HOWE Q. WALLACE BLOG

Define Yourself by What You Love

β€œDefine yourself by what you love.” – Tim Minchin

I recently watched a commencement address by Australian comedian Tim Minchin at the University of Western Australia, where he shared nine unconventional yet wise life lessons. You can watch the full speechΒ here.

One of the key lessons he shared is captured in this quote. Tim challenges our common tendency to focus on and vocalize our dislikesβ€”whether it’s things we disapprove of, find irritating, criticize, or simply dislike. Dwelling on negatives can make us cynical, skeptical, and fearful, ultimately consuming our minds and shaping our personalities.

Instead, he recommends taking the opposite approach: speak of what you love, recommend it, encourage more of it, celebrate it, help others to experience it, give it freely and unconditionally, and lavish it on those closest to you. By defining our lives through the lens of loveβ€”focusing on what we cherish rather than what we opposeβ€”we create a richer, more positive existence.

-Howe Q. Wallace Jr