Steve Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011)
CNN is playing Steve Jobs’ speech to the Stanford graduating class. I’m literally in tears.
Although I never knew much about Steve, and I never stood in line for an ipod or ipad, I don’t own an iphone and I don’t really want one, he has always seemed like a legendary figure to me. A modern day Albert Einstein, Thomas Jefferson, or Christopher Columbus. A man who I never heard anything negative about, and anyone who purchased his products seemed to buy into his “Think Different” mentality.
He stood for the kid starting his own company via Lestat’s Coffee Shop. He was a leader for those who took chances. He exemplified the type of man I can only hope to be.
Here are 4 points that I took away from his speech. I literally typed them in tears and hope that I remember them the rest of my life.
1. You can’t connect the “dots” (of your life) looking forward, You can only see them when you look back. You have to trust that the dots will show themselves, and that will give you the strength to make it to the next level.
2.You’ve got to find what you love. The only way to be satisfied in this life is to do great work, and the only way to do great work is to be in love what you do.
3.Remembering that you are going to die is the greatest way to not worry about failure.
4. Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.
When it comes to my life, I NEVER thought this is where I’d be. I was planning on playing sports, working at a camp, maybe being a youth pastor, but a broke singer/songwriter sleeping at rest stops and smelling like a hairy lumberjack after a week of work, until I could get to a city where I could bum a shower off of a friend that I met online. But I also never thought I’d be the guy to tell a critic to “Suck my balls.” on stage in front of the “who’s who” in a city that I feel adopted me. But none of this is even close to what the next dot may be. I have to keep fighting, keep pushing, and keep believing. Because the truth is I love what I do. I may complain when I find out a show hasn’t been promoted 2 hours before sound check and end up playing to 1 guy who came to see the venue. I might bitch and moan when I play a 4 hour gig and make 18 dollars. And maybe I cry because a girl didn’t like me, an unforseen tragedy threatens my tour, or my sox collapse the last month of their season- but I honestly LOVE what I do. And I want to do this the rest of my life.
So Steve Jobs, thank you. You touched me in a way that few things ever have. You inspired me to keep trusting, and you helped me put my life in perspective. I will stay hungry, and I will stay foolish.
