a hit.  I kept the comments short and even got some genuine laughs at my jokes about life at the school.  Graduating cadets and parents alike thanked me after the dinner; for the brevity and for the more serious remarks I made.  I’m not ready to start a business as a motivational speaker, but I think I have the confidence now to speak intelligently to a group of high school students.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to be invited to speak again to the cadets at some point.