Tanaka-san learns English: You’ll succeed on the third attempt

You’ll succeed on the third attempt

There are only two ways to plug in, true or false.

But you'll succeed on the third attempt.

―――――USB

Don't give up until your third try.

Recently I had to make a graduation speech in front of students at my ESL school's graduation ceremony.

At the end of the speech, I wanted to prepare something smart and funny but I was reluctant to cite others' aphorism so I decided to coin my own proverb-like saying.

Later on, when I was about to give it up before long and I was browsing 9GAG, I found something that hit the spot. Eureka!

That was the joke about USB. Then I added some encouraging words and remade it to pretend to be a real saying like above. I was supposed to be ready to say it.

Finally, when it came to mentioning the fake proverb in my graduation speech, I don't know whose fault it was, there was no laughter. They were so silent that I could hear their nods. It looked like that my sham saying was taken as a real maxim.

I really wondered whether I should let it pass as I pretended not to notice. However, I overcame the shame and tried to repeat it and explain it.

(I was seriously relieved that I didn't have to implement my aphorism, the third attempt.)

Luckily, some people laughed but if no one had laughed with even repetition, I wouldn't have gotten over the psychological shock.