A Real Kind of Love

By Theresa Koltes

In 2005, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, gave a commencement speech to graduates of Stanford University. He related that when he was a teen, he dropped out of an expensive college halfway through his course because he felt that it wasn’t what he wanted. People called it an irresponsible mistake. But Steve saw, that as his life unfolded, it was the best decision he could have made. It started him on a series of triumphs and defeats, rises and falls. But in the end everything came together.  He said:

“…Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. 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 in every aspect. 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 for less. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” 

As I watched that speech years ago, I thought that’s great advice for anyone to base their life upon.

I think about all the people I know who are just working to survive. We’ve all had opportunities to climb higher, or catch bigger stars. What happened? We were probably too busy to see them. Or we were too afraid of the unknown. But sometimes walking into the unknown is the next step to that “best” we’ve been looking for, the missing piece to the puzzle of our lives.

You may have something in mind right now that you know is worth a try, worth finding out where it could take you. But it’s too different, unpractical, maybe even crazy. Besides, what would everyone think?

As Steve Jobs said, “With all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

Maybe you’re right. Maybe it is crazy. But if you know, deep down, it is meant for you, then what does it matter what anyone else thinks?

Often it isn’t something big and great; it could be simply finding what you truly love.