ENGLISH SPEECH | PRIYANKA CHOPRA: Be Fearless (English Subtitles)

Summary

Priyanka Chopra's speech inspires individuals to shatter societal expectations, urging them to aim higher than the 'glass ceiling.' She emphasizes the importance of authenticity, embracing one's unique self, and pursuing dreams fearlessly. With humor and sincerity, she shares personal anecdotes and 'rules' for success, advocating for ambition, resilience in the face of failure, and the value of calculated risks. Chopra encourages viewers to be kind, compassionate, and to remember their roots, concluding with a passionate call to live life fully and authentically.

Takeaways

• 👠 Challenge Traditional Norms: The speaker emphasizes the importance of not conforming to societal expectations, like fitting into a 'glass slipper', and instead encourages breaking barriers and aiming higher.
• 💪 Personal Ambition Over Breaking Barriers: The speaker clarifies that her personal ambition was not to break the 'glass ceiling', but to chase her dreams and evolve, with breaking obstacles being a byproduct of that journey.
• 🔍 Self-Understanding as the First Step: Understanding one's core values, beliefs, and flaws is identified as the initial step towards finding one's unique self and the best version of oneself.
• 🚀 Embrace Change and Continuous Learning: The speaker encourages embracing change and being open to learning new things at any stage of life, as change is a constant.
• 🛫 Let Your Dreams Fly: The importance of being fearless in pursuing one's dreams and ambitions is highlighted, with the speaker's own journey from aspiring engineer to multifaceted artist as an example.
• 🔑 Recognize and Seize Opportunities: Opportunities are rare and must be recognized and maximized, as they are crucial for personal growth and success.
• 🌟 Be Ambitious and Never Settle: The speaker advocates for having big ambitions and not settling for less, encouraging the audience to strive for everything they desire.
• 💡 Be Greedy for Your Goals: A call to be ambitious and hungry for one's goals, without being constrained by others' expectations or limitations.
• 🛑 Don't Compromise on Your Dreams: The speaker advises against compromising one's dreams and to stay true to one's path, regardless of external pressures or opinions.
• 📉 Embrace Failure as a Stepping Stone: Failure is an inevitable part of the journey, and it's the response to failure that defines success, with the need to learn and rise stronger after setbacks.
• 🚀 Take Calculated Risks: The importance of taking educated risks to evolve and push beyond one's limits is underscored, with the speaker's own risky career moves as examples.
• 👥 Surround Yourself with Positive Influences: Choosing the right people who support and believe in you is crucial for success.
• 🌐 Navigate Social Media with Caution: The speaker warns against the impact of negative social media comments and emphasizes the importance of not letting them affect one's self-worth.
• 😄 Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously: A reminder to maintain a sense of humor and not to be overly serious about life's journey, encouraging enjoyment of the process.
• 🤝 Practice Kindness and Compassion: The value of being kind and compassionate, and not quick to judge others, is highlighted as a key life principle.
• 🔙 Never Forget Your Roots: The speaker stresses the importance of remembering one's origins and background, as it shapes who you are and where you come from.

Q & A

What is the main message of the speaker about the concept of the 'glass ceiling'?

The speaker expresses that while the 'glass ceiling' is a real barrier, especially for women and minorities, her personal ambition was not to break it but to chase her dreams and evolve into the best version of herself.

Why does the speaker dislike the phrase 'breaking the glass ceiling'?

The speaker dislikes the phrase because it seems to reduce her achievements and hard work to a singular ambition of finding and breaking a metaphorical barrier, rather than acknowledging the complexity and diversity of her goals.

What is the speaker's approach to dealing with failure?

The speaker acknowledges that failure is inevitable and suggests that one should not just ignore it but analyze it, learn from it, and use it as a stepping stone to rise again, like a Phoenix.

How does the speaker define the 'Brahmāstra' in the context of achieving dreams?

The 'Brahmāstra' is metaphorically referred to as one's willpower, which the speaker believes is a powerful tool that everyone already possesses to achieve their dreams and ambitions.

What is the significance of the speaker's mention of being 'fierce, fearless, and flawed'?

The speaker uses these terms to describe her approach to life and success, emphasizing the importance of being determined, courageous, and accepting one's imperfections as part of the journey to becoming the best version of oneself.

What does the speaker suggest is the first step in finding one's unique self?

The first step is understanding who you really are at your core, including your values, beliefs, and flaws, which forms the foundation of your unique self.

Why is it important to be open to change according to the speaker?

The speaker emphasizes that change is a constant in life and being open to it allows for growth and the evolution of one's dreams and ambitions.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of recognizing and seizing opportunities?

The speaker believes that recognizing opportunities and making the most of them is crucial for success, as they don't come often and can be pivotal in one's journey.

How does the speaker define 'drive' and 'ambition'?

The speaker defines 'drive' and 'ambition' as the relentless pursuit of opportunities, working hard to extract every possible benefit from them, and continuously striving for more.

What is the speaker's advice on dealing with social media and its potential negative impacts?

The speaker advises not to be swayed by the opinions of faceless people on social media and to not take oneself too seriously, emphasizing the importance of a sense of humor and self-appreciation.

What is the speaker's perspective on the importance of giving back to society?

The speaker believes in the importance of giving back, as it is a way of acknowledging the interconnectedness of our world and contributing to its betterment, especially for those less fortunate.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of remembering one's roots?

The speaker stresses the importance of remembering one's roots as it is what truly defines a person and provides a sense of identity and grounding in all endeavors.

What is the speaker's philosophy on life's journey and how should it be lived?

The speaker's philosophy is that life's journey should be lived fully, with passion and without fear, aiming to make a significant impact and enjoy the ride, rather than merely seeking to arrive safely at the end.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Challenging the Glass Ceiling Concept

The speaker starts by sharing a personal anecdote about her father's advice, challenging the traditional notion of fitting into a 'glass slipper' and instead encourages shattering the 'glass ceiling'. However, she expresses her dislike for the term 'breaking the glass ceiling', as it seems to diminish her achievements to merely overcoming a barrier. She emphasizes her real ambition was to chase her dreams and evolve, not just to break barriers. She acknowledges the existence of the glass ceiling and its impact on many, particularly women and minorities, and uses her platform to inspire others to aim higher, sharing her personal journey and the importance of being fierce, fearless, and embracing one's flaws.

05:03

🚀 Embracing Ambition and Opportunities

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the importance of recognizing and seizing opportunities, using her own experiences such as winning Miss World and her first film offer as examples. She talks about the necessity of having drive and ambition, and not being afraid to want more from life. She shares a personal story of attending both the Berlin Film Festival and the Grammy Awards despite the challenges, illustrating her point about not limiting oneself and being ambitious. The speaker encourages the audience to be greedy for their ambitions, to not let others dictate who they can be, and to not compromise on their dreams.

10:07

🛑 Learning from Failure and Taking Risks

The speaker addresses the inevitability of failure and the importance of learning from it. She candidly shares her own experiences with failure, describing the emotional toll it takes but also the resilience needed to move forward and learn from mistakes. She then transitions into discussing the importance of taking calculated risks in life and career, using her own career choices as examples of how she has taken bold steps that were initially seen as risky but ultimately paid off. The speaker emphasizes the value of surrounding oneself with the right people and not being swayed by the negative opinions of others on social media.

15:10

🤝 The Importance of Kindness, Giving Back, and Remembering Your Roots

In the final paragraph, the speaker talks about the significance of kindness, compassion, and not judging others quickly, as everyone has their own story. She encourages the audience to laugh at themselves and not take life too seriously, to enjoy the journey. The speaker also stresses the importance of giving back, sharing her own philanthropic efforts and affiliations with organizations like UNICEF and Girl Up. Lastly, she emphasizes the significance of remembering one's roots and where one comes from, as it is a key part of one's identity. She concludes by expressing her hope that the audience will take her shared experiences into the new year with a fresh perspective, aiming to be fierce, fearless, and flawed.

Keywords

💡Glass Ceiling

The term 'Glass Ceiling' refers to an invisible barrier that prevents certain individuals, especially women and minorities, from advancing in their professional careers. In the script, it is used metaphorically to represent societal and institutional barriers that the speaker acknowledges exist but does not want to be the sole focus of her ambition. The speaker prefers to emphasize personal growth and overcoming obstacles rather than merely breaking through this metaphorical ceiling.

💡Ambition

Ambition is the strong desire to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. The speaker discusses her own ambitions and how they have driven her to pursue various roles and opportunities in her life, such as becoming an actor, singer, and producer. Ambition is portrayed as a positive force that propels individuals to chase their dreams and evolve beyond their current status.

💡Fearlessness

Fearlessness is the state of being unafraid or courageous. The speaker encourages the audience to be fearless in the pursuit of their dreams and ambitions, using her own life as an example of how she transitioned from aspiring to be an aeronautical engineer to achieving success in various entertainment fields. Fearlessness is presented as a key attribute in overcoming life's obstacles and achieving one's goals.

💡Opportunities

Opportunities are chances or situations in which something can be done or an aim achieved. The script emphasizes the importance of recognizing and seizing opportunities as they arise, such as the speaker's participation in beauty pageants and her first film offers. These opportunities are depicted as pivotal moments that can lead to significant advancements in one's career or personal life.

💡Drive

Drive refers to the determination and motivation to achieve something. In the context of the video, the speaker's drive is evident in her relentless pursuit of her goals and her willingness to work hard to make the most of every opportunity. Drive is portrayed as a crucial element in propelling one's ambitions and turning them into reality.

💡Greed

In this context, 'greed' is used positively to denote a strong desire for more, particularly in terms of ambition and success. The speaker encourages the audience to be 'greedy' for their ambitions, to want more for themselves, and not to be limited by others' expectations or societal norms. This concept is exemplified by the speaker's own determination to attend both the Berlin Film Festival and the Grammy Awards despite the challenges.

💡Compromise

Compromise is the act of settling on a middle ground or accepting a less desirable option. The speaker advises against compromising on one's dreams and ambitions, emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself and not settling for less than what one truly desires. This is illustrated by the speaker's decision to turn down roles that did not align with her vision for herself.

💡Failure

Failure is the inability to achieve a goal or the way in which a plan or attempt miscarries. The speaker candidly discusses her own experiences with failure and how it is an inevitable part of life. She encourages the audience to embrace failure as a learning opportunity and to rise stronger from it, using the metaphor of the Phoenix to symbolize rebirth and resilience.

💡Risk

Risk is the possibility of danger, loss, or failure. The script highlights the importance of taking calculated risks in order to evolve and grow, both personally and professionally. The speaker shares instances from her career where she took significant risks, such as signing a US TV show during the peak of her film career in India, which ultimately paid off due to her dedication and hard work.

💡Surroundings

Surroundings refer to the people and environment that one is in contact with. The speaker stresses the importance of choosing the right people to surround oneself with, as they can greatly influence one's journey to success. She warns against those who may undermine one's efforts or aspirations, advocating for a supportive network that fosters growth and positivity.

💡Social Media

Social media are websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking. The speaker addresses the impact of social media on self-perception and the potential for negative comments to affect one's mood. She advises the audience not to be swayed by the opinions of faceless individuals online and to focus on the voices that truly matter in their lives.

💡Compassion

Compassion is a feeling of empathy and concern for others' sufferings or misfortunes. The speaker emphasizes the importance of being kind, compassionate, and understanding, reminding the audience not to judge others quickly as everyone has their own story. She shares her own experiences with philanthropy and advocacy, such as her foundation and work with UNICEF, as examples of giving back to the community.

💡Roots

Roots symbolize one's origins or background. The speaker discusses the importance of remembering and honoring one's roots, as they shape who we are. She expresses pride in her Indian heritage, her upbringing as an army's daughter, and her middle-class background, stating that these experiences have contributed to her identity and the person she has become.

Highlights

Encouraging people to shatter the glass ceiling instead of just fitting into societal norms.

Personal dislike for the phrase 'breaking the glass ceiling' as it diminishes personal achievements.

Emphasizing the importance of chasing personal dreams and ambitions rather than external goals.

Acknowledging the existence of the glass ceiling and its impact on women and minorities.

Sharing the Oxford dictionary definition of the glass ceiling and its origin.

Presenting 'PC's twelve rules of becoming the best version of yourself' as a guide for personal growth.

The importance of recognizing and embracing one's unique self.

Encouraging people to dream beyond their imagination and not fear change.

Believing in one's will and ability to achieve dreams, referred to as the 'Brahmastra'.

The transformative power of making fearless choices in life and career.

The significance of recognizing and seizing opportunities as they arise.

The drive and ambition required to make the most of opportunities.

Being ambitious and not being afraid to want more in life.

The importance of not compromising on one's dreams and aspirations.

Accepting and learning from failure as a necessary part of success.

Taking calculated risks as a way to evolve and grow.

Surrounding oneself with the right people who support and encourage.

The impact of social media and the importance of not being affected by negative comments.

The value of not taking oneself too seriously and enjoying life's journey.

The importance of kindness, compassion, and not judging others quickly.

The significance of giving back to society and making a positive impact.

Remembering one's roots and using them as a foundation for personal identity.

A life philosophy of living fully and embracing the journey, regardless of the outcome.

Transcripts

Thank you.

Thank you.

So, my father used to always tell me something which I want to share with you, that why do

you want to fit inside a glass slipper?

You know, like we were told, like Cinderella did, why do you want to fit inside a glass

slipper when you can shatter the glass ceiling?

I want to tell you a little secret.

I'm not very fond of this phrase, breaking the glass ceiling.

Why does it annoy me?

Because it takes the context of everything that I have done.

All my achievements, all my hard work and puts it into a box as if my ambition was that

I want to find a glass ceiling and break it.

Not at all.

To be really honest, I was never on a mission to break, to shatter anything.

All I wanted was to chase my dreams, my ambitions.

I wanted to evolve.

I wanted to become the best version of me, that I could be.

And of course, in Priyanka Chopra style, along the way, I wanted to smash and break every

obstacle that came my way, which I did.

But that does not mean that the glass ceiling doesn't exist.

Of course, it exists.

And countless of women and men, mostly women run into it in their professional and personal

lives.

And I'm sure a lot of you can vouch for that right now.

The Oxford dictionary definition of the glass ceiling is an unacknowledged barrier to advancement

in a profession, especially affecting women and members of minorities from rising beyond

a certain level in a hierarchy.

And this metaphor was first coined by feminists in reference to barriers in the careers of

high achieving women.

So, why did I choose it as my topic for today if I hated it so much?

Because I hope through my experiences, I can present to you the tools to live your dream

and to not make that glass ceiling that is defined by society, largely patriarchal, as

your goal.

I want you to aim higher, because you know you can, and it's honestly all I did.

Every step of the way, all I did was set a higher standard.

How did I get here?

By being fierce, by being fearless, and by being flawed, completely and utterly flawed.

I'm not perfect.

Like, none of us are.

So, tonight I'm going to try and break it down for you a little bit in a slightly different

way.

I present the twelve sure shot, sure fireways of becoming Priyanka Chopra.

Would you like that?

Sorry, I was just kidding.

Because as millennials, we don't like to be told what to do.

So, this is a gentle nudge in the right direction.

Presenting PCs twelve rules of becoming the best version of yourself.

So, here are a few of my favorites from my list.

There's only one you, okay, because there's no one like you.

And I don't mean the superfluous, superficial parts.

I'm talking about the core of you, who you are inside.

Your values, your beliefs, your flaws.

And once you understand who really that person is, you would have taken the first step in

finding your unique self.

And that is the best version of you.

Who am I really?

Most often, we don't allow ourselves the ability to dream beyond our imagination.

We don't allow ourselves to think about the future because we are afraid of change.

We are afraid to move away from what is familiar.

Either that, or sometimes, you know, we are too rigid to let our dreams evolve.

Loosen up, you know, shake it off a little bit.

Change is the only constant thing in life, and you are never too old or never too experienced

to learn something new.

Believe that you have everything already as your Brahmāstra in your will, to be able

to be and achieve your dreams.

Be fearless.

I know I wanted to become an aeronautical engineer.

What am I today?

I'm an actor.

I'm a singer.

I'm an author.

I'm a producer.

I'm an artist.

How did I go from becoming an engineer to all of these things?

I made choices, the choices that I wanted for myself.

So, that is my rule number two, let your dreams fly.

Give them wings, be who you want to be just by being fearless.

Now, opportunities, that's another important part of being fearless.

They are very funny thing, these opportunities, they don't come very often.

They come far and few in between.

But when they do, do we recognize them?

Our job is to recognize them and make the most of them.

I look back on all the things that I've done, and I marvel at the opportunities that came

my way.

Miss India, Miss World.

When I was in Bareli in army school, my first film offer, my first music single, the first

film I actually produced, there was never a plan ever, more like the universe sort of

guiding me towards these opportunities.

All I had to do was recognize them and make sure I worked so hard that I squeezed every

drop out of these opportunities.

This, ladies and gentlemen is called drive.

It's called ambition.

So, no matter where you are in life, rule number three is you have never arrived enough

to explore new opportunities.

And there's nothing wrong with being ambitious.

Ladies, listen to me.

Now for all of you guys who like everything in life, I don't think there's anything wrong

with wanting to have the whole cake and eat it too, nothing wrong.

I want everything, I want everything.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

As long as you're not harming someone or doing something wrong, don't be scared to want more

for yourself than you ever thought you could.

I'll give you a small example.

A few years ago, I was shooting a film called Don 2, you have heard of that, right?

So, it was chosen to be shown at the Berlin Film Festival, Berlinale and my entire team

was flying for the premiere.

And it was very exciting time.

But at the same time, I was invited for the first time to attend the Grammy Awards in

LA.

So, now when I was doing music, it was this big choice, both the events were literally

taking place one day apart in completely different time zones, Berlin and LA.

My team and everyone around me told me, no, it can never happen.

You have to choose what is your priority?

And you know what I did, I made some insane connections, Mumbai to London, London to Berlin,

Berlin to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to LA, LA to Mumbai in three days.

And I made it happen.

I went to both events and I looked great at both events.

Even though I hadn't slept, it took a little bit of extra makeup, but I was fine.

And that's not the only time I've done it.

I've done it so many times over and over again.

Why?

Because I don't want anyone to tell me I can't have everything.

I want to dream of everything, and I'll have everything.

So, rule number four, be greedy.

Be greedy for your ambitions.

Be hungry for it.

Don't live on someone else's benchmarks.

We are told so many times in our life: ‘No girl should do this, or you are elder boy

in house, your responsibility is this, this is who you should be.’

Who can tell you who you should be?

Don't let anyone or any situation dictate to you who you are and who you can be.

I know it's very much easier said than done.

I know that because I've done it but fight for your dreams because no one else is going

to fight for your dreams, except you.

I've turned down so many roles, opportunities because they did not fit into what I thought

at that time was the right thing for me.

So, today my path is just my own.

It belongs to no one.

My failures, my successes, all of it, mine, my journey, all of it is mine.

So, rule number five, do not compromise.

Do not settle on your dreams.

Now who likes to fail?

What, what, at least 15 people raised their hands, I'm really confused with this audience

right now.

And you like to fail, well I'm not talking to you guys then.

I'm talking to those guys who hate to fail because I hate to fail.

It's really as simple as that, it takes tubs and tubs of ice cream, lots of tissues, lots

of tears, lots of dramebazi, my mother, my best friends, my family, everybody making

me feel better about it.

But the one thing that is as certain as night and day, ladies and gentlemen, is that you

will fail.

It's just how it is.

And there's nothing that you can do to stop that.

It's what you do after that will define where you go.

When something I've invested...

Thank you, thank you.

When something I've invested in my heart and my soul, which I do with everything that I

actually put my mind to, if that fails, I don't just wallow in self-pity.

I roll myself in it.

I roll around in it.

I wrap myself in it, head to toe, self-pity, self-pity, self-pity, it's not a pretty sight,

I can tell you that.

My mother who's sitting right here has witnessed it many times.

But then I get up, cry a little, dust myself off and dive straight back into life.

Because the only way to push failure aside is to move ahead, not ignore it, analyze it

and learn from it.

Always remember, you will never truly enjoy success until you have tasted failure.

And trust me when I tell you, it tastes like shit, really does.

So, rule number six, fail, fail, fail again, and then rise like a Phoenix.

Now what is life without a little bit of a risk, right?

No, I'm not an adrenaline junkie.

I'm not telling you to go off roller coasters or anything.

I've always believed that you have to take risks, calculated, educated risks to evolve.

Because if you've not truly explored the full extent of your possibilities, you'll always

remain stagnant.

People have written me off several times in my career.

Sometimes they didn't agree with my choices.

When I played a negative character in my film Aitraaz, very early in my career, I was told

I'll be a vamp and no one will cast me as a heroine.

When I took on a female centric film called Fashion, again, very early on in my career,

I was told that was not norm.

When I signed a US TV show at the height of my film career in India, each time the risks

were huge, the stakes were high and the repercussions could have been, to say not the least, career

ending.

Thank God they weren't and I'm still standing in front of you.

I really appreciate God.

I don't know what will happen going forward.

But as of now, I can say that my risks and the gamble was worth it.

You know why?

Because I backed up those risks with my hundred percent.

So, rule number seven, be bold and take these risks.

Now, friends, family, the people you work with, the people around us are our greatest

influences in your journey to success.

So, you have to choose very wisely.

Rule number eight, surround yourself with the right people, who do not stab you in the

back.

Now who's into Social Media.

Who's on social media.

Raise your hands.

Yeah, we like it.

I like it.

We can raise our hands.

Alright, it's almost everyone.

Now keep your hands raised if you have ever been upset by like a bad comment that you

may have read on a photograph or like on Facebook or when you have posted something.

And sometimes, you know, you are just like, why do people have to be mean?

Yeah.

So, there's a lot of you, right.

Guys, please let me just tell you this.

No matter what you do, someone will always be unhappy.

Always.

Especially in this age of social media, it's so easy for us to be confused between the

voices that actually matter, and the opinions of faceless people writing behind the anonymity

of what the web offers.

They don't matter.

So, rule number nine, you can never please everyone all the time.

And the biggest favour that you will all do to yourselves will be to laugh, at yourself,

at situations.

Find a moment to appreciate every single day, this funny thing called life.

And that's my most important rule number ten, don't take yourself too seriously.

We're not making rockets.

Alright, calm down, have fun.

And just enjoy this beautiful journey that we've been put on.

I do that.

In the meanwhile, hi.

I am here, not going anywhere, two rules are still left.

It's really not that hard in my experience to be kind, to be compassionate, to be human.

You will never know someone else's full story.

So, don't be quick to judge.

My mother who's here tonight with the rest of my family, this entire front row is very

Chopra and Akhori right now.

She taught me when I was very, very young, that there is always someone who will be less

fortunate than you, always.

So, give back wherever you can.

There's a huge reason I started my foundation, I lend my voice to UNICEF, Girl Up and causes

that I'm associated with, because we have one world and it's ours and we need to heal

it.

And that starts with us.

So, that is my rule number eleven, give back.

And finally, the most important one, always remember where you came from.

It's truly what defines you.

So, I'm a proud Indian and army's daughter.

Daughter of two doctors with a middle-class upbringing and ginormous families, who I love

on both sides.

We've seen good times; we've seen bad times.

We've seen hardships, we've seen pain, laughter, sadness, but that is what has made me who

I am.

And I wear that with pride every day and everywhere that I go.

So, last and definitely not the least, rule number twelve, don't ever forget your roots

and where you came from.

I hope you take some of what I have shared with you today and go into the new year with

maybe a different perspective on life and start 2018 with being fierce, fearless, and

flawed.

Yeah, that's it.

That's it.

I read this somewhere and it kind of stuck with me and I hope it will stick with you.

Life's journey is not to arrive at your grave site safely, in a well-preserved body, but

rather to skid in sideways, completely worn out and say, holy shit, that was a ride.

That is how I want to go.

So, to sum up this incredible journey that I have been on, I stand before you today,

weathered by life, but happy and raring to do so much more.

I'll see you on the other side.

Namaste.