Steve Jobs Knew Something We Don't (Or Forgot)
Unpack Steve Jobs' Timeless Wisdom: Connect Your Past, Trust Your Belief, and Master Life's Biggest Decisions.
Over the last few weeks, a strange thing happened. I fell down a rabbit hole of graduation speeches. And then it hit me. Steve Jobs, Stanford, 2005. That commencement speech. I've been listening to it for 14 years. Still slaps.
It got me thinking. What's the real juice? What did I actually learn from watching it, again and again?
You Can't Connect the Dots Forward (So Stop Trying)
Jobs started with the truth bomb: trying to predict the future is a fool's errand. Seriously, how often do your "master plans" actually play out?
But here's the kicker: it's ridiculously easy to connect the dots backward. Think about it.
My job at Amazon right now? Not some grand vision from 2014. It's just the messy, beautiful result of a bunch of tiny past decisions. I was in India, doing my Bachelor's. Made a friend. He came to the US for his Master's. I was in the same boat. Different universities, different internships.
He landed Amazon internship. I was at ABB. My dream was a FAANG company, sure. But when he got that offer? That's when it fueled my own ambition to crack the interview.
And yeah, I got in. We even became roommates. Back in 2014, sitting in India, surrounded by millions of other students, thinking I'd work for Amazon in the US? Impossible. Utterly insane.
But looking back, every single small activity – even just making that one friend – pushed me here. The lesson? You can only connect the dots backward. Always.
So, How Do You Live Life Forward? Trust the Damn Process.
Here's the flip side. I started writing online in October 2024. Did I have a grand plan? Nope. Do I know how it'll help me in 2035? Still no clue. I'm just… doing it.
But here's my promise: I will have the answer in 2035. You, reading this right now? You don't know how it's gonna help you. But let me tell you this: your reading habit? It's benefiting you. Guaranteed.
So, here's the deal. Trust something bigger. God, destiny, karma, reincarnation – whatever your flavor. It's the only way to navigate this crazy ride called life.
Death is Life's Best Invention (Seriously)
You know that thought: "Today's my last day." One day, you'll be 100 percent right about it.
And the thought of death, suddenly, all the fear? Gone. External expectations? Who cares. Becoming successful? Nah. More money? Irrelevant. FAANG company? Promotion? Impressing colleagues? Delivering the best presentation ever? All that noise just melts away.
I've felt it. That moment when all your worries vanish. I even wrote about it in this post.
Just the thought of death can flip your entire day upside down. The trick is to use that power for something meaningful.
We avoid so much. Speaking up to that Senior SDE or your boss. Chasing money when you should be chasing purpose. Obsessing over what other people think.
Ask yourself one question, right then and there: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do?"
That question? That's your biggest life decision maker.
Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition - Steve
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