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Steve Jobs's Inspirational Words



I’m not going to attempt to characterize the impact this brilliant and visionary leader has had on all of our lives. Plenty of writers will cover that.

Instead, I’d like to share how Steve Jobs inspired me with his uniquely insightful perspective on doing great work, life, and death, from his 2005 Stanford University Commencement Speech:


  • Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.


  • You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.


  • The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.


  • Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.


I’ve heard nothing more motivating, inspiring, or empowering in my entire life.

In the same speech, the man who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just a year before shared his view on the transient nature of life - something that apparently drove him - and in so doing, left us all with powerful advice:

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.

Rest in peace, Steve Jobs.

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