http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc&feature=player_embedded
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Steve Job's Graduation Speech at Stanford University 2005
The link for the video we were watching in class is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc&feature=player_embedded
In this blog, you are to simply watch the video of this great American. You are then to make a response without much prompting from me. It is your reaction that matters. This is an informal writing so structure is not important. What does this video evoke inside of you? What is your response to Steve Job's basic philosophy of life?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc&feature=player_embedded
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It is another “rags to riches” story. If Obama had a son named and he invented something great no one would care as much because greatness was to be expected of him. His father was great so he was expected to follow in his footsteps and become great as well, but when someone who came from nothing becomes something it becomes a big deal. Why is this? It is because greatness was not expected from someone who had nothing. This is why their stories mean so much more.
ReplyDeleteI already knew that following your heart is something you need to do. Reason is not always the right choice sometimes you need to follow your instinct. Steve was absolutely right on target when he said that doing a job makes up a huge portion of your life. I don’t want to end up in a factory hating my job. I want to get up in the morning and actually want to go to work. I want to love what I do regardless of the pay.
I personally have no idea what I want to do yet. I barely know what I want to eat for dinner, and I’m expected to be making these life impacting decisions? I believe Steve was saying that everything rather has a reason. Some things happen in life for a reason so that you can find your way to what you’re really meant to do, even if you don’t know what that is yet. I need to start thinking about these life long decisions, they are going to impact me for the rest of my life. Life can be short, I do not really know when death is going to find me, but when it does, I want to be ready.
Steve Jobs really made an impact on me. How he said we can not connect the dots in front of us, only behind us is so true. Not one of us knows what is going to happen in our future. However, we do know what we did and the past and we need to piece it all together and run with it. The future is such a mystery, but so great. It holds so much for us, even if we are not ready for what comes ahead.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with what he said when we need to love what we do. It made me automatically think of the quote, “If you love what you do, you will never work another day in your life.” I agree with this quote because if you go to work everyday and are interested in it, it will always be fun and never boring. That is why, like Steve Jobs said, we can never settle. We need to live the fullest life we can, even if it means struggling like he did. He lived on dorm room floors and quit college, yet he is one of the most successful men today. He had a top computer/electronics company and possibly an even more successful animation company. It is crazy to think that a college dropout did all of that. We all have the idea of college pounded into our heads from an early age. It is all about going to college and getting an education to get a new job. Steve Jobs prove that does not always have to happen though, because he wanted to do something he loved.
His philosophy about death really hit me to. I never really think that I might die in the near future. However, we never know what day or time we are going to die. We need to live like everyday is our last and live life to the fullest. We need to always make sure we are happy, even if it means leaving people behind who are ruining that happiness.
Everyday when we walk around with our iPhones and computers, or if we watch Toy Story or Monsters, Inc, we can think of Steve Jobs. If he had not followed his heart and done something he loved, we would not have any of that. That is the reason we need to follow his example and follow our heart. We need to ignore what everyone thinks, even if they are our best friend. We always need to do what we love.
Steve Jobs had had a rough start in life. He had had many challenges. No matter what life seemed to throw at him he swung and hit a homerun. When hi finally did go to college, he felt that he was almost wasting his parents’ hard earned money. He dropped out of college; witch is usually not such a great thing, but then decided to take random classes that interested him. This does show that he is a hard worker because he was able to go back to taking classes; he had a tough time though. He did not have much money, but he did everything he could and sacrificed some of the luxuries in life just so he could further his education. He never did graduate, but somehow he found something that was a perfect thing to do with his life. This is truly unbelievable, a dropout becoming successful! This is a good example of the fact that if you are determined at something, fight for it, you may struggle but keep going.
ReplyDeleteHe said to not connect the dots forward but backward. I never thought of it this way but it is true, nobody knows what will happen in the future, just in the past. Look at his life if you can not see this, he had know idea that he would drop out of school, take random classes, head 3 large successful companies, get fired form one, get cancer, and have a surgery to remove the cancer.
He said that in order to be successful with something that you do, you have to love what you do. This is so true! If you love what you do you will be able to specialize in what you love to do, if you enjoy your job then it is not work. He was fired form the company that he started. He did not give up; he took it as a new beginning. He created 2 other great animation studios. His old company bought one of them and he was back at apple. The most important thing is that he did not give up but took it as a new beginning to do something he loved.
His final lesson is about death. Everything dies so you really do have to live your life to the fullest. I never really thought of it as new people coming to replace others. Death is something nobody knows when it will happen. So, you should make the best life you can, never give up and love what you do.
Another thing I observed from his life story is that one person can make a difference. It does not matter who that person is. Steve Jobs, just one person has created the apple company, and 2 animation studios. We see and use products of these companies almost every day! It amazes me that all of these computers, movies and phones were all started by a single brilliant man, Steve Jobs.
The speech that Steve Jobs gave for the Stanford University graduates allowed me to relax. Juniors are forced to make many very important decisions. We have to decide what we want to do with the rest of our lives; or at least that is how I feel. I stress day in and day out about what college to attend, and what major to enter in to. I am terrified that I will choose the wrong college or the wrong major, or even worse both. Steve Jobs made me realize that everything will be okay. He made me realize that if I do originally choose the wrong major or college the world will not end. That mistake could lead to my life to something even better than I had ever imagined, just like him.
ReplyDeleteHe also speaks of not allowing others to influence what you do with your life; not allowing them to think for you. While I stress out about what to do in college, many people suggest occupations. Most are only trying to help, but in some cases their suggestions do not help at all, they just make the situation worse.
With our economy the way it is they suggest occupations that pay well. Many juniors and seniors are practically being forced into jobs that pay well like health professions and lawyers. The problem with this is that not everyone can be lawyers and doctors. There are only so many people that need them. If everyone gets the same degree, the economy will only become worse. These young people are being forced into occupations that they do not care about. Steve Jobs says that you need to find what you love. If you can find what you love, you will make it through life happier than you would be if you were doing something that you did not love. You will be better at your profession because you care about it, therefore you will most likely be more successful than those that pursue an occupation just because of the pay or the job security.
Steve Jobs gives me hope for the future. All juniors and seniors should have the great privilege of watching his speech. I believe that it would help them to make better decisions concerning their future education. I would like to say thank you to Dr. D for taking the time out of class to allow us to watch this speech, even though it did not work perfectly. I know that my future is more promising because of it.
Steve Jobs is a man that I have extreme admiration for. He was an average man that rose to excellence. His story is truly inspiring for everyone who knows it. His courage is what I admire the most about Steve Jobs. I love that he had the courage to travel off the unworn path to follow his heart. I do not know if I possess that kind of courage. I honestly do not know how he just dropped out of collage to face the unknown world. He had no idea what his job would be, where he would live, and how much he would make. His spontaneity for life is also admirable. He did not need to have things all planned out and in order to follow his heart, and I wish that is something that I could do. He also had so much faith in himself. He knew that he could depend on himself for a great life, and I think that that is a great thing.
ReplyDeleteSteve made a name for himself, even after all of the ups and downs he ran into. It is so amazing that even after he got fired from his own company he went after his dream with even more force. As humans, it is so difficult to stand up after you have been knocked to the ground. I admire the fact that Steve not only stood up, but ran for his dreams with full force after that. He knew what he loved in life and he never let what he loved go, which is truly amazing.
His lesson on death really impacted me, and made me think about what is important in life. He knew that we do not know what the future might bring, so we should live life thinking that it might all be over tomorrow, which I think is a great way to live life.
Steve Jobs impacted our country and world in so many ways. How many of us love Toy Story and other Pixar animations? How many of us feel like life without our ipods and iphones seems unthinkable? How many of us use a computer that was influence by Mr. Jobs everyday? All of us feel the impact Steve made on our world. For one man who went from nothing to everything is admirable.
I think that the message behind Steve's speech is very compelling. It shows that all of us have the ability to achieve greatness, but it takes time and effort. Steve's story reflects my life in a way. His unsure decision on what path to take in life is very much comparable to what I'm dealing with right now. As a junior this year, I know I should be looking into colleges, and deciding on what to major in. I believe that someday, I too, will be "hit with a brick", but it won't hurt me. This brick will be a wake-up call, telling me that my future is right in front of my eyes. It will be hard to see at first, but I know that my life will begin to take shape at that very moment.
ReplyDeleteI especially admired Steve's story about connecting the dots. To me, it's a subject that I face almost every day and not just year to year. How many of us look back to a time and ask ourselves why that event took place? I know I do. It has been said that everything happens for a reason. That statement would never have been made if it weren’t true. Using Jobs' idea on connecting the dots, it reminds me of a jigsaw puzzle. As we first dump the pieces from the box, we're overwhelmed by the amount of pieces. As we begin to flip each piece over, the colors and images become a little clearer. Piece by small piece sections of the puzzle start to unravel. As we piece together section by section, the picture begins to unfold. This is true of life. By using what we already know, we can piece together the future. As the very last section is connected to the rest, our life's picture has been completed. Sometimes our puzzle is too hard to finish, so pick a different one. It may have fewer pieces or may have a different picture. If our puzzle was finished, we know that we’ve made the right choice. By doing what is right and that comes from the heart, we will never go wrong.
Another analogy I think of when listening to Steve’s connecting the dots story is one of a math problem. At first, the variables and exponents, fractions and theorems, instill a sense of fear and impossibility. We don’t think we’ll ever be able to find the solution. But, as we being to notice parts of the problem that we know we can do, we can build on what we’ve learned. Piecing the problem together, leads us to the final solution. We will make errors along the way, but that’s all part of life. As Wee J. always says, “Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and soon you are doing the impossible.”
All of us are born with something inside. Some people never find that something, but those that do, go onto achieving great things in life. Not everyone will create and design a multi-billion dollar corporation, but our accomplishments will be worth so much more in our hearts.
Sophie Said,
ReplyDeleteSteve Jobs is the very definition of remarkable. He experienced adoption, dropping out of college, unemployment, and cancer. Most people have maybe one of these things happen to them in some way, but Steve endured through all of them. I admire more than anything his ambition and immense courage to persevere through these tough tidings.
One of the things that really impacted me that Steve said was his message about death. I really liked the way he put the emphasis on "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today." Not only do I think this relates to his career decision, but it relates to life in general. Many people in my family, my friends, and other adults in my life have warned me about the risky decision of deciding to pursue writing and art as a future career. They tell me that I won't make any money or it won't even be possible, but the one thing they cannot see is that I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I don't want to wake up in the morning and dread what I am about to do. I want to be like Steve and aspire to go to work, crave the everyday sunshine, and learn the value of making mistakes. Steve is an excellent example of someone who made the right decision to pursue something he loved to do no matter if it did not work out at first.
The way Steve said about "remembering that I'll be dead soon," really hit me hard. I have a very strong fear of death, and I'm like many other people that Steve mentioned when he said that many people want to go to heaven, but don't want to die to get there. I don't want to die. I don't want anyone that I love to die. I don't like thinking about death, but the way Steve looks at death was very inspiring. I loved the way he explained death as just being a clearing of the old for the new. It's not the end, it's just a finish. It's not a period, it's a comma. It's just a continuation of your life on earth to life in heaven. Thinking about life still going on without me stimulates me to try to change something that I feel isn't working for me. I don't want to look back on my life as a maybe, compared to a definitely. I want to look back and smile at the friendships I made, the love I shared, and the differences I created.
I aspire to be like Steve in more ways than one, but if I had to pick just one it would most definitely be his outlook on life and his ambition to keep moving forward without looking back.
Yay for the fixed username!!!
ReplyDeleteMorgan,
I completely agree with your fears of college. I constantly think about what if I choose the wrong college or major. I also have the fear that what if I am not good enough in my major. What if everyone else is amazing at art and writing, and I'm still the amateur? I fear that also, but I agree that Steve's speech definitely helped me! I cannot imagine how much he helped all of those graduates who were stepping out into the new world. It amazes me.
Stephanie, Kristin, Kristy, Elizabeth,Laira
I agree with you all also. It's so hard not to agree with everyone because I don't think there is one person in the class let alone the world that cannot look or listen to Steve Jobs and not feel a great admiration or be inspired by his life. I think he is one man to look up to, and yes, when I now watch Toy Story I am definitely going to take a moment to remember this great man.
Stephanie, I really liked the quote you used. I've heard it before, but never thought of it when I listed to Jobs' speech. It's so true though! I want to be able to wake up in the morning with an excited smile on my face and the energy to love what I do. I want the perfect job, not meaning that I need to make a fortune, but one that doesn't seem like work to me. I actually feel this way toward working at The Red Fern. I absolutely love working there. Yes, I make really good money, but it's not about that. I have such a great time with those who work with me, so working has become something I look forward to. I only hope to find a permanent job that I can relate to the enjoyment I now feel.
ReplyDeleteSophie, I couldn't agree more with your ideas concerning "tough tidings". I think this is true in our every day lives. We all face, at some point, a time when all odds are against us. We just can't seem to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Usually, when this happens, we tend to give up on our dreams and find a more useless way to spend our lives. It's not about succeeding the first time, but never giving up. Negative thoughts and feelings change the game completely. We need not listen to what others say, but to listen to the beating of our own hearts.
Sophie,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about being afraid of death. I am also terrified of death and dying. I love how Steve embraced death.
Kristy,
I loved your jigsaw puzzle metaphor! I think Steve Jobs would have loved that metaphor himself.
I think that his particular blog is hard to disagree with. Everyone can clearly see the inspiration and admiration that Steve gives all of us.
Steve Jobs was a very important man in the world of technology, whose death affected many people. Jobs did not start out big, he had to work very hard to make a name for himself and when he did make a name for himself, it soon became a household name. Jobs biological mother put him up for adoption so that he would be able to have the life that she was afraid she could not give him. All she wanted was for him to go to college and have a successful career. Soon after starting college Jobs realized it was not for him. This takes a lot of courage to realize when something everyone wants so much for you isn’t right for you. Jobs realized that even though his parents wanted him to receive the best possible education, college was not for him.
ReplyDeleteDropping out of college may have been one of the biggest steps toward success that Jobs ever took. Dropping opened up opportunities that he may not have had later in life. In today’s world everyone has a generic definition of success in their minds that is put in there by society. It involves going to a top college, graduating with honors, getting the most prestige and highest paying job, marrying the most beautiful person and having perfect kids that will go on to do the same. But Steve Jobs realized that there are more definitions for success than just the typical stereotype. Success can also mean simply being happy. Jobs said it best when he said that you have to love what you do.
This saying really applies to me. As I approach the end of my high school career I have to start to think of where I want to go for college and what I want to be. When people ask what I am thinking of doing with my life and I do not say eye doctor they seem really surprised. I have never indented to look into medical school, that career path is just not for me, but sometimes when people act so surprised that I am not looking into the medical field I feel like I’m letting my mom down. My mom will support me no matter what I want to do medical or not, but I still feel bad that I do not consider being an eye doctor and helping my mom with her practice as she gets older. Being happy with your self is one of the biggest successes you will ever reach.
I realize that if I peruse a career in optometry that I would not love what I do. Every day I would go to work not loving what I did. That would not only hurt me but also the people around me. If I am not happy I would not be able to do my job to the fullest and that could hurt the people I am working for and the people I am working with. Sometimes it takes more courage to speak up and realize what your weaknesses than what your strengths are.
“Live ever day like it is your last. But dream as if you will never die.” Steve Jobs did this to the fullest. After many people receive bad news they want to quit and give up, even the smallest little setbacks get people down. Steve Jobs did not let anything get in his ways of living his dream, even being diagnosed with one of the most fatal cancers. Everyone needs to be a little more like Jobs. If Jobs could continue to live his life to the fullest and continue doing what he loved knowing his life may be cute short we all must look at the bright side of things. So many times in today’s world when we are told no or put down we don’t fight to get back up and try again, but setbacks are what makes everyone stronger and the desire to do better deeper. Just as Jobs did we all must shoot for the moon and remember that even if we miss we will end up among the stars.
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteYou have a great point it is very had to disagree with anyone’s blog this time, because everyone is just so inspired by the remarkable man, Steve Jobs. It is very hard to believe that a man who dropped out of college created thinks that today’s world may not be able to live without. Jobs probably never realized that what he did in his parent’s garage would become such a big success. You had a great point when you asked the questions of what society would do if we did not have ipods, iphones, or computers. All of these devices have advanced civilization in so many ways. One very important one is education. If people like Jobs did not take risks and dive head first into the unknown our technology may not be where it is today, and we may not have been able to blog and have these great conversations about what we feel about what we are learning.
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteI feel the exact same way. God made us all different for a reason. If we were all the same the world would be boring and have no diversity. Diversity is why our society is so good. Doctors and lawyers are seen as very important but what people do not see are the people who help doctors and lawyers achieve their goals. If it weren’t for mothers, doctors and lawyers may not have the support they needed. If they didn’t have great teachers they would not be experienced enough to perform their everyday tasks. If it weren’t for engineers they may not have the equipment to perform surgeries or to travel to and from work. Jobs was right when he said that you have to love what you do. Society can tell you their idea of success but no one but your self can tell you what you love. As juniors and seniors we all must take a step back to really look at what we love and what us personally think that we will excel at whether that be something society places high or low on the totem pole
I feel this speech is very inspirational. I feel the major point to this speech was to do what you love and to not let anything get in the way of it. He had so many points in his life where he could have just gave up and used so many problems as excuses to quit. He didn't quit though and believed everything would work out, or the dots would connect in the end."If you live each day like your last, one day you will be right," I think this was the perfect definition of his whole speech and this is something we should all live by.
ReplyDeleteWhen he was young, his mother gave him up for adoption so he could have a better life. When he was given to a family where the mother never graduated from college, and the father never from high school, his mom wanted him to go to a different family, but they used their failures to do everything they could to get Steve to college. Like his parents, he used his failures to make for a better life.
Steve was given up for adoption so when he had a family he made sure he provided for a great family. He also used his failure, being kicked out of Apple, a business he created, led him to start Pixar, which created the first computer animated movie Toy Story, and Next, which was then bought back by Apple.
Steve Job went against what everyone else wanted for him and did what he loved which made him successful. I also feel his cured cancer was a type of "karma" because he was a great man. He persevered and stuck to what he believed, even dropping out of college, which made him so successful
Steve Jobs was an inspiration to all of us, whether young or old. I find his story absolutely amazing. He takes the time to not only recap his life but all that he has learned in it for those who were present so that they may also learn something.
ReplyDeleteHe starts out with pointing out that he was adopted and only by a slim margin. From there, he became one of the world's greatest men. It is a true inspiration for everyone.
What we have been reading in class on author's biographies is that people start out in unfortunate positions and proceed to make something great out of their lives. Steve Jobs is a manifestation of this fact in present day. It points out that we have the opportunities to make something of our lives NOW. It's not just something from the past. It is today and no matter what, we have the chance to change something.
It is very empowering and emotional for everyone, as shown by the response from the audience. Steve Jobs has inspired many people and although he is gone, he is not forgotten. He will live on through all of us in this technological age that he single-handedly sparked.
Sophie, your response is completely on key in my opinion. Steve Jobs came from absolutely nothing and overcame so many obstacles to get to the point where he did. It makes me want to follow his example and be the best person I can. I want to make a difference like he did.
ReplyDeleteTaylor, you're right too. Every time he got knocked down, he stood right back up and turned it into a situation he could use to his advantage. He was determined and strong. He did the best with everything given to him and made his mark with that.
Sophie,
ReplyDeleteI think what you said sums up alot about what people our age are going through. Right now we are supposed to find out what we want to do for the rest of our lives. a lot of us have big dreams but we are turned down by adults and are parents because what we truly love to do may not be practical. I think if you truly love something you should go for it because dreading something you have to do for the rest of our lives would be a miserable way to live.
I also agree that the thought of death is scary and Job really put it in perspective for me. that we shouldn't dread it but live life and not fear it. To do what we love and live each day to the fullest because you never know what day will be your last. Also not to try to connect dots for the future but connect them from the past and trust it will all come together.
Kayla, I completely agree with you. It seems everything worked out in his favor, not because he was lucky, but because he worked hard and never gave up. Sometimes the world just tries to put us down or in his words, "Life its us in the head with a brick." It is not how hard it hits us that counts, it is how you bounce up from it.
ReplyDeleteSophie, I also agree with your story and your comment. It is almost impossible to disagree with this because everything he said is so positive. Your story also inspired me though. You have told me before about the writing career you want to pursue, and this speech relates perfectly to it. I really like how you related everything he said to your life.
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. I feel also that everyone in our society feels going to the number one college and gettint the best kown or popular job is what success is all about. He knew college wasn't for him and he was called to do something else. He had the courage to yake a risk, face adversities, and do what he truly loved which made him more successful than most people who just do society's version of the right thing to do.
I also agree with we should do what we want and not just what other people want us to do. I was considering being a pharmicist because thats what my dad and aunt do. i found out I have to find out what I want to do and something a will wake up excited to do every morning.
Taylor, A good point you made was that some people expect you to be an eye doctor just because your mom is one. But, you say that the medical field is not your thing. That is a really good point to make because many times family businesses get passes down and the kids do not really want to do that business. It really is very important to do the things you love.
ReplyDeleteAlex, you said that, “we do have a chance to make something of our lives NOW.” This is very true even if we are just one person we can do great things that help others. It does not have to be when we are old either. Steve Jobs did affect everybody young or old.
My dearest morgan,
ReplyDeleteI agree this college stuff is totally stressing me out and people keep saying I have time but I really don't. As the saying says, I need to "wake up and smell the roses". If I don't start looking into, it may become to late. Our future education is very important but he made me realize that college helps, but it isn't really everything.
My dearest Kristin,
I completely agree with how you can't understand how he just dropped college and went into this unknown world. How could he obtain a job and survive on his own. He had guts, and I admire that. I wish that I would have known more about Steve Jobs before he died. This proves that I don't know very much about where things came from and who made it all possible. For instance, who invented the hair dryer? I have no idea, but I use it every day. Steve Jobs is truly inspiring and I wish I could of known about him before he left this earth. People just tend to become more famous after death.
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. As I stated in my blog we are pressured into careers that are not really for us. You are a perfect example of that. I am glad that you have the courage to say that you do not want to just follow your mother's path. Not saying that she has a bad job, but you need to do what will make you happy. I hope and pray that you will be able to continue being firm with your decision to pursue finding what will find you the most happiness. I know you can do whatever you put your mind to. Whenever you are second guessing yourself just think of Steve Jobs, and his life. He will give you the reassurance that you need.
Alex, you made a good point. NOW is the time. We cannot wait for a few years, and then start to try to change the world and make our dreams come true. We need to start now. We can do this by working hard in school so that we can be accepted by the school of our dreams. If we wait then we are just making it harder to achieve our dreams. We should start NOW. We are the future! Our country is not in the best state. We need to work hard now so that we can make our country as strong and independent as it used to be. We have a responsibility to the younger generations. Lets work hard now, so that we do not put them in the same situation that prior generations have put us. The time is NOW!
This was an incredible life story and college farewell. I was so inspired by many words and sayings that he noted throughout his speech. I personally know someone who was diagnosed with a more severe case of pancreatic cancer and recently celebrated his three year anniversary of being cancer free.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of his first story, connecting the dots, is very realistic and easily related to. Steve Jobs says, “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.” I strongly support and agree with this statement. I can never tell why something happens to me the way it does, or why other people do not have the same limitations as others. It never seems fair, but as you go with it and learn to cope and make the best of it you will see them. They line up so clearly. There’s a reason God lets certain things happen, and it is not to punish but to make us stronger.
Steve Jobs also stated, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” This is so true of everything we do. If you do not put yourself into it, how will you ever get a worthwhile result? You do not necessarily have to fling your heart and soul into every action, but to be so completely reserved that you cannot enjoy what you do is just pointless.
The summer leading into freshman year I attended Catholic Heart Work Camp (CHWC) and their theme was Love Repeated. They told us to give ourselves fully to the people we were helping as if this were the last thing we would do before we died. They showed us the music video for Nickleback’s song If Today Was Your Last Day. I instantly thought of this experience, the people I met, and lives I changed by changing this way when I heard Steve Jobs’ quote “If you live everyday like it’s your last, eventually you’ll be right.”
Finally, his quote, “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” This one stuck out to me (probably because he said it several times in two minutes) in a strong way. I did not quite get what he meant by it at first. However, I discovered two different ways it can be taken. If you stay foolish you will always hunger for more knowledge. This seems a little foreboding, self-serving, and unsuccessful. OR. Hunger for more knowledge, to make a difference in this world, but stay innocent of the evils that lurk trying to make you a part of them. This is also a little ominous, but it gives a clear warning of the situations that are very real. According to Steve’s second story on love and loss, if he had not been fired and pulled out of the world in that way he would have never met his wife or started Pixar and other companies. This incident making very real the sense of his words, “Don’t let the noise of other people’s opinion drown out your voice.”
Laira, I completely agree with what you said. It really is another rags to riches story. We are expected to know what we want to do with ourselves for the rest of our lives all too early. I’m just as unprepared as you are, maybe worse. We are expected to know what college we want to go to, what our major is going to be, and what we are going to do with ourselves afterwards. In the words of Grandpa Wolfe, “College is for people who know what they want to do with themselves.” We are put in schools to learn basic education, then more specialized forms of those studies, and then pic which we liked best and go from there. My favorite class changes from day to day. How am I supposed to know what I will be most successful at while having a good time when I am stuck at home with school work all day? They need to realize we do not know what we want to do and that is why so many people end up changing their majors every year. (By the way Obama may not have a son, but he does have two daughters. Just saying.)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I agree that Steve most certainly did not strike out when it came to life. While he did sacrifice the “comforts” of personal dorm life, he did drop out. This meaning he was more than likely not reimbursed the original expenses of the classes he was taking prior to dropping them. The school my sister is at gave the students two weeks after orientation to decide if they wanted to change majors. Lucky, because you know how long it takes her to make a decision, she made it just before the deadline and was able to take the major she found so much more attractive without the additional fees. However, in the case of Steve and his not so wealthy family I doubt they were as fortunate. Beyond that not graduating; I am sure there was a less than pleasant debate in his family after that.
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the discussions about Steve Job's philosophy of life - and I have even used some of his quotes in my communication this past week with some colleagues. It appears that each of you have a keen sense of respect for Steve Jobs as most of you have been impressed with his "rags to riches" story - the American story. I don't know that he could have accomplished so much outside of America. Keep up the good effort on your blogging.
As I listened to the wise words of Steve Jobs in his speach I found it hard to disagree with any of the points he made about life. Jobs started out with little and turned his life into one of the most inspiring stories I have ever heard. Jobs didn't become successful by inheriting wealth from his parents or by obtaining a degree from an intstitution like Harvard, but rather Jobs just went with the flow, if he didn't like what he was doing he stopped and made sure to do something that he enjoyed. It was following his heart that brought him all of his success in life. The thing that I realized as I thought about his decisions in life was how much courage it must have took. Many people would think that staying in college and pushing through all of the hard work would be the most challenging thing, and that dropping out and living as a drop-in would be the easy road. Though I don't think this is exactly right, rather, I think that it must've taken a lot of courage to do what Jobs did. He didn't like the way things were going while he was enrolled in college so he dropped out, im sure people called him an idiot back then, but i'm sure they are eating their words now.
ReplyDeleteIt takes a lot of courage to just follow your heart and trust that everything will fall into place, or that the "dots will connect" as Jobs said but thats exactly what he did. Jobs made his final point about death and that "death was the best invention of life," he made points that death is what allows change as the old is swept away and room is made for the new. This is a pretty extreme way at looking at things, and i'm not sure if it would be my ideal way at looking at life but then Jobs made another good point about life. He says that looking in the mirror everyday and asking himself what he would do if it were his last day is what kept him from settling with what he had. "the only way to do great work, is to love what you do" this was one of his quotes that struck me as perfect. If you are a writer you are not going to write great books if you don't love writing, and if you are a runner you are not going to break world records unless you love running. I thought this speech by Jobs was exactly what students needed to hear, it teaches us to avoid doing what is the norm, and to go out and do what you love with a passion for it that will propell you into doing great things
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteI thought your point about Jobs breaking the generic definition of success was exactly what he did. As you stated, society tells us that success is graduating from a great university with honors and having a prestigious high-paying job. Though Jobs showed us that success could simply mean being happy doing what you are doing, because when you love what you are doing and have a passion for it great things are bound to happen. You life situation of how being an eye doctor would not make you happy really reinforces this point also.
Kristin,
I think your point about Jobs continuing to fight after he was knocked down is a great one. I agree that, just like you said, it is hard for us to get back up once we were knocked down, but when we are knocked down and we rise up we are that much stronger, and success will be that much more fulfilling. This is exactly the mentality that brought Jobs his success. He was fired and just when things could not get any worse, he stood up and ran down his dreams to create three companies that would double anything that he had done before he was fired.
I found Steve Jobs speech and story to be absolutely amazing. The way he lived his life, by doing what felt right, and not by just doing what others said was the “proper thing” to do is so inspiring. He dropped out of college because he felt that what he was studying was not right for him. Many people I am sure saw Steve Jobs as a failure for dropping out, but look where he ended up. He became an extremely successful man with Apple, and will be remembered for his achievements for a very long time. Steve Jobs lived his life the way he wanted, in a way that made him happy. As he said, you must love the work you do, and he was right because if you do not then you will live a miserable life. If you have a job that you love to do, then it becomes so much more than just a job. It becomes an awesome experience that you can truly live to do and live for; it gives your life meaning.
ReplyDeleteSteve also spoke about the fact that we are all going to die, someday, sometime, and that there is nothing we can do to change that fact. However, he said that realizing that fact was one of the greatest things that ever happened to him because it made him come to know what is really important in life. It really touched me when he said there is no reason not to follow your heart. I agree with what he said so much. He believed that you must live your life to the fullest, all the time because you never know when your time will come. You never know when your life will end, so you must be ready for it by always following your heart in your life. By doing what you believe in and by not wasting the time you still have to do something truly amazing.
Alex,
ReplyDeleteAs I read your response I found myself agreeing with a lot of what you had to say. I very much so agree with the relationship you pointed out between many great authors and how they rose up from nothing to become great. I think this is also true for many other amazing people, not just authors. I believe that this is true because those people that have nothing also have nothing to lose and are not afraid to express themselves and fight for what they believe in. They are the people that are truly successful in life.
Mitchell,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your blog, especially the part on what Steve Jobs had to say about death and using the idea of death to live a better, fuller life. I believe that is so true. We must all realize that we are all going to die someday and that we cannot change that. What we can change is the way we live our lives, and change them for the better.
I also agree with what you had to say about doing what we love. How can we be truly successful in life if we do not love what we do? The answer to that is that we cannot be. We must do what we love to be as successful as possible in our lives, and by successful I do not mean just making lots of money which has come to be the norm in this day and age. We must strive to do what we love because it will make us so much happier in life, and I believe that contrary to popular belief you cannot buy happiness.
I think that Steve Jobs learned a very important lesson that most of us need to learn also. He talked about being fired, but that it was the best thing that could have happened to him. Mr. Jobs looked through it, and saw it as an opportunity to achieve more. If he wouldn’t have been fired, he never would have created Pixar or Next, and wouldn’t have been so successful. It also gave him a sense that his job is important, and that he needs to work for what he wants. This reminded me of when I failed my first driving test. I was so sure that I would pass, and that I was a great driver. When my tire was on the line after parallel parking, I knew that it really takes a lot to be able to drive. There is a lot of responsibility involved, and you really have to want it to get it. I passed my second time much more humbly, and really take it seriously now. Mr. Jobs did this also: I’m sure that before he was fired, he thought that nothing could go wrong, especially since he started the company. He figured that he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. I’m also sure that he valued his job a little more after he was fired.
ReplyDeleteI also admire him for not quitting in the face of disaster. Even though he was a dropout, and even though he had no money, he kept going and eventually won out. He did what he loved, and became a billionaire. This is a great example of following your heart, even if the whole world is turned against you.
Kristy, I really like the puzzle analogy, as I am a puzzle lover. I like the part about putting it piece by piece, not getting anxious and overwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteTaylor, I love what you said about meeting expectations, how most people expect you to go medical, but that you don’t want to. I admire you for sticking to your dream and not giving in to pressure.
Finally got this to work!
ReplyDeleteSteve Jobs was an amazing person. He reminds me of Ben Franklin. The statement that many make of Ben Franklin that- he accomplished three life time’s worth in his life time- is very true to Steve Jobs. Jobs created the Apple computer, iPod, iPad, iPhone and many other great uses of technology we use every day. He is even credited with the formation of Pixar, which created many movies that not many can say that they haven’t seen growing up. Jobs did this after being fired from a company that he started on his own. Steve Jobs took the great pain of that and made himself a stronger person. He took the quote “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” to heart. During the speech Jobs stated that “You’ve got to find what you love.” “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” this means so much to me! I have always believed you should love what you do in your life. If you work at a dead end job your entire life you will never be able to accomplish anything. In my opinion, when you don’t like the way something is you have two options: first, stop complaining and cope with it; secondly fix it. You don’t have to have tons of money or a big house to be happy. You just have to do what you love. This brings me into his last topic of his speech. Living everyday as if was your last. So many people tell us to do that and yet no one actually does we all freak out over what we’re wearing, who’s going to do the dishes, or what your friends think. He even says that we should not let the noise of others drown out of our voice. He was most certainly a person ready for death. He had accomplished so much and inspired many people. His name will certainly not be forgotten. Jobs was an amazing man who had life figured out. He started out in a garage that wasn’t even his and made billions based on a dream that many people thought he was crazy for. As Juniors every one of us in stress. Steve Jobs showed that our hard work now will pay off just as his did. . I can only hope for the same.
Alex,
ReplyDeleteI really like that you pointed out his family life. So many people in this world are stuck in such horrible spots, which are no fault to of their own. Steve took what he had and rolled with it. He didn’t blame his failures in his family situation and I hope that people who are in bad families can see his example. I hope that they see it and work on doing great things and not just trying to make do. The other point you made about the now, I find to be inspiring. I feel as though we read the history book and see the great example and say well yeah they had something that needed fixed. Steve Jobs understood that we still need to fix things. I would like to point out that we should work on doing now and worrying about it later.
Elizabeth,
I actually found your blog so good I read it twice. You mentioned things that I didn’t even notice. His outlook on how we are replacing others is remarkable. He looks at death as though he is not ending but a finish- a coma as it was said not a period. Most people in life have no problem partying their way through college or taking blow off classes in high school. They don’t see that the work their parents put into to be able to send them to school. They see the students in hard classes and see them as nerds with no life. These kids are on the track of Steve Jobs. How many wish they can say they created the iPhone? As a college drop out to save money, he seems to be smarter then all of those who have finished college. He knew life at its hardest. By taking the classes that are hard now we are able to get ahead in college, we are able to help ourselves to get out into the world sooner and start doing great things.
Steve Jobs lived an amazing life. He was one person with huge ideas. His whole life is an example of following your dreams. He did not have his whole life planned out for him. He followed his heart and intuition and let the pieces fall into place. Steve Jobs made something amazing out of what seemed like nothing. He had many obstacles in his life. He dropped out of school and did not have much money and he later got fired from his own company. Through these downfalls came blessings in disguise. If these bad things had not happened much greater things would have never come into place. He sends the message of never giving up hope. Keep faith in your dreams and abilities. This man was truly inspirational. He made the best of his situation and trusted that everything would work out in the end as long as he was doing what he loved. He lived his own life and not the life someone else thought he should live, and he changed the world. We can all learn something from this great man who never lost faith.
ReplyDeleteLaira, I agree with you. I think that this man’s story is more remarkable because of the fact that nothing great was really expected of him. It makes his story all the more incredible because he was just a normal person. You don’t have to be of a high status to do something great or make history. It seems to me that he was a person that knew what he wanted and knew what he loved, and followed his dreams.
Sophie, I admire his outlook on life as well. It must have been so hard for him to keep a positive outlook when it seemed that everything was falling apart. Many people would have just given up at critical times when he did his best to keep moving forward. His outlook on death also inspired me. It really opened my eyes and changed my views on dying. i have never thought about death as a positive thing until I heard this speech. Steve Jobs talks about it as something to embrace, rather than something to avoid and fear.
Steve Jobs story is truly inspirational.
ReplyDeleteEven before birth, Job suffered many negative aspects of his life. He was destined to be put up for adoption, and when his supposed adoptive parents found out that he was a boy, they no longer wanted him. Then, when a second set of parents were found, his biological mother wanted to make sure that Steve went to college, and Steve almost lost his parents because of this. Steve shows that even if life starts off rough, you can live life to the fullest, and accomplish great things.
Things that may not seem to work out, eventually work out in the end, life is put together piece by peace. In many peoples eyes, dropping out of college or getting fired from an important job seems negative, but it put together Steve Job’s life in a way that benefited him as a person. By dropping out of college, it allowed him to take a class that set up the development of Apple and Pixar. By loosing his job at Apple, it inspired Job to create Pixar. It is a cause and effect that could not have been predicated, but turned out successful anyway. Both companies today are extremely thriving, and for the contributions that he has made in his life I am immensely thankful. I use some form of Apple everyday, either in the form of an IPod, IPad, or an Apple computer, and I guarantee there are millions of other people out there who can say the same for themselves. Pixar movies are also some of my favorite movies. Even though I did not know him that well, his death still somewhat affect my life because of the fact that I use the things he created.
Being adopted, loosing jobs, being considered a drop out are all hard things that a person would face in life. When all of these things happen, and on top of it you are diagnosed with a cancer that cannot be cured, you would think a person would become bitter towards life. Job took his “death sentence” as a reason to live every day to the fullest, and that has me truly awed. I believe that the rare form of cancer that Steve had was a miracle, it allowed him to live longer.
Steve Jobs is an amazing person, and his death will be greatly mourned by many people. He taught many people life lessons through the telling of his story though an amazing speech at Stanford University.
Mitchell,
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with your statement on how it was hard to disagree with anything that Jobs stated. He is truly an inspiring speaker, and I agreed with pretty much everything that he had to say. However, I have to disagree with your statement on how he just “went with the flow”. Even though he did just do what he wanted, it still takes hard work for a person to achieve what they want. Also, achieving the things he wanted took many hard decisions that most likely required much thought. Jobs had to work hard, like many people who are successful.
Laira,
I really liked your “rags to riches” parallel, and the theory you came up with about “if Obama had a son”. I did not think of the idea that people expect more out of people who have successful family, but after thinking about it, your idea makes a lot of sense. This is seen many times in athletes’ children and singers children. A lot is expected out of them, and many times, they just were not inherited their parents abilities for success.
Over the course of the weekend I watched this several times. Each and every time it just sunk in and affected me more. Just thinking about it has changed my outlook on life. If we have determination and proper will of spirit then anything is possible. He strove to do many things and he accomplished these despite the struggles he encountered. This knowledge is infinitely inspiring to me personally. I rather enjoyed the quote he used "Stay hungry, stay foolish." It just goes to show that we must value our lives and live each one to the fullest. Most of all, we cannot take ourselves too seriously or else life would just not be too fun. Being foolish and enjoying the little things in life are at the roots of a fulfilling life. Which in my personal belief, should be the goal of every competent human being. He just gets down to the bare necessities of life and throws them at you. He may be blunt, he may be direct but sometimes that is what we need; a brick thrown at you. If we deal and learn how to properly learn to deal with this 'brick' then we have truly mastered the hardships of life. If and when we do encounter these hardships, new doors open for us. Steve found the love of his life and began Pixar. These two momentous occasions may not have happened if it wasn't for that obvious roadblock that he so skillfully overcame. I know his speech has personally changed my outlook on life and I hope that it will continue to change me for the better.
ReplyDeleteScott,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point about him stepping outside of the box. He took a leap out of his comfort zone. This may have been true for Steve, but with others it may be different. He followed his heart, what it was telling him to do. I am a firm believer in following what your heart tells you to do. Logic may feel like the dominant feeling but it will only settle well with us if it's in accordance with our heart. Our brain may produce judgement but our heart shows us the true way. Steve believed in himself and his capability of finding success one day and he eventually found that. As should we. If we follow our hearts, then we will have no true regrets in life.
Stephanie,
Your comment on his opinion of connecting the dots was rather interesting to me. Steve says that we can only connect these dots by looking to the past, not to the future. We can see what has happened in the past and relate that but when it comes to the future it is a different story. He believed in himself and what he could do and it is pretty obvious where that got him. Also, we cannot try to predict or dictate the future. It just happens and we have to learn how to properly deal with it to attain a fulfilling lifestyle.