By: Hayden Cunningham
Brett Cooper took the stage on the second day of Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit in Tampa, Florida, delivering an uplifting message to young attendees about the importance of taking risks.
Cooper offered a break from the more controversial political topics being spoken about online and at the summit, instead offering motivational wisdom that stemmed from her own life experiences. She highlighted the number of life choices that have helped her, primarily the importance of choosing to not waste her youth, saying yes to scary opportunities, and finding strength in resilience. She offered a heartfelt appeal to students, encouraging them to avoid drifting through young adulthood and instead take bold, formative steps while they have the freedom to do so.
“Your adolescence does not have to be and should not have to be a waiting room,” Cooper told the crowd. “Your teen years and your twenties are not a decade to delay real life.”
Cooper reflected on how, in her own youth, she often felt like she was on “autopilot,” making few intentional decisions and expecting life to start later. She warned against the modern trend of adults “infantilizing” themselves and assuming their real life will begin in their 30s.
“Most people don’t see it that way,” Cooper noted, criticizing today’s culture that encourages young people to waste time in activities like hookup culture, partying, and endless social media scrolling. “That’s not how it should be.”
Instead, Cooper called on students to view their young adult years as their “launch window,” urging them to pursue risk, embrace growth, and use this season of life to build the habits and values that will define their future.
“You have energy, you have time,” Cooper emphasized. “You can pivot fast, and you can also fail. You can fail publicly and confidently and still rebuild.”
Cooper recalled a time when she faced uncertainty and received advice that challenged her to stop playing it safe. It helped her realize the unique flexibility of youth and the importance of being willing to fail in pursuit of meaningful goals.
“You are never too young to start chasing your passions, to start making change in your life, in your community,” she said. “You have no idea what you could do.”
She also highlighted the long-term impact of the choices young adults make now: “The habits that you form now, the risks that you take, the identity and the values that you start to build, all of that compounds over time.”
Acknowledging that failure and setbacks are inevitable, Cooper encouraged students to practice resilience and take responsibility for how they respond to adversity.
“As a human, you get to decide what you learn from something and how you grow and evolve from that experience,” she said. “I know it’s cliche to say, but it is cliche for a very good reason, but failure is a chance for all of us to learn more and do better.”
Cooper concluded with a call to action, reminding students that each day is an opportunity to take control of their lives. She encouraged them to make every moment of their youth count and take risks, and by doing so, they will be creating an incredible life along whatever path they choose.
Watch full speeches from all SAS speakers on the Turning Point USA YouTube Channel.
