Have the Courage to Follow Your Heart & Intuition

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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.

About Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman is a full-time assistant professor of e-media at the University of Cincinnati, and the former publisher of Writer's Digest. She has spoken on writing, publishing, and the future of media at more than 200 events since 2001, including South by Southwest, BookExpo America, and the Association of Writers and Writing Programs.

  • sammiejustesen

    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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  • http://www.janefriedman.com Jane Friedman

    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: http://janefriedman.com/2010/03/09/the-story-of…

  • sammiejustesen

    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

  • http://www.kojoopuni.com Kojo

    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.

  • http://www.janefriedman.com Jane Friedman

    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…

  • http://www.kojoopuni.com Kojo

    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.

  • http://www.teresacoates.com Teresa Coates

    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.

  • http://www.janefriedman.com Jane Friedman

    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…