Commencement address by Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered the Commencement address at Stanford University on June 12. The Stanford Report posted the text, in which Jobs tells three stories from his life. Each story has a theme: “connecting the dots,” “love and loss,” and “death.” Recounting his autobiography in this way, Jobs pieces together a personal philosophy that he sums up by quoting from the final issue of The Whole Earth Catalog: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish,” his wish for himself and for the graduates who will begin anew.

From the perspective of someone who belongs to the same generation as Jobs, I appreciate his outlook and the encouragement he offers young people today. Although I know from my own experience that following his advice involves tradeoffs, I nevertheless support his position when he says:

“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 other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

Technorati tag: Steve_Jobs