How To Live Before You Die: Encouragement From Steve Jobs

I know that many of you may have seen or read this before. I have watched it in the past as well, but in working through a few challenges in my life at present, I found such encouragement and solace in many of the messages that this speech delivers.

It's a beautiful reminder of the need to find what you love to do, trust in yourself, and follow your dreams.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Some of my favorite parts in his address include:

• "You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever--because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence t o follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path, and that will make all the difference."

• "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, and don 't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it, and like any great relationship it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking. Don't settle."

• "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "no" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important thing 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."