Paul Salfen, tumblr.

“Good evening. I’m Paul Salfen. Dr. Paul Salfen. That never gets old to hear but it takes some getting used to saying. HCU graduations are always one of my favorite occasions because I truly believe these are some of the coolest people you’ll ever meet—and many of them I’ve never even met before—so it’s always an honor to be here amongst you and hear your stories.

As the great Dr. Carl Robinson often says, anyone can go through the school system, pay their tuition, complete a matriculated degree, and finish their course of study. That process comes with the promise that you’re going to do something great. But an honorary doctorate is much, much harder to receive. It’s a time-honored tradition and serves as proof that you have already done something truly great.

So, you should all be very proud.

I wrote a book called Going For It!, in which I interviewed hundreds of celebrities about their advice, their lives, and the unique paths they took to success—including the incredible stories of how they made it. The foreword was written by HCU alum Drew Pearson, legendary Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, known as number 88. He helped popularize what we call a “Hail Mary moment”—that pivotal moment in your life or career when you simply have to go for it, trusting that everything will work out. Every person here tonight has experienced such a moment, and you should be immensely proud of that.

I used to say that your life is like a movie. You have co-stars, villains, heroes, and love interests—sometimes more than one. But really, life is more like a TV series. Some of us are on season five, others on season six. New heroes enter, new villains appear, and sometimes new love interests come along. Through it all, we’re just trying to make it to the next episode without getting canceled, right? But we made it in whatever season we’re in and we’re here tonight.

But now, forevermore, you will carry the title of doctor. It may feel strange the first time you see it on a piece of mail, but you’ll also feel an incredible sense of pride, because this honor is yours forever. It’s not just an award—it’s a lasting recognition of your impact and legacy.

There are so many people here tonight that I’m proud of. I’ll mention just a few, and you’ll hear their full bios shortly:

• John Haden, a survivor who was once told he would be dead or left in a vegetative state. Here he is tonight, having gone on to accomplish so many great things.

• Matt Ruibal, a dedicated farmer, restraunteur, and an outstanding contributor to his community—a truly remarkable individual.

• Christine Thompson, founder of AMFM Magazine, The Voice of the Artist, who has given countless creatives a platform and a voice for many years.

• William Togba, my wonderful pastor, who faithfully leads the “Five & Two” outreach twice a month, feeding those in need. And he always knows the right words to say.

• Tesina Painter, who has saved more than 100 million pounds of food from going to waste and instead placed it on the tables of families in need through Charity Road, a great foundation she created.

These are just a few of the extraordinary individuals you’ll hear more about, but I encourage you to pay attention to every single person here tonight—each one is truly amazing.

I am incredibly proud of all of you. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this special occasion.

God bless you all. May the Force be with you. Go Cowboys—and go be a great doctor. Thank you so much.”

http://PaulSalfen.com

As you probably know, I only post positive and motivational content. It may not be the most popular or financially rewarding content and it may not fit into whatever algorithm social media has decided is what’s most relevant, but I try to put the good out there in the world - especially in a time when I feel like we need it the most. That said, I try to highlight good people doing good things. So, of course, I was proud to be at the premiere of The Last Rodeo in Fort Worth. Neal McDonough has also taken a hit from Hollywood based on his beliefs but he’s got a winner along with Mykelti Williamson (Bubba in Forrest Gump) and director Jon Avnet (who worked on Risky Business, The Mighty Ducks, and Fried Green Tomatoes), which is a story about a man who will do anything for his family, even at great risk to himself, which I can identify with and respect. Angel Studios is putting this one out and they also only do positive content (mostly faith-based) and so I will always support and applaud that. And I was honored to be there with my friend Sheela Marshall, the founder of Tequila Sheela, who has overcome so many obstacles including coming to this country with nothing and beating stomach cancer and is now running a great independent business. Let’s feature more of who inspires us. And because this kind of messaging gets lost sometimes, give a like or comment to show engagement for something good. It doesn’t cost a thing and supports good things. Speaking of, free tickets are available from a pay it forward program for those that need it at Angel.com for this film. Check it out this weekend! #thelastrodeo #nealmcdonough #mykeltiwilliamson #jonavnet #angelstudios #positivecontent #fortworth #moviepremiere