Conan O'Brien, born April 18, 1963, in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
American MC and comedian.
He is very popular for his unique sense and hosting style that differentiates him from other stand-up comedians or show hosts, and he has won several Emmy Awards.

Many people have role models they admire and want to be like. They put a lot of effort into becoming similar to them and imitating them.

At a Dartmouth College graduation ceremony, a student asked Conan O'Brien the following question.

"Can we really become like our role models?"

This is Conan O'Brien's speech on this question.

This phenomenon occurs in all professions, but I've been doing comedy for 25 years, so I can speak well about my profession. There was a really funny guy named Jack Benny in the 1940s. He was a huge star and the most successful comedian of his generation.

And Johnny Carson, who was younger than him, desperately wanted to be like Jack Benny. In some ways, he was similar to Jack Benny, but in many ways he was different.

He followed Jack Benny, but his own wit and quirks led him in a different direction. He failed to perfectly imitate his hero, but that's how he became the funniest person of his generation.

David Letterman wanted to be Johnny Carson, but he couldn't. As a result, all the comedians of my generation wanted to be David Letterman.

But no one could become David Letterman. My colleagues and I couldn't.

When we fail to reach the ideal we strive for, we come to know ourselves and find our own uniqueness.

It's not easy. But if you can embrace and manage misfortune, your failures can be a springboard for a whole new beginning.

I got a big realization from this part of the speech.

Because we failed to become the role model we've long admired and wanted to be, we become 'our true selves'. That moment may be painful, but ultimately it is the point that becomes a turning point in growth.

It is the time that we try to become a role model and learn that makes us grow and shape our true selves.