One of the Greatest Speeches Ever | Steve Jobs

Summary

In this inspiring speech, the speaker shares three pivotal life stories: the importance of following one's curiosity despite challenges, the transformative power of love and loss in shaping one's journey, and the profound impact of embracing mortality as a motivator for living authentically. By recounting his experiences from dropping out of college to founding Apple and beyond, he emphasizes the value of passion, creativity, and the courage to follow one's heart, even in the face of adversity.

Takeaways

• 📚 Education is valuable, but not always in the traditional sense. The speaker emphasizes the importance of following one's interests, even if it means dropping out of formal education to pursue them.
• 🔗 Life's experiences are interconnected. The speaker's decision to drop out of college led to a valuable skill set that influenced the design of the Macintosh computer, illustrating how seemingly unrelated events can have significant impacts later in life.
• 💔 Resilience in the face of adversity is crucial. Being fired from Apple was a devastating experience, but it ultimately led to the speaker's creative rebirth and success in new ventures.
• 💖 Passion for one's work is essential. The speaker advises to find what you love to do and to keep pursuing it, as it is the key to both personal satisfaction and professional success.
• 💔 Love and loss are intertwined. The speaker's story of being ousted from Apple shows that even great achievements can be followed by significant setbacks, but these can pave the way for new opportunities.
• 🎨 Creativity can flourish from unexpected beginnings. The speaker's involvement with Pixar and the creation of Toy Story is an example of how creativity can emerge from unlikely circumstances.
• 💡 The importance of following one's intuition. The speaker suggests that trusting one's gut can lead to significant life decisions and opportunities.
• 🔮 Looking back provides clarity. The speaker reflects on how past decisions, which seemed unclear at the time, became clear when viewed from a future perspective.
• ⏳ Life is finite and should be lived purposefully. The speaker uses the concept of death as a motivator to make the most of one's time and not to waste it on pursuits that are not fulfilling.
• 🚫 Avoid being confined by the expectations and opinions of others. The speaker encourages listeners to have the courage to pursue their own path, regardless of societal norms or pressures.
• 🌟 Staying open-minded and eager to learn is important. The speaker's closing words, 'stay hungry, stay foolish,' encapsulate the idea of maintaining a mindset of continuous learning and exploration.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the first story?

The main theme of the first story is about connecting the dots in life and trusting that experiences, even those that seem random, will contribute to one's future in unexpected ways.

Why did the speaker drop out of college?

The speaker dropped out of college because he couldn't see the value in it, didn't know what he wanted to do with his life, and felt that he was spending all of his working-class parents' savings without a clear purpose.

How did dropping out of college benefit the speaker?

Dropping out of college allowed the speaker to stop taking required classes that didn't interest him and start attending ones that did, leading to valuable experiences like taking a calligraphy class that later influenced the design of the Macintosh computer.

What is the significance of the calligraphy class the speaker attended?

The calligraphy class taught the speaker about serif and sans serif typefaces, spacing between letters, and great typography, which later influenced the design of the Macintosh computer's multiple typefaces and proportionally spaced fonts.

What lesson does the speaker convey about connecting the dots?

The speaker conveys that it is impossible to connect the dots looking forward, but looking backward, it becomes clear how past experiences contribute to future outcomes. Trusting in something like gut, destiny, or karma helps to navigate life confidently.

What happened to the speaker when he turned 30?

When the speaker turned 30, he was fired from Apple, the company he started. This was a very public and devastating event for him.

How did the speaker respond to being fired from Apple?

After being fired, the speaker felt like a failure but eventually realized he still loved what he did. He started over, founding NeXT and Pixar, and later returned to Apple when it acquired NeXT.

What does the speaker say about finding what you love?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of finding what you love, both in work and in life, and not settling until you do. He believes that loving what you do is essential for doing great work and being truly satisfied.

What insight does the speaker share about death?

The speaker shares that remembering you will die soon is a powerful tool to make big life choices. It helps to strip away fear and external expectations, leaving only what is truly important.

What is the speaker's advice on living life authentically?

The speaker advises not to waste time living someone else's life, not to be trapped by dogma, and to have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, as they already know what you truly want to become.