Speech by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple

------------------------Stanford Report, June 14, 2005 'You've This is the got text of to the find what you address by love,' Steve Jobs, Jobs CEO of says Apple

Commencement

Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005. I am honored to be in the tell with the you today I at your commencement graduated gotten from to a life. from one of the

finest be

universities this want is to

world. I've

never ever

from

college.

Truth

told, I

closest you

college That's

graduation. it. No big

Today deal.

three

stories

my

Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped as out a of Reed for College another after 18 the months first or 6 so months, before I but then stayed So

around

drop-in

really

quit.

why did I drop out? It started before I was born. and I My biological to mother put me by birth at were "We was up a for young, unwed She so his that list,

college felt

graduate

student, that set when a

she should

decided be be out my

adoption. graduates, lawyer and

very

strongly was all

adopted at

college by the on have My from a

everything wife. they got baby later my final a

for I girl.

me

to

adopted they parents, night said: never high

Except really call boy; found father

that

popped So of

decided who

last a an

minute waiting

wanted in do out had the you that

middle want my

the They had from

asking: "Of

unexpected mother that the my

him?" mother

course."

biological college to

graduated school. a few She

and sign when

never papers.

graduated She only

refused later

adoption

relented

months

parents promised that I would someday go to college. And that 17 was years later as I did go to as college. Stanford, But and I naively all of chose my a college

almost

expensive

working-class

parents' months, do out. entire out the with And I

savings couldn't life I I

were see and was

being the no

spent in

on it. I

my had was

college no idea to

tuition. what help I me

After wanted figure

six to it

value

my here

idea

how all of

college the out

going my

spending to

money and

parents that it back

had

saved all

their work of

life. It

So was

decided pretty I

drop at the

trust

would it I was

OK. best

scary

time,

but I

looking

one

decisions required

ever classes

made. that

The

minute

dropped me,

out

could

stop

taking

the

didn't

interest

and

begin

dropping

in on the ones that looked interesting. It wasn't in food to all romantic. rooms, and I I I didn't have a coke the at into 7 dorm bottles miles the by room, for across so the I 5 slept on the to

floor buy night it.

friends' with, get much

returned walk a

deposits every I

would meal I

town

Sunday loved and

one of

good what

week

Hare

Krishna

temple.

And

stumbled

following

my

curiosity

intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example: Reed College in every out and at the that country. was have to time offered the hand the to perhaps campus the best calligraphy every I had to serif

instruction label on

Throughout beautifully to take how varying what

every

poster, Because I

drawer, didn't class

calligraphed. normal classes, I

dropped take and a san

decided about

calligraphy serif letter

learn about about

do the

this.

learned of

typefaces, combinations,

amount great in a

space

between great. science

different It was

makes subtle

typography way that

beautiful,

historical,

artistically

can't capture, and I found it fascinating. None But of ten it the in on this had even later, came a hope we me. with course of any were And we practical designing designed application the it all If in my life.

years all

when back to

first into I

Macintosh the had have Mac. never never

computer, It was

first that

computer single or its

beautiful in college,

typography. the Mac

dropped had just them.

would And

multiple copied If I

typefaces the had Mac, never and

proportionally likely out, that I

spaced no

fonts.

since

Windows have this

personal have might

computer dropped have

would in on

dropped personal

would

never not

calligraphy

class,

computers

the

wonderful

typography looking

that

they when

do. I

Of was

course in

it

was

impossible But it

to

connect very,

the very

dots clear

forward

college.

was

looking backwards ten years later. Again, them you looking in life, can't connect the So dots looking to to forward; trust trust that in you the can dots only will me connect somehow your down, gut, and

backwards. your future.

you

have have

connect destiny,

You

something never let

karma,

whatever.

This

approach

has

it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky Apple in I my had with I as the got found parents grown over what I loved when the I to do early 20. us We in had and I in life. Woz hard, into and and a I in $2 our

started 10

garage from

was of

worked a

years

Apple

just

two

garage just had a

billion finest 30.

company creation

4000 -

employees. a can hired me, of When out. And year you

We

released just

Macintosh fired. grew How

earlier, get

turned you very things and

And

then Well, to run But we him.

fired who the

from I

company was so

started? talented went

Apple

we with

someone and the we very for

thought year to or

the

company our falling 30 I

first began our

well.

then a at

visions out. was

future did,

diverge of

eventually sided with

had So

Board out.

Directors had been

publicly

What

the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating. I really didn't know what of to do for a few months. that I felt I that I had let the Bob very valley. The been

the baton

previous as and it

generation was tried and slowly at being to I

entrepreneurs to for me. I

down met up

had

dropped and a

passed

with so

David badly. away loved one

Packard I from what bit. I was

Noyce public But turn

apologize even began Apple

screwing about on me

failure,

thought to dawn not

running I still

the I

something of

did. had

events

had

changed

that

rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over. I didn't the see best it then, that but could replaced it turned have by ever the out that getting to me. of fired The from Apple of

was being

thing

happened lightness

heaviness a

successful

was

being

beginner

again,

less

sure

about

everything.

It

freed

me

to

enter

one

of

the

most

creative periods of my life. During company become animated animation bought is at the next five Pixar, years, and fell went Toy I in on Story, In and started love to a with company an named NeXT, who another would

named my

amazing the now

woman first most of

wife.

Pixar film, in the to

create is

worlds the turn we

computer successful Apple NeXT a

feature studio I

and a

world. Apple,

remarkable the technology And

events, at

NeXT, the

retuned of

developed and I

heart

Apple's

current

renaissance.

Laurene

have

wonderful family together. I'm from needed faith. loved for large what love settle. And, pretty sure It none was of this would tasting you only to in thing find have happened but if I a I hadn't guess brick. going that going satisfied great been the fired patient lose I

Apple. it. I'm what your part you what As like

awful life hits the got for and

medicine, the

Sometimes convinced I work of did. as your is do. all great

head

with me

Don't was is to is work

that You've it life, great If is

that

kept

that as

what

you Your to

love. work be

And is

true fill a do to

your the

lovers. way

only And

truly to yet, know do

to is

believe you with any

work. you of

the

only

way it

haven't the it

found

keep when and

looking. you better

Don't it. the

matters

heart, just

you'll gets

find as

relationship,

better

years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When each right." years, today I day It I was as made have the 17, if an looked last I it read was a quote your on that last, me, went something you'll then, and to do like: most for "If you live be 33 "If

someday and since

certainly the past

impression in the of my

mirror life,

every would I

morning want

asked what I

myself: am

were

day

about in

to do today?" And whenever

the answer

has been "No" for

too many

days

a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering encountered that to I'll be me dead make soon the is big the most important in life. tool I've ever almost

help

choices

Because

everything

or

all

external failure what best is way are

expectations, these truly I things just

all fall

pride, away in

all the that of

fear face you

of of are you to

embarrassment death, going have leaving to die

only is the to

important. to

Remembering the trap is no

know already

avoid

thinking reason not

something

lose.

You

naked.

There

follow your heart. About the know a a year ago and a it I was clearly was. is diagnosed showed The with a cancer. on I my had a scan I at 7:30 in

morning, what of than

tumor told

pancreas. this was

didn't

even

pancreas that to six

doctors and doctor

me I

almost to

certainly live and It no get

type

cancer three in tell tell is

incurable, My

that

should me to

expect go to have to as

longer my to

months. is

advised for

home die. the

affairs try to to

order, your them buttoned

which kids in up

doctor's

code

prepare you'd It as

means 10 sure for

everything just so a

you

thought

next

years

few it

months. will be

means easy

make possible

everything

that

your family. It means to say your goodbyes. I lived with they my the they it that stuck diagnosis an all day. down into my a very Later my my that throat, evening through and I had a biopsy, and cells that crying that

where into from when

endoscope a

my got

stomach a told few me

intestines, tumor. I

put was the out

needle

pancreas who

sedated, cells to be

but

wife,

was the of

there,

viewed turned

under a

microscope rare form

doctors

started cancer

because

pancreatic

is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now. This closest say was I the get to closest for you a I've been to facing Having death, lived and I hope it, I its can a the now useful

few a

more bit

decades.

through death

this

with

more

certainty

than

when

was

but purely intellectual concept. No die has likely clears one to wants get to die. And it. Even yet people death that is who is as of for want the it Life. the to go to heaven all don't share. Death want No is to one very It you,

there.

destination should It new. be, is

we

ever the out

escaped single the old

And

because Life's now

best to

invention make way

change the

agent. is

Right

new

but

someday

not

too

long

from

now,

you

will

gradually

become

the

old

and

be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your Don't time be is trapped thinking. inner and limited, by so dogma let And They don't waste is it living of living with someone the else's of life. other out follow want

which

results

people's your your own

Don't voice. intuition.

the most

noise

other's have know

opinions the courage you

drown to truly

important, already

heart

somehow

what

to become. Everything else is secondary. When Earth created and he I was young, which fellow it there was named to life was one an of amazing the Brand his and and bibles not publication of far my from called The It Whole was Park, late all of was

Catalog, by a

generation. here in

Stewart with

Menlo in it the was

brought before

poetic

touch.

This

was so It

1960's, made like

personal

computers scissors, form, 35

desktop polaroid before

publishing, cameras. Google

with Google

typewriters, in paperback

was along:

sort it

years

came

idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions. Stewart and the issue might it and his team it and had I put run was of out its several course, age. early on if issues they On of put the The out back country so It a Whole final cover road, Earth issue. of the Catalog, It was final you

then

when

mid-1970s, was find the as that a

your an

their kind

photograph yourself words: they for

morning you Stay

hitchhiking "Stay off. And

were Foolish." Stay

adventurous. was And begin I their have anew,

Beneath farewell always I wish

were

Hungry. Stay now,

message wished

signed myself.

Hungry. as you

Foolish. to

graduate

that for you. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. Thank you all very much