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| Steve Jobs' video on the TED site, entitled How to Live Before You Die |
Story 1: About
Connecting the Dots.
This was a fantastic story about how he turned around a
college experience to suit his personal interests, instead of merely going to
college, by taking courses that he loved. At first they did not seem to relate
to anything. However, years later, those early courses (including typography
and calligraphy) ended up having a significant influence in developing the
beautiful typology for the Mac.
“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. “
Story 2: About Love
and Loss.
This story focused on his very public ousting from his own
company that he started (Apple). After many months, he realized he was still in
love with what he did, so he started over.
He enjoyed the excitement of being a “beginner” again, fell in love, and
created Pixar, the most successful animation studio in the world.
“I’m convinced the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. Don’t settle.”
Story 3: About Death.
Steve finishes this fantastic talk with a compelling story
about his brush at that time with pancreatic cancer, and his facing of his own
mortality. Many people have quoted several of Jobs’ statements from this very
speech after he died in 2011. He talks about following your heart and
intuition, and choosing not to follow the voices of others over your own. I
loved how this story actually tied together his initial story about connecting
the dots, where he ultimately followed his own dreams instead of those of the
young woman who gave him up for adoption.
“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”.
I just love how Jobs blended three important areas that
directly related to his life, but also to college. Remembering his audience, he
started out with the story of how his biological mother, who gave him up for
adoption, had specific wishes for her baby to be raised by college graduates,
and for him to go to college himself. He tied that later into realizing that it
had no meaning for him, so he dropped out but dropped back in, taking only
classes he loved.
I personally relate heavily to that story because my initial go at college was on a full ride academic scholarship to go into the ministry, with an eventual Masters of Divinity followed by a three-year seminary school (yes, that adds up to eight years of college). One day, one of my professors was kind enough to tell me that even though the institution would take my money for eight years, I would never be allowed “in the pulpit” because I am a woman. This realization caused me to completely re-set my values. I wondered why I was going to college in the first place. So, like Steve, I dropped out. I did go back later, only to have to pay student loans, and achieved a quite useful four-year business degree. I have excelled for many years with the knowledge I gained from that degree. Connecting the dots later, I realize that it all played out perfectly.
I personally relate heavily to that story because my initial go at college was on a full ride academic scholarship to go into the ministry, with an eventual Masters of Divinity followed by a three-year seminary school (yes, that adds up to eight years of college). One day, one of my professors was kind enough to tell me that even though the institution would take my money for eight years, I would never be allowed “in the pulpit” because I am a woman. This realization caused me to completely re-set my values. I wondered why I was going to college in the first place. So, like Steve, I dropped out. I did go back later, only to have to pay student loans, and achieved a quite useful four-year business degree. I have excelled for many years with the knowledge I gained from that degree. Connecting the dots later, I realize that it all played out perfectly.
Jobs did the same in his second and third stories, by
letting the graduating class know as one who came before, that their lives will have many ups
and downs. He stressed to always keep
checking in with yourself if you are doing what you love, and being with whom
you love. And finally, he summed it up with the ultimate reality of mortality
as a huge motivator to remember the first two stories.
This story is a huge
inspiration to me personally, to remember to connect my dots, use my intuition,
keep doing what I love, and remember that life is meant to be inspiring and
enjoyable. Thank you so much Mr. Jobs; rest in peace our dear friend and
inspiration. Your story and who you
were has left a true legacy on this world.
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| Quote is from a set of Apple's "Think Different" commercial campaigns originally recorded by Steve Jobs. For fun, check out the video here. Enjoy! |
