Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
The late Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer, and Pixar Animation Studios deliver an inspiring speech during the Stanford University graduation on 12 June 2005. His speech consists of three stories, which he uses metaphors and symbolism to pass his message. Most of the lessons he draws from his life experiences. The main theme in the message Steve Jobs wishes to pass to the graduating students is “One’s present situation does not determine an individual’s future”. Various lessons are evident in this message, which includes determination, focus, passion, hope and hard work. He integrates these lessons with relevant narratives from his college and career experience to stress emphasis on them. Many have come to know it as the Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address.
Steve Jobs opening statement reveals to the graduating students that he did not graduate from college. Although one can view this as ironical, Steve Jobs intends to introduce his main theme “One’s past life and experiences does not determine an individual future status”. Steve Jobs admits that closest he has come to graduation is as he addresses the graduating students, “I never graduated from college, truth be told, this is the nearest I have ever come to a collage graduation”. This statement emphasizes the point education alone does not guarantee success rather other factors such as determination, hope, and hard work in life. Steve Jobs uses the example of “connecting the dots” to describe his college life experience which connects to his career. He starts by describing his childhood life, his adoption experience, and his biological parent goals for his adoption. Steve Jobs explains the circumstances that cause his dropping out of Reeds College. It is after dropping out of college that Steve Jobs joins the calligraphy class by mere accident. At first Steve Jobs does not find any practical application to his life as he admits, “None of this had even a hope of any practical application my life”. However, the calligraphy experience downs on him during his involvement in creating the first Macintosh computer. According to Steve Jobs, “If I had not drop out, I would not have drop in the calligraphy class, and probably the personal computers might not have the incredible typography that they have today”. Steve Jobs intends to inspire the graduating students that no matter how dark your present condition is, that is one dot that can connect to your success in the future. He advises that we should refer to the past to connect with the future clearly reflecting the “connect the dots” example in real life. Steve Jobs dropping out of college connects to joining the calligraphy class, which significantly contributes to his involvement in the creation of the Macintosh computer.
Steve Jobs’ second story “The love and loss story” carries the theme of hope in its message. Steve Jobs describes how he lost his job in Apple a company, which he assists in founding. He never gives up, and his determination forges him to create another company- NeXT, which later creates the first animation feature film, Toy Story. According to Steve Jobs, losing his job at Apple frees him to enter one of the most successful periods of his life. Hope should be the center of one’s inspiration to desire for success rather than hiding in a cocoon of failure. The second story urges the graduating students including the other audience to persevere through hardships and focus on the price. Steve Jobs identifies love as the solution to all downfalls. He views love in the perspective of passion for something that one desires in life, which in this context is a success or what one is doing. Steve Jobs states that losing his job at Apple is the marks the start of his success, “I am pretty sure none of this would have happen if I had not lost my job at Apple”. He goes further to stressing the significance of one’s focus in life by stating, “Sometimes life can hit you in the head like a brick. Do not lose faith. The only thing that gives me the strength to keep going is the love I have for what I do. An individual has to find what one loves, which is as true for your work.
The third narrative Steve Jobs uses to address the audience is “the story about death”. He describes how, at the age of seventeen, he would follow the principle of “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you will most certainly be right”. Following this principle inspires him to wake up every morning, look himself in the mirror and tell his image that it is his last day so he has to achieve his maximum. The key message in this story is that of hard work in everything one does. Steve Jobs aims to encourage the graduating students, and the audience that it is necessary to put to your maximum effort everything that an individual does in life because one may not get another chance later. Steve Jobs admits, “Remembering that I will die soon is the most valuable tool I have ever come across to help me make the critical choices in life”. He goes further to explain, “External expectations, fear of failure or embarrassment, pride, will come to pass in the event of death, leaving behind only what is truly momentous”.
Steve Jobs’ message shows that the present status does not predict or determine one’s future. Determination, focus, and hard work should be the driving force to one’s desire. It is necessary to reflect the past to provide guidance in making a decision that can influence the future. An individual should strive to maximize efforts in everything one does, and not be afraid of failure or embarrassment because, in the end, everything will come to pass in the event of death, except for the significant things we accomplish in life.
Works Cited
Stanford University. “Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address.” 14 June 2005. Stanford University. 12 October 2012 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_ptbiPoXM>.
