Has a T.E.D. talk influenced you?

The TED speaker that I have chosen which has influenced and inspired me throughout my career is Steve Jobs. I have chosen him simply because his work ethic and company have always intrigued me. I have always used his products and have always looked up to him as a person I aspire to be. One of the most important speeches I have seen him give was one that he gives at a Stanford University graduation ceremony that is entitled, “ How to live before you die.” He begins the speech by automatically connecting to his audience with a dose of humor stating that he had never even graduated college and this was the closest he had ever come to graduating. I thought this was a key point to inspiring his audience to keep working towards their dreams because even if they aren’t college graduates, they can still become successful. Steve then goes on and talks about three separate stories (or lessons in this case) that build both trust and share knowledge with his audience.

The first story Steve tells is how he dropped out of college and the hardships that he faced by doing so which included sleeping on friends floors and not being able to eat much.  He then goes on to explain how Apple began and joked about how if he hadn’t dropped out of college, he would have never taken a class that helped him design the Mac. The main lesson that he wanted his audience to take from this story is that, you have to trust and work hard for something that you believe in so that you will have the confidence to follow your heart. Even when your heart leads you off path, it could be the right path that, like Steve, will allow you to connect the dots in the future.

The second story he told was about finding what he loved to do and what losses he encountered while getting there. It only took ten years for Apple to turn into a 2 billion dollar company and even then a CEO can get fired. Although he had been rejected, he still loved what he did and continued to pursue it. After a few years and opening a few successful companies such as Next and Pixar, he was asked to return to Apple because of his success. The main lesson that he wanted the audience to take from this story is that no matter what you have to find what you love to do. He emphasized the fact that the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work and to never settle. Even though you might have it hard now, if you are doing great work, it will get better as the years go on.

The third story Steve spoke about was death and how he came face to face with it. He goes on to explain how he believes remembering that you are going to die, is the best way to avoid the trap that you have something to lose. He emphasizes that your time is limited so you must have the courage to follow your heart and intuition so that you don’t waste it living someone else’s life.

Some of you might be wondering why exactly I have chosen Steve Jobs as an idol and person whom I aspire to be in my industry and that answer is simple. Despite all of the set backs Steve faced from dropping out of college, to being fired from his own company, to having cancer; he overcame those obstacles and became one of the most successful people I know. There is an endless amount of information that I would have loved to learn from him; however, I know that the most important lesson I can take from him is to do what you love and, in time, success will follow.  There is one main quote that I has stuck with me since I first watched that speech a few years ago that I still ask myself everyday, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today? If the answer has been no for to many days in a row, change something.” This question alone has allowed me to change certain aspects of my life that has allowed me to become more successful and happier. To my readers, Can you ask yourself this question everyday and it be a yes?

http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html