Stay hungry, Stay foolish

Guess what, that is the advice Steve Jobs gave to Stanford 2005 graduates.

I was at Stanford Stadium today to celebrate a friend's graduation. I have no idea Steve is the commencement speaker. Before the ceremony, a small plane flew over the stadium dragging a banner that read: "Steve, don't be a mini player - recycle all e-waste". It got me thinking whether he is going to be there. Then the Stanford president introduced him, cheered by peoples all over the stadium.

Steve gives a serious speech by telling his personal life stories including adoption by his parents, dropping out of college, forcing out of Apple when he was 30, and his near death experience (he is diagnosed with cancer, was told by doctor that he only have three-to-six months to live and later found out it is a treatable form of cancer).

I was surprise to know that he dropped out of college because he didn't have enough financial support from his working-class family. I thought he left college to start his own business, same as Bill Gates and Michael Dell.

Ironically he claims that dropping out of college is one of the best decisions he ever made and his real education started when he dropped out of college and began to take classes that interested him. Those words make me think whether it is a mistake for Stanford to invites him over to speak. It reminds me of the questionable urban legend about Larry Ellison's speech to Yale graduates.

What triggers me most is his statements about passion. One should follow his own passion, not the path designed by others. Do whatever you love to do and ignore what others say about you. "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.". "Stay hungry, stay foolish".