This is Steve Jobs’ best advice for boomers

24/7 Wall St. Perspectives

• Steve Jobs is known as the co-founder of Apple.
• He is considered a pioneer in the personal computer revolution.
• In 2005, Jobs underwent cancer surgery.
• Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Keep Forever

On June 12, 2005, Steve Jobs, the innovative entrepreneur and co-founder of Apple Inc., gave one of the most iconic commencement speeches in history at Stanford University. His words of wisdom have touched millions, garnering over 40 million views on YouTube. In this memorable speech, Jobs emphasized the importance of following what you love, trusting your intuition, and recognizing the fleeting nature of life.

Although his speech was aimed at college graduates ready to begin their careers in an unpredictable and volatile job market, Job’s advice about life and work can be applied to any demographic struggling to find meaning and purpose. People in their 60s could definitely walk away with valuable information from this visionary entrepreneur.

Why are we covering this?

As you approach retirement, it’s time to take stock of what really matters.

One of Steve Jobs’ greatest philosophies is the importance of being a lifelong learner. Jobs took calligraphy classes during his college years and later mentioned how this course helped him design the first Macintosh computer. He also emphasized that we should all follow our passions and interests, take time to work on projects that have always sparked our desire to explore. Jobs certainly understood how pursuing our passions can fuel our deep desire for fulfillment, and it really comes down to achieving a work-life balance. To learn more about Jobs’ pearls of wisdom for millennials, read here.

1. “Remembering that you will die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already empty. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

Death comes to us all.

• You have nothing to lose.
• Put everything into your passions.

Tap for stars

Just do it.

The certainty of death seems to put the brevity of life into perspective. That’s why, in the grand scheme of things, we shouldn’t be held back by fears of failure, disappointment, or criticism. It’s worth taking some risks in order to reach our full potential. Because we come with nothing and leave this world with nothing, the result of our attempts is of little importance. What matters is that you tried.

2. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t get caught up in dogma – which means living with the results of other people’s thinking.”

Life is short.

• Don’t live up to other people’s expectations.
• Follow your true north.

Time passes.

Play hard.

Here Jobs drives home the point that you need to make decisions that are most closely aligned with your own personal beliefs. This requires a lot of self-reflection, stepping away from outside influences to discover what your true desires are and what you want your life to look like. It is a waste of your precious time to follow the conventional patch put on you by others. Job appreciates the importance of independent thinking, allowing your conviction to help you make your own way.

3. “Innovation makes the difference between a leader and a follower.”

Innovation sets you apart.

• Leaders transcend boundaries.
• Adherents stick with the status quo.

Just innovate.

Innovators shape the future.

This is a great reminder for 60 year olds working today. It’s a fantastic reminder that it’s never too late to pursue innovation and leadership. 60-year-olds can leverage their decades of experience in their field to mentor younger employees, introduce new processes and new ideas. By embracing the role of an innovator, one can still make a significant impact in their company. It can help them stay relevant in their field as well as reinvent themselves in their roles.

4. “Stay hungry. Stay stupid.”

Stay curious.

• Be ambitious.
• Take risks.

Don’t be afraid to look stupid.

Be unconventional.

In this phrase that was taken from his Stanford commencement speech, Jobs encourages us to be ambitious, curious, and willing to take risks. It is important to look for growth opportunities as well as new challenges. Regardless of whether you have achieved success, remaining open to new experiences, even if risky, allows us to keep our perspectives fresh, always discovering new possibilities. Jobs would have us approach life with a sense of adventure.

5. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Focus on the essentials.

• The most effective solutions are simple.
• Approach everything with clarity.

It’s the simple things…

True elegance is uncomplicated.

Jobs mastered the art of simplicity, as is evident in the design of Apple computers. With their sleek, minimalist aesthetic and the absence of any unnecessary features, he has created products that work efficiently and easily. This approach reflects his belief that simplicity should guide everything we do. It takes great skill to remove all the non-essentials that don’t serve or contribute to the end result. By taking this approach, you will create something that is both extremely effective and powerful.

6. “Focusing is on saying no.”

Avoid distractions.

• Stay focused.
• Avoid shiny objects.

It is not an answer

Stay the course.

Anyone on the path to self-improvement and growth is well aware of the multitude of distractions that try to divert us from our chosen paths. Social media and other media outlets have certainly contributed to the barrage of constant distraction with its massive influx of information and news that repeats itself on a 24/7 cycle. The most important lesson here is to not get distracted. Easier said than done of course, but the result of falling into that trap is that you will be further removed from your goals, prolonging the process and making the final destination more difficult and out of reach. Instead, Job believes that we should reject all efforts that do not serve your vision or core goals. It’s not just about choosing the right actions that contribute to your final destination, it’s about ignoring everything that doesn’t lead to that outcome.

7. “My favorite things in life don’t cost a penny. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”

Money is not as valuable as time.

• Use your time wisely.
• Focus on what really matters.

Time is our most precious resource

Don’t waste it.

Despite his great success and wealth, Steve Jobs is remarkably grounded in what is truly important in life. Clearly, money is not the most important resource we can have. In fact, material wealth falls short on the scale of importance, unlike relationships, personal fulfillment and our experiences. He makes the distinction that, unlike money, time cannot be earned once it has been spent. And therefore we must value it even more than money. Once again, he emphasizes that we should seek to pour our time into what really matters in this life.

8. “Creativity is just about connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something.”

Connect the dots.

• Creative people have a wide range of knowledge.
• These experiences fuel their ability to make connections.

Creative people simply create.

Solutions come after connecting the dots.

What makes creative people incredibly fascinating is their ability to make associations between two opposing ideas. Indeed, this is a special skill that not many individuals have. This creative process helps creative people come up with solutions that have not been explored before. 60-year-olds can certainly draw on their massive reservoir of life and work experiences to find solutions to complex problems. Being able to connect two seemingly disparate ideas can lead to new ideas and discoveries that they haven’t heard or explored before. This in itself can produce rewarding experiences and new discoveries.

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