Stanford Daily, Annie Pulley

Offering this year’s commencement address, Steve Jobs charged Stanford graduates to adhere to the principles of trust, loyalty and courage. With three stories, he told the graduates to pursue their interests, stay loyal to their loves, and remain true to themselves.

Jobs began by reminding graduates to trust their interests. 

Dropping out of Reed College after six months, Jobs chose to pursue only that which captivated him. His biological parents were accomplished professionals, and their adoption agreement with the working-class couple that raised Jobs stipulated that he attend college. Withdrawing wasn’t part of the plan. 

After leaving his official course of study, Jobs explained that he was free to pursue any and all of his whims. Co-founder of Apple Computer Company and a pillar of Silicon Valley, Jobs first deviated from the beaten path with a college typography class. 

Jobs described typography as “beautiful, historical, artistically subtle.” It wasn’t until 1984, with the release of the first Macintosh, that he understood how the class connected to his tech trajectory. Jobs was careful to integrate the principles of typography into the Macintosh, something no one had cared to do before. 

Though the effects of today’s actions are hard to predict, Jobs reminded the graduates that “You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.” If one trusts in their end, the significance of the means will become clear with time.

Jobs went on to tell graduates to stay loyal to what they love.

By the 1980s, Jobs and his best friend Steve Wozniak had built Apple Computer Company into a multibillion dollar operation. But by 1985, Jobs was fired by the then co-CEO, John Sculley. Jobs leveraged the devastation into an opportunity to start fresh.

Jobs said, “I had been rejected, but I was still in love.” He continued, loyal to his trade. He founded NeXT and the hugely popular computer-animation studio, Pixar. His forced reset paid off. In 1997, Jobs returned and fully integrated NeXT’s technology into the company’s system. The fruit of Jobs’ labor ripened Apple. 

Though fired and publicly humiliated, he didn’t lose sight of what he loved in the shuffle. Search for what you love, and “As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it,” he said.

Jobs concluded by telling graduates to courageously be themselves.

Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Jobs came face to face with death. The experience reminded him to live his life courageously. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life,” Jobs said. 

Addressing graduates, Jobs understood that no degree, no archetype defines any one person. Take those risks that differentiate you from everyone else, he continued. 

After surgery, he no longer faces a premature death. Regardless, the advice is the same “because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life,” Jobs said. 

Pulling from a source of childhood amusement, Jobs ended the address with a line from the last issue of the Whole Earth Catalog. The caption read, “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” In Jobs speak: stay curious, and stay eager. 

With three stories, Jobs eloquently instructed graduates to pursue their interests, follow their love, and stay true to themselves. “That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories,” Jobs said.