Steve Jobs — Death Is Life's Change Agent

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon

is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered

to help me make the big choices in life.

Because almost everything—

all external expectations, all pride,

all fear of embarrassment or failure—

these things just fall away in the face of death,

leaving only what is truly important.

Remembering that you are going to die

is the best way I know to avoid

the trap of thinking you have something to lose.

You are already naked.

There is no reason not to follow your heart….

Death is very likely the single best invention of Life.

It is Life’s change agent.

It clears out the old to make way for the new….

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.

Steve Jobs

Stanford University Commencement Address, 2005