A wonderful commencement address from Steve Jobs. I love that he mentions life can only be lived forward, and understood backward (yeah! see my bio), and that, ultimately, we have nothing to lose. It sounds deceptively simple; most people don’t live by the advice he’s giving here.
Have the Courage to Follow Your Heart & Intuition
Posted in Life Philosophy, Work-Life.
Jane Friedman
Jane Friedman (@JaneFriedman) has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers. She is the publisher of The Hot Sheet, the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2019.
In addition to being a columnist for Publishers Weekly, Jane is a professor with The Great Courses, which released her 24-lecture series, How to Publish Your Book. Her book for creative writers, The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), received a starred review from Library Journal.
Jane speaks regularly at conferences and industry events such as BookExpo America, Digital Book World, and the AWP Conference, and has served on panels with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund. Find out more.
What an amazing speech! Thanks for sharing this, Jane, and I hope it stays around so I can watch it again. Dee and I are following our hearts by starting a publishing company during a recession, with no big investors — just our vision and talents. Some days are scary. Some days are rewarding. When I connect the dots, I can see how everything in my life has led up to this. Don't settle. Follow your heart. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish
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Yes! I'm also mindful that “connecting the dots” is also a form of giving meaning to our lives, by telling stories about what we're doing — answering that question that can very deep indeed: “How (or why) did I get here?”
More here: https://janefriedman.com/2010/03/09/the-story-of…
Jane,
I always imagined by the time I was 60 years old, I'd have life figured
out. Ha! I'm still learning and growing, and now I know that process never
stops.
Sammie
Thank you for posting this, Jane. I was recently laid off from my job, and my time away from the cubicle has forced me to listen to my heart and intuition as well. I've returned to writing (blog, short stories) after a long hiatus. My writing is a bit rusty around the edges, but my heart is telling me to write a novel regardless.
Congratulations on your recent transition to a new life! I recently read an article you may like, considering your situation: http://wegrowmedia.com/you-are-not-your-job-tit…
Thank you, Jane. Dan's post really applies to my current situation. I've been a rut for so long. I truly wish to thrive along the path that is meant for me.
The most foolish, spontaneous and totally unjustifiable thing I ever did changed my life in ways that I couldn't have imagined. And so I continue to listen for those pulls at my heart to do things that would be unexpected. Steve Jobs is so right about this–life is meant to be lived in a big way.
Listen inward, yes. Sometimes that can get drowned out by what's happening on the outside. One book that has really helped me in this regard is FOCUSING:
http://www.amazon.com/Focusing-Eugene-T-Gendlin…