3 Life Lessons from Steve Jobs
Next time you are not sure what to do with your life, listen to Steve Jobs for 15 minutes
“Sometimes life will hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.”
We all have moments of doubts. Life is nothing but a series of choices. Except sometimes we feel lost, and it’s hard to maintain the same degree of commitment in the pursuit of our dreams.
At times, things don’t go the way they were supposed to, and we find ourselves unsure which direction to pursue.
Ironically in my case, it’s because I have nothing to complain about that I worry about my life.
How does that sound?
Life is short and days are flying by at a speeding up rate as we grow older. I am frequently overwhelmed by tons of questions:
Am I getting the most out of my life?
Am I making the most of my time?
What is the purpose of my existence?
Am I useful to the people I love?
Could I make the world a better place?
What my future self would say about that?
I could continue on forever, but you got the idea. Whenever I am in that place, I listen to Steve Jobs’ 2005 Standford Commencement Address:
It is one of the most inspirational speeches I know. If you ever happen to catch yourself in a moment where things get cloudy, taking 15 minutes to listen to Steve Jobs’ insight about “how to live before you die” is one of the best things to do.
Standing before Stanford graduates, Steve Jobs shares three authentic anecdotes of his own life. Each story shapes a principle that can be helpful to each of us.
1. Follow your heart
“Dropping out of college was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
The story: Even though it was not always easy, walking his own path was a vital part of Steve Jobs’ success. In this first story, he explains how the unconventional choices he made during his 20s, unexpectedly served him years later in a big way.
The lesson: Believe in yourself. “You can’t connect the dots looking forward.” Be confident enough to follow your curiosity and intuition and the dots will connect down the road.
2. You’ve got to find what you love
“Getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happen to me.”
The story: On his way to success, Steve Jobs got fired from his own company. Yet, because he was doing what he loved, it fueled the most creative period of his life. “The heaviness of being successful was replaced with the lightness of being a beginner again”.
The lesson: Your number one priority in life must be to discover what you love both at a professional and personal level. If you go on what you love, you will overcome the hardships that life has in store for you. If you haven’t encountered your passion yet, “Keep looking, don’t settle.”
3. You have nothing to lose
“Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make room for the new.”
The story: Since childhood, Jobs would look in the mirror each day and ask himself, if this were the last day of his life would he want to spend it doing what he was about to do? “Whenever the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
Then in 2003, a scan showed a tumor in his pancreas. The doctors told him his death was imminent, but it turned out that it was a rare form of curable cancer, so he was cured. Getting closer to death had strengthened his beliefs. “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
The lesson: Sadly, Jobs died from the same sickness in 2011 but his insight couldn’t have been more on point: your time is restricted so don’t consume it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma and have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. “They somehow already know” what you truly want to become. “Everything else is secondary.”
Conclusion
Whether you are going through a difficult stage in life or you just would like to clear out your minds and set your priorities, apply these 3 principles:
- Follow your heart
- Do what you love. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, don’t settle
- Your time is limited so don’t waste it having someone else’s life. You have nothing to lose.
And remember: “stay hungry, stay foolish.”
Thanks for reading 😊
