Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc
Who is he: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs
In his words: “Believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well-worn path.”
In my words:
Fortune says Steve Jobs is “one of Silicon Valley’s leading egomaniacs.” Newsweek says he’s a “petulant narcissist.” But perhaps his petulant egomania is warranted. Maybe this is Steve Jobs’ world, and we’re just living in it. Philosophers spend a lifetime trying to distill the meaning of life. And whether or not you agree with him, Steve Jobs comes pretty close to laying out a cohesive worldview in 15 minutes. Let’s see Bill Gates one-up that.
Jobs delivered this talk like a butcher. It wasn’t necessarily pretty to see, but in short time, he reduced the complexities of life to their core components. His delivery is awkward. It’s painfully clear that he’s reading his remarks, and he stumbles over them several times. However, his messages are so direct and powerful that a nuanced or polished delivery is not required.
He conveys these ideas using simple – maddeningly simple – stories to illustrate his ideas. Following the development of Macintosh fonts from Jobs’ days as a drop-in is in no way sexy. Its moral is, however, unmistakable. The story’s simplicity practically begs the viewer to look to their own lives for examples of connecting the dots.
Key quotes:
“It was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college, but it was very, very clear looking back ten years later… so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”
“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again.”
“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today,’ and whenever the answer has been no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything, all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure, these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. 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.”
“Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent to clear out the old and make room for the new.”
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
Noodle scratcher:
How have you connected the dots in your life?
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Ah, the Tao of a Steve. We all tend to think alike. I find this particular advice to be spot on - when I've mustered the energy to live like there is no tomorrow, my life has been most full.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing your speech at Ignite in a few weeks, and hopefully finding a chance to meet. I'm speaking too, and I think we have similar bents.
Matt, very much enjoyed your talk at Ignite Baltimore last night. The world needs more lateral thinking, even though I think it's finally awakening to the possibility. Would love to share some other links and ideas with you.
ReplyDeleteYou can find me at http://davetroy.com, @davetroy on twitter, and davetroy at gmail dot com.
Best,
Dave