3. steve jobs said: “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.”
i’ve got it down to four words: “do what you love.” seek out an occupation that gives you a sense of meaning, direction and satisfaction in life. having a sense of purpose and striving towards goals gives life meaning, direction and satisfaction. it not only contributes to health and longevity, but also makes you feel better in difficult times. do you jump out of bed on monday mornings and look forward to the work week? if the answer is ‘no’ keep looking, you’ll know when you find it.
4. steve jobs said: “you know, we don’t grow most of the food we eat. we wear clothes other people make. we speak a language that other people developed. we use a mathematics that other people evolved… i mean, we’re constantly taking things. it’s a wonderful, ecstatic feeling to create something that puts it back in the pool of human experience and knowledge.”
live in a way that is ethically responsible. try to make a difference in this world and contribute to the higher good. you’ll find it gives more meaning to your life and it’s a great antidote to boredom. there is always so much to be done. and talk to others about what you are doing. don’t preach or be self-righteous, or fanatical about it, that just puts people off, but at the same time, don’t be shy about setting an example, and use opportunities that arise to let others know what you are doing.
5. steve jobs said: “there’s a phrase in buddhism, ‘beginner’s mind.’ it’s wonderful to have a beginner’s mind.”
it is the kind of mind that can see things as they are, which step by step and in a flash can realize the original nature of everything. beginner’s mind is zen practice in action. it is the mind that is innocent of preconceptions and expectations, judgements and prejudices. think of beginner’s mind as the mind that faces life like a small child, full of curiosity and wonder and amazement.
6. steve jobs said: “we think basically you watch television to turn your brain off, and you work on your computer when you want to turn your brain on.”
reams of academic studies over the decades have amply confirmed television’s pernicious mental and moral influences. and most tv watchers know that their habit is mind-numbing and wasteful, but still spend most of their time in front of that box. so turn your tv off and save some brain cells. but be cautious, you can turn your brain off by using a computer also. try and have an intelligent conversation with someone who plays first person shooters for 8 hours a day. or auto race games, or role-playing games.
7. steve jobs said: “i’m the only person i know that’s lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year…. it’s very character-building.”