A Great Commencement Speech

Steve Jobs gave the 2005 commencement address at Stanford. His speech has made the rounds on several blogs and after reading the speech myself, I also wanted to share a link.

Here's a taste:

Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

Good stuff. But I think the thing that stood out most for me was Jobs's remarks on the reality of death, and how reflecting on death can liberate you from all the things in life that are unimportant. Reading this speech reminded me of a similar lesson I received many years ago when I was initiated into the Order of DeMolay, a fraternal group for young men. During the ceremony, initiates receive instruction on a variety of moral principles from the various officers and members of the Chapter. One of those principles always stood out for me in the years that followed: That it was wise to look first to the end of the journey, rather than focus on the beginning.

I applaud Steve Jobs for his address, and I hope you will enjoy reading it.