Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

One of the reasons why I was motivated to write again was a random article in a health newsletter to which I subscribe, lauding the great wisdom and inspiration in Steve Jobs's commencement address at Stanford. The following excerpt is his speech in a nutshell:

Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

<>One of the worst things I can imagine is not giving 100% to achieve those important goals in life. What one considers important would differ, but that's not the point. Just existing, rather than using all the necessary resources that God has given me to create/have/lead a "purpose-driven life," is after all, rather self-serving. If each thought needs to be taken captive and made obedient to Christ, how can thoughtless living (the "how did we get here?" living) be God-glorifying? hmmm...how did I find myself on a soapbox?

My point with the commencement address was my initial reaction to it: how would I be remembered if I were to die today? Or worse, will I face the gloaming of my life only to wonder, how did I get here? What goals have I reached?

I endeavor to take risks and see where they lead me, starting with my current occupation. I don't know about anyone else, but retail management was not why I enrolled in higher education. I am making real efforts to apply to publishing industry positions in the hopes of becoming an editor, at the same time, develop my writing on the side. I've already received a call back; we'll see where that will lead me.

Life-long regrets, excuses, and vicarious dreams/wish fulfillment. You will not find me wallowing in these comfort zones. I hope I will not find you there either.

Stay foolish.