10 interesting — and relevant — articles to inspire media professionals, especially young journalists and journalism aspirants

1. "The best farewell address by a journalist":

‘At The [NY] Times, you can imagine yourself making journalism that changes the world’

• "This so inspiring," wrote Commitscion Barkha Joshi (Class of 2016) on my Facebook wall soon after I posted this link yesterday.

2. Taking magazine cover design to new heights:

How they did it: "Behind the Making of Our Walking New York Cover"

3. An essay adapted from Tales from the Great Disruption: Insights and Lessons from Journalism’s Technological Transformation, by Michael Shapiro, Anna Hiatt, and Mike Hoyt:

"The Value of News"

An excerpt:

... I can think of no better distillation of what exists at the heart of the relationship between journalism and its audiences than the phrase that Lisa Gubernick, a wonderful journalist at Forbes and the Journal, used to open every single conversation, professional and personal. She would ask, “What’s new and interesting?”

4. Journalists talk about what is perhaps their greatest fear:

"Fear of screwing up"

An excerpt:

To be a journalist, you have to be afraid. Fear makes you triple-check your work. It makes you sharper, faster, more focused. It wakes you up in the middle of the night, or drops in unexpectedly at that party or dinner. Fear demands that you be absolutely sure you want to say every little thing you’re saying. 

"I have enough fear to do my job well. Brilliant article," wrote Commitscion Abira Banerjee (Class of 2015) on my Facebook wall the day after I posted this link.

5. Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron on journalism’s transition from print to digital:

“Journalism’s Big Move: What to Discard, Keep, and Acquire in Moving From Print to Web”

 

6. Rolling Stone magazine and the controversial university rape article:

Do scandals like Rolling Stone’s do lasting damage to journalism?

An excerpt:

While many agreed Rolling Stone’s failure harmed the media’s reputation, they also said it and the industry could repair the damage. The larger threats to journalism, many of them added, are more gradual systemic changes, from the implosion of business models to false balance in public “controversies.”

7. "A year after the firings of two top women editors, four journalism leaders discuss the challenges of editing while female."

"Can you think about rising?"

8. "Many writers are fond of semicolons; we use them a lot; even when we shouldn’t; and we often don’t know how to use them. (One clue: not the way we just did.)"

"To semicolon, or not to semicolon"

9. A well-deserved tribute to veteran journalist P. Sainath and his team:

"Documenting India's Villages Before They Vanish"

An excerpt:

So far, Sainath has recruited more than 1,000 volunteers for the archive project, ranging from 30-year veterans of the journalism business to software engineers who’ve written nary a word. They’ve documented some fascinating characters. One of them is a 73-year-old librarian who manages a trove of 170 classics, mostly translations of Russian masters, in a tiny forest village frequented by wild elephants.

Also read: A savvy, must-watch documentary on the peerless P. Sainath

10. "Copy-editing can be a great job. I’ve always been grateful for the work and especially for the people I’ve met, copy editors, fact checkers, editors, and writers alike."

"Workers of the word, unite"

• Also read: All hail the Comma Queen!

He has been blind since age 10, but the company he founded generates revenues worth millions of dollars

How did Herb Greenberg, now 84, do it?

Read this feature on the newly redesigned website of Fortune magazine (which, by the way, has consistently been publishing high-quality writing) and learn more about this phenomenal man who was once unable to get a job but who now teaches companies how to hire:

Believing in the Power of Potential

When Herb Greenberg, with all that experience under his belt, offers advice, it make sense to listen carefully. Here are some gems from the interview:

• Seventy percent of workers are in jobs to make a living; they don’t love what they’re doing. We say, “Let’s find out what you love doing, then get you the training to do it.”

• Hiring is a lot better than it used to be in terms of discriminating against physical handicaps, race, and gender. But there are still elements of discrimination. For example, why would an inability to walk affect the ability to answer a phone? Forget the disability. Grab the ability, and ride it to death.

• Ask references more than just “Did he do the job well?” Ask “What is he like?” and “How’d he work with people?” You can always teach skills. You can’t train attitude.

ALSO READ, in the same issue, a top-class news feature on Patek Philippe, the 175-year-old Swiss watchmaker: "Patek Philippe crafts its future". And this absolutely fascinating story of a unique power couple: Both husband and wife are CEOs of billion-dollar companies; the husband's firm is situated on the U.S. West Coast, the wife's on the East Coast. How did they get where they are today? And how do they make their marriage work? Answers to these and other questions can be found here: "Power couple: John and Tamara Lundgren’s merger of equals".

ADDITIONAL READING: "Good ideas and good writing need to be backed up by good design".

An inspiration to writers everywhere

A tribute — in the form of a "puzzler" — to the writer of one of my favourite books by one of my favourite authors, whose weekly e-newsletter I receive every Sunday:

HOPE BEGINS IN THE DARK

By Dr Mardy Grothe

On April 10, 1954, this writer was born in San Francisco (she turns 60 this week). Her father was a full-time writer and an avid reader, and she acquired both passions at an early age. As a second-grader, she was thrilled when one of her poems won an award in a statewide poetry competition and was later published in a mimeographed anthology.

She struggled with a host of problems during adolescence, but continued to dream of a literary career.  She dropped out of college at age nineteen, hoping to write the great American novel, but ending up instead in a variety of low-level jobs.

She continued to force herself to write almost every night for the next few years.

And then, at age twenty-three, her father was diagnosed with brain cancer. He told her to pay attention during his illness, and also to take notes, adding, "You tell your version, and I am going to tell mine." He ultimately became too sick to write his own story, but three years later, she published Hard Laughter (1980), a novel based in part on his illness. Her father died a year before the book was published.

In 1986, she became a highly unconventional born-again Christian (liberal, feminist, and pro-choice), got clean and sober, and began to take her life and career more seriously.

OUR MYSTERY AUTHOR WITH OPRAH WINFREY.

In 1993, she achieved her first commercial success with Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year. A fiercely honest and occasionally very funny memoir about life as a single mother, the book had a modest initial press run of 7,000 copies, but became a surprise bestseller.

In 1994, she wrote another bestseller, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. I received it as a gift many years ago, and it continues to be one of my favourite books.

Like her earlier Operating Instructions book (and her many later ones), Bird by Bird is filled with disarming self-revelations and charming self-deprecating humour.

It is also a deeply personal work, containing many insights and lessons learned. In the book's Introduction, she reflected on her early years as a struggling writer, and especially about the many times she would force herself to write at night after working all day at an exhausting and unfulfilling job. She wrote:

   Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just
    show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.

Who is this woman?

Now you know!

• A copy of this highly useful book, which is filled with practical advice, has been placed in the Commits library.

• To know more about the good Dr Mardy Grothe, check out this post: "It all depends on the telling, sure. But surely who does the telling matters?"

Meet the Twitter exec who finds inspiration in the 200 books she reads every year

Claire Diaz-Ortiz is, according to Wikipedia, an American blogger, author, and speaker who leads social innovation at Twitter.

Diaz-Ortiz (pictured) also has more than 45,000 followers on LinkedIn and almost 3.3 lakh followers on Twitter, which does not surprise me now that I have read her inspirational post on LinkedIn: "What Inspires Me: The 200 Books I Read a Year".

Here's an excerpt:

Reading has been my favorite pastime since my earliest memory, and in my adult years books have become some of my greatest inspirations. I read more than 200 books a year, and most of these books are non-fiction. Business, inspiration, and leadership top the charts in terms of what I spend most of my time reading, and I the reason I put so much of my energy into reading these particular categories is because books in this genre, again and again, have changed the way I think.

Read Diaz-Ortiz's post in its entirety. And then check out my post: "Why you must read".

PS: I am now Claire Diaz-Ortiz's 3,29,602nd follower on Twitter.

• ADDITIONAL READING: "Your Inspiration Roadmap: More Than 60 Ways to Get Motivated"

An inspiration for young journalists and media aspirants everywhere

At two weeks short of 30, Amol Rajan (pictured) has been appointed editor of a leading British newspaper, The Independent.

And look at his pedigree, as outlined in a Guardian profile by the newspaper's media correspondent:

Described by colleagues as politically astute and progressive-minded, Rajan possesses a number of traits favoured by [proprietor Evgeny] Lebedev in his youthful senior editorial team....

A keen cricket fan, Rajan is the author of a 2011 book on the sport called Twirlymen: The Unlikely History of Cricket's Greatest Spin Bowlers. He is also a devoted foodie, writing a restaurant column for the Independent on Sunday and appearing as a judge on BBC1's MasterChef in April.

After graduating from Cambridge, Rajan worked briefly for the London Evening Standard before moving to Channel 5. Two years later, he joined the Independent as a news reporter, later moving on to stints as sports news correspondent, assistant comment editor and deputy comment editor.

What a terrific track record that is! Surely, Amol Rajan is an inspiration for young journalists and media aspirants everywhere.

• Read the Guardian profile here: New Independent editor makes Fleet Street history

But, as the Guardian's assistant comment editor writes, Rajan will have his work cut out for him. Read the article here: "It's great to see an ethnic minority editor of a British newspaper. I hope his appointment sends a message to the rest of the media".

• Since we are talking about editors, it will be interesting to get some insights into how the top honcho at one of the world's great newspapers goes about his job: "Editor Bill Keller on how The New York Times chooses Page 1 stories".

Here's your official reason to listen to music at work

Who doesn't like listening to music? Specifically: Who doesn't like listening to music at work?

I usually have songs from one of my many iTunes playlists going on in the background when I am sitting at my workstation at Commits and checking my e-mail, writing a blog post, speaking with my students, and, of course, playing Scrabble on Facebook. (Right now I'm listening to the acoustic version of "You Learn" by Alanis Morissette, pictured.)

I play music at work (and in my car) because... I enjoy it.

But are there certain songs that can get you motivated at work or get you feeling productive on days when that's not so easy? Songs that, perhaps, simply inspire you at the office?

Yes, asserts Dave Kerpen, an American CEO who is also a New York Times best-selling author and keynote speaker.

Kerpen recently published on his blog a list of 21 songs "to inspire you at work". On the recommended listening list you will find Eminem, John Lennon (can you imagine which song by Lennon has made it?), Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Queen, even Katy Perry.

Check out Kerpen's post here and see if you agree with the choices: "21 Songs to Inspire You at Work".

PS: Take a look at my "jam history" on This Is My Jam to find out what kind of music moves me.

• VARUN CHHABRIA (Class of 2012), associate editor of Books & More magazine, commented via Facebook: 

Kerpen should stick to CEO-ing... fortunate that his job doesn't require him to list too many things. :-)

For starters, instrumental music is scientifically proven to stimulate the growth and development of the brain, specifically the left hemisphere that deals with creative thinking and problem solving. Music with overtly aggressive lyrical content (such as Eminem's "I'm doin' this for me, so fu^k the world") doesn't come across as intellectually stimulating.

If I had to suggest listening to be inspired at work, I would go with Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, improv jazz like Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, or contemporary instrumental music (Russian Circles, Six Organs of Admittance, Snarky Puppy, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, Noveller, etc.) to name a few.

Here's another band and song to add to the list: Mogwai — "Take Me Somewhere Nice".

P.S.: Here's one of the websites that I've followed over the years about music's effect on the brain: Effects of Instrumental Music Training on Brain and Cognitive Development in Young Children: A Longitudinal Study.

• ANKITA BHATTACHERJEE (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with the Statesman in Kolkata, commented via e-mail:

Although I'd love to listen to music at work I can't. The people at the Statesman would surely consider me a nuisance and chuck me out. And being me I know I'd love to sing along with the song, which I'm pretty sure would earn me a nasty look at least. So for me listening to songs at work is not an option. Moreover you know the kind of songs I like: party songs. I'm pretty sure my colleagues wouldn't approve of that either. 

By the way, somehow, even before reading the list I knew Katy Perry's "Firework" would be on the list. It's one hell of an inspiring song! Another one that I'd like to add to the list is "Perfect" by Pink. These two kept me going through my dark days.

• NIRANJANA MURALEEDHARAN (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with R Square Consulting in Bangalore, commented via e-mail:

Doesn't that lead to continous partial attention? :-) I really can't concentrate when I listen to music and, moreover, I feel uncomfortable when people see me with the headphones.

• AJAY U. PAI, my 18-year-old nephew who is a budding economist, commented via e-mail:

No wonder you call it your workstation. It's where all your work comes to a stop! But seriously, you know how much I love music; even so I maintain that music isn’t meant to be heard at work. You can multi-task all you like but music isn’t one of those tasks. It's a taste, a hobby, or interest. It can never mix with work.

• SAUMYA IYER (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with Bangalore Mirror, commented via e-mail:

I love listening to music anywhere, anytime! The one song that motivates me whenever I’m about to begin my first day anywhere — it could be an internship or attending a new college — is “Brand New Day” by Sting. My favourite pick-me-up song, when I think that nothing is going my way, is “Hold Your Head Up” by Uriah Heep. Of course, given my eclectic taste in music, the songs I listen to on my iPod at work range from death metal, psychedelic rock, and punk to anime music and jazz; all of which help me through the day. It helps instill a "Fighting Spirit" which is also coincidentally an OST from my favourite anime, Naruto.

• ANANYA CHATTERJEE (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with Fremantle Media in Mumbai, commented via e-mail:

Music can be everywhere. It need not have a specific time and place! I listen to it because I get a weird, incomplete feeling if my earphones are not plugged in. However, recently one of my friends at work misplaced my earphones and I've been given a headphone by the office. Sitting in this quiet environment I cannot really play music on my phone :( As my work involves calling up "talent" (as we refer to the participants of reality shows here), this headphone becomes really irritating after a point because it doesn't allow me to call and listen to music at the same time (as my earphones did).

As for the music I love, the song in question need not have the most inspiring lyrics. It just needs to hit you in the right spot! It somehow makes you want to work more :) Listening to music and connecting the songs with every situation you're involved in is beautiful! Somehow, there are certain songs which will remind you of a particular place and a particular time, every time you listen to it. :) Oh dear! What would we have done without music! :D

Talking about songs to inspire you, I suggest you all should listen to "I hope you dance" by Ronan Keating and "I've gotta have you" by The Weepies.

• LINSIYA PATRAO (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with CNN-IBN in New Delhi commented via e-mail:

Well said, Sir. Who doesn't like music? I make it a point to listen to it at work or before I go to sleep at night. This is the one thing that keeps me going through the day. Sometimes it does become a little difficult at work with all the hustle and bustle, but as soon as I see things settling down, I slowly slip into my radio mode. Listening to "Don't leave home" by Dido in the mornings is such a beautiful experience.

• RANJINI N. (Class of 2010), who is a copywriter with Radio Mirchi in Bangalore, commented via e-mail:

I always enjoy music playing in the background — on my laptop, radio, or TV. As long as it is in the background and not blaring into my ears! I can never imagine working without music. It feels weird to work in a quiet environment.

My choice of music depends on my mood. Personally, I prefer listening to melodious Bollywood music, and Meethi Mirchi on Gaana.com does exactly that for me. If I want retro, I switch to Purani Jeans; I can also choose from the playlists on the site.

Kishore Kumar, Sonu Niigaam, and Shaan are my all-time favourites. Romantic numbers, peppy songs, and contemporary hit tracks from Bollywood always work for me. Then there's the instrumental series called "The Elements" and "Sound Scapes" composed by five musicians, including Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Hari Prasad Chaurasia, which is apt when you are feeling serene. And when it comes to ghazals, nothing can beat Jagjit Singh’s soulful voice.

One thing has proved true for me. With radio playing all the time (even when I'd actually be happy to have a few quiet moments), the brain has learnt to be aware and consciously tune out the song enabling me to focus on the work at hand. You see, music essentially is not a distraction at all!

ADDITIONAL READING (AND LISTENING): Love music? Love the blues? You will love Shillong's Soulmate

Reading this book will change your approach to life

Like me, you must have asked yourself these questions many times over the years:

• How can I be sure that I will find satisfaction in my career?

• How can I be sure that my personal relationships will become enduring sources of happiness?

• How can I avoid compromising my integrity?

Unbelievable as it sounds, there is a book that not only provides the answers to these questions but also explains, with the help of real-life examples, how you can find fulfillment.

Slim in size (206 pages) but big on ideas, How Will You Measure Your Life? does not offer, in the words of the authors, simplistic answers: "It will not tell you what to think. It will not prescribe a set path for happiness." Instead, the authors say, it will equip you to lead the type of life to which you truly aspire.

Here's an apt excerpt from the opening chapter:

People often think that the best way to predict the future is by collecting as much data as possible before making a decision. But this is like driving a car looking only at the rear-view mirror — because data is only available about the past.

Indeed, while experiences and information can be good teachers, there are many times in life where we simply cannot afford to learn on the job. You don't have to go through multiple marriages to learn how to be a good spouse. Or wait until your last child has grown to master parenthood. This is why theory can be so valuable: it can explain what will happen, even before you experience it.

What an insightful illustration that is of how the theories this book propounds can help us in our lives!

Now here's an excerpt from the first section, "Finding Happiness in Your Career":

The starting point for our journey is a discussion of priorities. These are, in effect, your core decision-making criteria: what's most important to you in your career? The problem is that what we think matters most in our jobs often does not align with what will really make us happy. Even worse, we don't notice that gap until it's too late. To help you avoid this mistake, I want to discuss the best research we have on what truly motivates people.

In the next chapter comes an intriguing examination of what it is that really makes us tick, followed by a fascinating debate on "incentive" versus "motivation". By the time we come to the end of the chapter, we understand clearly why motivation trumps incentive every time and why motivated people truly love their work more than anyone else.

WATCH A VIDEO Q&A WITH AUTHOR CLAYTON M. CHRISTENSEN HERE.

Section 2 deals with "Finding Happiness in Your Relationships". Here's a relevant excerpt from the introductory chapter:

[There] is much more to life than your career. The person you are at work and the amount of time you spend there will impact the person you are outside of work with your family and close friends. In my experience, high-achievers focus a great deal on becoming the person they want to be at work — and far too little on the person they want to be at home. Investing our time and energy in raising wonderful children or deepening our love with our spouse often doesn't return clear evidence of success for many years. What this leads to is over-investing in our careers, and under-investing in our families — starving one of the most important parts of our life of the resources it needs to flourish.

The third and final section, which is also the shortest, is devoted to the topic of "living a life of integrity". Titled "Staying Out of Jail" (how appropriate!), this section offers a theory called "full versus marginal thinking". This theory, the authors say, will help you answer your final question: how can I be sure I live a life of integrity?

And, finally, here's a quote from the book that, I hope, will motivate you to pick it up ASAP:

It is frightfully easy for us to lose our sense of the difference between what brings money and what causes happiness.

If you read only one book this year, or over the next ten years, let it be this one. Especially if you are young and have embarked, or are about to embark, on a career and a relationship. (How Will You Measure Your Life? is available on Indiaplaza for Rs.259.)

• Also read: If you love what you do, is it 'work'?

• UPDATE (April 3, 2013): How Will You Measure Your Life? has been given top billing in the latest issue of Forbes Life. Charles Assisi, managing editor of Forbes India, writes in an article titled "Happy Reading" that the first book "I think is mandatory reading is How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen". The other books on Assisi's list are Howard's Gift, by Eric Sinoway; The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt; The Thinking Life, by P.M. Forni; and Mastery, by Robert Greene.

"This was just the book I needed"

By Commitscion Archita Nadgouda (Class of 2011)

ARCHITA NADGOUDA

I ordered How Will You Measure Your Life? from Indiaplaza as soon as I read your post on Facebook. This was just the book I needed at this point of time when I’m embarking on a new relationship and planning a new career. There is no shortage of people willing to dispense advice but, often, you're not completely convinced with the advice you get from them.

This book teaches you "how to think" and apply your own mind, based on the situation you are in, to find solutions because "one size fits all" doesn't work when it comes to advice.

I cannot thank you enough for recommending this book to us!

Why Nipun Mehta's commencement speech is making waves around the world

NIPUN MEHTA

Nipun Mehta has never applied for a job. He has also not worked for pay in nearly ten years. Nipun writes on his website, Inner Net, that he wants to live simply, love purely, and give fearlessly. His life, he says, is "an attempt to bring smiles in the world and silence in my heart".

Given his background, it may seem odd that Nipun was chosen to address the graduating class of 2012 at the University of Pennsylvania in May. But what he said was so inspiring that not only did he receive a standing ovation but his commencement speech also began making waves around the world.

The theme of Nipun's address was... the benefits of walking. "You are some of the world's most gifted, elite, and driven college graduates — and you are undeniably ready to fly," he told the students. "So what I’m about to say next may sound a bit crazy. I want to urge you, not to fly, but to — walk. Four years ago, you walked into this marvellous laboratory of higher learning. Today, heads held high, you walk to receive your diplomas.  Tomorrow, you will walk into a world of infinite possibilities."

And then Nipun elaborated on his theme by talking about the 1,000-kilometre walking pilgrimage through India's villages which he undertook with his wife Guri in 2005.

Nipun told the students that soon after he and Guri ended their pilgrimage, his uncle wanted to know what he had learned from his walk. "I didn't know where to begin," Nipun told the students.

But quite spontaneously, an acronym — W-A-L-K — came to mind, which encompassed the key lessons we had learned, and continue to relearn, even to this day. As you start the next phase of your journey, I want to share those nuggets with the hope that it might illuminate your path in some small way too.

Those nuggets are sure to illuminate our paths, too. Read Nipun Mehta's commencement speech in full here: "Paths are made by walking".

• Incidentally, Daily Good, the website that has published the transcript, is an unusual one because it features only good news from around the world. Surely, a site worth bookmarking.

• Inner Net is Nipun Mehta's website. Access it here.

• Also read: "Wisdom and inspiration from Neil Gaiman".

• Thank you, Gabrielle Gonsalvez, for sending us the link to Nipun Mehta's speech. 

“I can’t believe people like Nipun Mehta even exist”

POORVI KOTHARI

By Commitscion Poorvi Kothari (Class of 2014)

What amazing thoughts! I can’t believe people like Nipun Mehta even exist. His speech is truly inspirational.

We are all taught that life is a race and to win you have to make sure you are the fastest. Yes, in some ways that’s true but what about the other side? If you run all your life what is it that you have experienced? You have just “passed through” all the experiences without actually experiencing them.

I particularly liked a few lines from Mehta’s speech:

• "When the things around you are seen as gifts, they are no longer a means to an end; they are the means and the end."

• "When you come alive in this way, you'll realize that true generosity doesn’t start when you have something to give, but rather when there’s nothing in you that’s trying to take."

• "Which is to say, don't just go through life — grow through life. It will be easy and tempting for you to arrive at reflexive answers — but make it a point, instead, to acknowledge mystery and welcome rich questions ... questions that nudge you towards a greater understanding of this world and your place in it."

Thanks for this one, Sir!

"Yes man" redefined... and given a new sense of purpose

Find a way to say yes to things.

Say yes to invitations to a new country. Say yes to meeting new friends. Say yes to learning a new language, picking up a new sport. Yes is how you get your first job, and your next job. Yes is how you find your spouse, and even your kids.

Even if it's a bit edgy, a bit out of your comfort zone, saying yes means you will do something new, meet someone new, and make a difference in your life, and likely in others' lives as well. ...

Yes is a tiny word that can do big things. Say it often.

— Excerpt from the commencement speech made last month by Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt (pictured above) at the University of California at Berkeley

• Also read: Wisdom and inspiration from author Neil Gaiman's commencement speech at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and An uplifting commencement address by CNN-IBN's Sushasini Haidar.

Wisdom and inspiration from Neil Gaiman

He is the multi-talented, multi-award-winning author of brilliant works such as The Sandman and The Graveyard Book. He is also a hero to many young people. And that is why the commencement speech Neil Gaiman gave earlier this month at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia is drawing raves on the Web.

I watched the speech on YouTube this morning after receiving the link from Commitscion Natasha Rego (Class of 2014). She wrote she found it to be "beautifully inspiring". I agree, and I think you will, too.

YOU LEARN BY MAKING MISTAKES: NEIL GAIMAN

While there are many thoughtful and thought-provoking aspects to what Gaiman said, what I found striking was that he got his start as a journalist:

I wanted to write comics and novels and stories and films, so I became a journalist, because journalists are allowed to ask questions, and to simply go and find out how the world works, and besides, to do those things I needed to write and to write well, and I was being paid to learn how to write economically, crisply, sometimes under adverse conditions, and on time.

Gaiman also makes a lot of sense when he speaks about learning from failure:

The problems of failure are problems of discouragement, of hopelessness, of hunger. You want everything to happen and you want it now, and things go wrong. My first book — a piece of journalism I had done for the money, and which had already bought me an electric typewriter  from the advance — should have been a bestseller. It should have paid me a lot of money. If the publisher hadn't gone into involuntary liquidation between the first print run selling out and the second printing, and before any royalties could be paid, it would have done.

And I shrugged, and I still had my electric typewriter and enough money to pay the rent for a couple of months, and I decided that I would do my best in future not to write books just for the money. If you didn't get the money, then you didn't have anything. If I did work I was proud of, and I didn't get the money, at least I'd have the work.

Every now and again, I forget that rule, and whenever I do, the universe kicks me hard and reminds me.

To plug into Neil Gaiman's very original philosophy and to understand why what he said is such a hit, watch the full commencement address yourself here.

If you would rather read up on the six key points of Gaiman's address, go here.

• Also read: Neil Gaiman talks to the New York Times about his favourite books, his reading habits, and other book-related matters: By the Book.

• Neil Gaiman is not the only journalist who has gone on to do other things in the media. Read A marketing whiz and the lessons she learned from journalism to know why good journalists make good media professionals.

• Also read: "Want to be a journalist? Rejection is good for the soul (and other advice from a media veteran)" — An uplifting commencement address by CNN-IBN's Suhasini Haidar.