Multiple videos were featured on TED.com, but there was only
one that captured my attention, “Steve Jobs: How to live before you die.” As an
entrepreneur, I found his speech at Stanford’s commencement enjoyable and the
audience appeared to be inspired as well. As a human, it deeply touched my soul.
Steve Jobs discussed three major points: connecting the dots, love and lost,
then death.
Connecting the dots was a brief history on his adoption
and shortly- lived college experience. He dropped out of college because he
realized all he was doing was wasting his parents’ life savings. He was allowed
to drop-in some courses and this was his means of learning calligraphy. The
course taught him the intricacies of typeface and designs. Jobs at the age of
20, with a friend, began to work on the Apple Macintosh computer.
His remarks on love and lost described how his passion
for computers drove Apple into a $2 billion brand; however, he was soon fired
from the company he’d started. After leaving Apple, his love for his work
caused him to branch into computer animations; thus, Pixar and subsequently Toy
Story were born. He commented on keeping
faith alive, doing what you love, and never settling. His speech on faith
pleasantly surprised me because faith is a driving force in my life.
He ended
his speech with perspectives on death. He cited a quote he’d read, “If you live
each day like it’s your last, someday you might certainly be right.” There is
no reason not to follow your heart. No one wants to die, but death is the destination
we all share, no one has ever escaped it. Death is the single best invention in
life; it clears out the old to make way for the new. The new is Me, the new is
You, as well as the people who remain after we are gone. Through his
adversities and profound revelations, I contemplated my life and the paths I’m
taking. Since time is limited, as he stated, don’t waste it living someone
else’s life. I will have the courage to follow my passions and intuitions, and
I will not allow critics to drown out my inner voice.
Jobs’ speech was highly insightful and poignant. Today
is a few days away from the day my family and I laid my grandmother to rest.
She was tenacious and fought adversities too. She strove to live her best life,
just like Jobs. After hearing his speech, I have a better understanding of why life
should be lived with vigor, purpose, and patience. I know one day my dots will connect
and I will beam knowing my efforts were not futile. I will trust in God, allow His
will to be done, and triumph!
Rest
in Peace Steve Jobs & Hattie Mae, you
have forever changed my life.
