Wisdom From Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech

Here is some wisdom from Steve Jobs talk at Stanford. May this wisdom elevate your life to a new level by its implementation. We must implement what we learn if we want to see progress within ourselves and our lives.

On Dropping Out:

“After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

Steve saw no benefit in staying in college, as he knew deep inside of himself that he did not want to be a sheep like everyone else. You do not have to follow the normal path, it is great getting an education, but designing a life is better than pursuing a career that does not lead to true fulfillment. Steve had faith that it was the right decision for him to make. He was following his intuition, and that proved to be the correct decision for his life.

On Finding What He Loved:

“I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees.”

Steve found what he loved to do early. Many people are living a lie, doing what they don’t want to do and living someone else’s life. Find what you love to do, what you love to do. Not what your parents, siblings, cousins, friends, or boss wants you to do. It’s up to you how you choose to live. You have to shape your life the way you want it to be daily so that you can live your life on your own terms.

On Starting Over:

“So at 30 I was out. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.”

Steve had to leave Apple as the Board Of Director’s vision was not aligned to his. Failure is the stepping stone to success, failure teaches us what we need to do better, it makes us wiser, and helps us grow as an individual. We must heed the lessons of failure so that we may prosper. Furthermore, Steve’s love for his craft drove him to even bigger success, love is what gave him hope, faith, belief, determination, and a brand new start. Love can be a truly powerful driving force when used in the right manner.

On Connecting The Dots:

“Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Steve had faith that it will all work out eventually. You have to believe that what you are doing on a daily basis will amount to something, you have to believe that the steps you are taking now are leading you to a greater life of abundance, prosperity, impact, service, and greatness. Believe in your grind, believe in your mission, believe in your vision, and believe that you will succeed.

On Following Your Heart:

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

Steve would reflect every morning on his life. It is very impactful to think about death daily, as it highlights to us what is most important in our lives. Many people are living like they are zombies, just drooling at the celebrities and following the crowd into a life of mediocrity. Are you happy with the life that you have accepted? Are you happy with the life that you are living? Is this it from you? And are you following your heart and doing what is true to you?

On Ignoring Opinions:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve did not let other people’s opinions stop him from living life on his own terms. Ignore the opinions of those who try to keep you confined to the fake life, just pay attention and hear what the people who are enslaved to a life of mediocrity urge you to do, they urge you to do what they do, they urge you to read what they read, they urge you to watch what they watch, they urge you to follow the normal path and be like them. Time is limited so we should move fast, fail fast, and craft our life the way we want it to be. It is crucial we become the right person within ourselves in order for our dream life to materialize.

On Staying Hungry & Foolish:

“Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

Steve was hungry for success and he was a risk taker. Be hungry, be foolish, be not like the many, asleep to their greatness, and resigned to mediocrity. Go out there and take chances, follow your heart, do what you love and live the life of your dreams, because if you don’t, you will have to spend the rest of your life working for someone else and building their dreams. So why not take a chance on yourself and your dreams?