Transcript#
[applause] Thank you. [Applause] Thank you.
[applause] I’m honored to be with you today for your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. [Applause] I am honored to be here with you today for your commencement from one of the world’s finest universities.
[applause] [Applause]
Truth be told, I never graduated from college, To tell the truth, I never graduated from college,
and this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. and this is the closest I’ve ever come to a college graduation.
[laughter] [Laughter]
Today, I want to tell you three stories from my life. Today, I want to tell you three stories from my life.
That’s it. That’s it.
No big deal. No big deal.
Just three stories. Just three stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots. The first story is about connecting the dots.
I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months, I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months,
but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit.
So why did I drop out? So why did I drop out?
It started before I was born. It started before I was born.
My biological mother was a young, unwed graduate student, My biological mother was a young, unwed graduate student,
and she decided to put me up for adoption. and she decided to put me up for adoption.
She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates,
so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife.
Except that when I popped out, Except that when I popped out,
they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl.
So my parents, who were on a waiting list, So my parents, who were on a waiting list,
got a call in the middle of the night asking, got a call in the middle of the night asking,
“We’ve got an unexpected baby boy. “We have an unexpected baby boy.
Do you want him?” Do you want him?”
They said, “Of course.” They said, “Of course.”
My biological mother found out later that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school.
She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She refused to sign the final adoption papers.
She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would go to college. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would go to college.
This was the start in my life. This was the start of my life.
And 17 years later, I did go to college, And 17 years later, I did go to college,
but I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford. but I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford.
And all of my working class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. And all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition.
After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it.
I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out.
And here I was, And here I was,
spending all the money my parents had saved their entire life. spending all the money my parents had saved their entire life.
So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out okay. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out okay.
It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back, It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back,
it was one of the best decisions I ever made. it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
The minute I dropped out, The minute I dropped out,
I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me and begin dropping in on the ones that looked far more interesting. I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me and begin dropping in on the ones that looked far more interesting.
It wasn’t all romantic. It wasn’t all romantic.
I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms.
I returned Coke bottles for the five-cent deposits to buy food with. I returned Coke bottles for the five-cent deposits to buy food with.
And I would walk the seven miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. And I would walk the seven miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple.
I loved it. I loved it.
And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on.
Let me give you one example. Let me give you one example.
Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country.
Throughout the campus, every poster, Throughout the campus, every poster,
every label on every drawer was beautifully hand-calligraphed. every label on every drawer was beautifully hand-calligraphed.
Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes,
I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this.
I learned about serif and sans-serif typefaces, I learned about serif and sans-serif typefaces,
about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations,
about what makes great typography great. about what makes great typography great.
It was beautiful, historical, It was beautiful, historical,
artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture. artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture.
And I found it fascinating. And I found it fascinating.
None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life.
But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer,
it all came back to me. it all came back to me.
And we designed it all into the Mac. And we designed it all into the Mac.
It was the first computer with beautiful typography. It was the first computer with beautiful typography.
If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, If I had never dropped in on that single course in college,
the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts.
And since Windows just copied the Mac, And since Windows just copied the Mac,
it’s likely that no personal computer would have them. it’s likely that no personal computer would have them.
[applause] [Applause]
If I had never dropped out, If I had never dropped out,
I would have never dropped in on that calligraphy class. I would have never dropped in on that calligraphy class.
And personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. And personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do.
Of course, Of course,
it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college.
But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.
Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward.
You can only connect them looking backwards. You can only connect them looking backwards.
So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.
You have to trust in something. You have to trust in something.
Your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.
Because 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. Because 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.
And that will make all the difference. And that will make all the difference.
My second story is about love and loss. My second story is about love and loss.
I was lucky. I was lucky.
I found what I loved to do early in life. I found what I loved to do early in life.
Woz and I started Apple in my parents’ garage when I was 20. Woz and I started Apple in my parents’ garage when I was 20.
We worked hard and in ten years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a two billion dollar company with over 4,000 We worked hard and in ten years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a two-billion-dollar company with over 4,000
employees. employees.
We just released our finest creation, the Macintosh, We just released our finest creation, the Macintosh,
a year earlier and I just turned 30. a year earlier and I just turned 30.
And then I got fired. And then I got fired.
How can you get fired from a company you started? How can you get fired from a company you started?
Well, Well,
as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me. as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me.
And for the first year or so things went well. And for the first year or so things went well.
But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out.
When we did, our board of directors sided with him. When we did, our board of directors sided with him.
And so at 30 I was out. And so at 30 I was out.
And very publicly out. And very publicly out.
What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone and it was devastating. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone and it was devastating.
I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I really didn’t know what to do for a few months.
I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down.
That I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. That I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me.
I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly.
I was a very public failure and I even thought about running away from the valley. I was a very public failure and I even thought about running away from the valley.
But something slowly began to dawn on me. But something slowly began to dawn on me.
I still loved what I did. I still loved what I did.
The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit.
I’d been rejected but I was still in love. I’d been rejected but I was still in love.
And so I decided to start over. And so I decided to start over.
I didn’t see it then but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I didn’t see it then but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.
The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again.
Less sure about everything. Less sure about everything.
It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years I started a company named Next. During the next five years I started a company named NeXT.
Another company named Pixar and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Another company named Pixar and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife.
Pixar went on to create the world’s first computer animated feature film, Pixar went on to create the world’s first computer-animated feature film,
Toy Story. Toy Story.
And is now the most successful animation studio in the world. And is now the most successful animation studio in the world.
In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought Next and I returned to Apple. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT and I returned to Apple.
And the technology we developed at Next is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance.
And Loreen and I have a wonderful family together. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple.
It was awful tasting medicine but I guess the patient needed it. It was awful-tasting medicine but I guess the patient needed it.
Sometimes life’s going to hit you in the head with a brick. Sometimes life’s going to hit you in the head with a brick.
Don’t lose faith. Don’t lose faith.
I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. 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. You’ve got to find what you love.
And that is as true for work as it is for your lovers. And that is as true for work as it is for your lovers.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life. 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 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. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.
If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.
As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.
And like any great relationship, And like any great relationship,
it just gets better and better as the years roll on. it just gets better and better as the years roll on.
So keep looking. So keep looking.
Don’t settle. Don’t settle.
[Applause] My third story is about death. [Applause] My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like, When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like,
“If you live each day as if it was your last, “If you live each day as if it was your last,
someday you’ll most certainly be right.” someday you’ll most certainly be right.”
[Laughter] [Laughter]
It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years,
I’ve looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, I’ve looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself,
“If today were the last day of my life, “If today were the last day of my life,
would I want to do what I am about to do today?” 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, And whenever the answer has been no for too many days in a row,
I know I need to change something. 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. 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, Because almost everything, all external expectations, all pride,
all fear of embarrassment or failure, all fear of embarrassment or failure,
these things just fall away in the face of death, these things just fall away in the face of death,
leaving only what is truly important. 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. 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. You are already naked.
There is no reason not to follow your heart. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. About a year ago, I was diagnosed with cancer.
I had a scan at 7.30 I had a