In June 2005, Steve Jobs was roped into delivering a commencement speech at Stanford. He wasn’t thrilled, calling it “embarrassing” in an email to a friend. Jobs, the perfectionist who could walk out of a meeting over a minor annoyance, was stepping out of his comfort zone. The speech ended up being one of the most watched and quoted of all time, but let’s cut through the fluff and see what really happened.
Jobs wasn’t the students’ first choice; they wanted Jon Stewart. But Stanford’s president liked the idea of Jobs, so that’s who they got. Jobs had dodged these gigs before, but maybe turning 50 and being optimistic about his cancer played a role. Plus, Stanford was nearby, so no travel hassle.
He was nervous about it. Jobs was a master at controlling Apple product launches, but this was different. The speech wasn’t an Apple event, and Stanford doesn’t hand out honorary degrees, which was part of his motivation. He even reached out to Aaron Sorkin for help, but got radio silence.
Jobs eventually enlisted Michael Hawley, a polymath and an old friend, for guidance. Hawley helped Jobs focus on personal stories, which wasn’t easy for the notoriously private Jobs. The speech didn’t have the humor people expect at these things. Instead, Jobs talked about his failures, adoption, and cancer. It was blunt, and maybe that’s why it resonated.
On the day, Jobs was a bundle of nerves. He was in Levi’s and Birkenstocks, not his usual turtleneck. The audience was more interested in staying hydrated than in listening. Jobs delivered a sobering message: you’re going to die, so live your own life. Not your typical graduation pep talk.
The speech didn’t make waves immediately. Social media was in its infancy, and the press didn’t cover it. But the transcript went online and slowly gained traction. Jobs didn’t talk about it much afterward, but it became a piece of his legacy, especially after his death in 2011.
The speech’s message of staying hungry and foolish struck a chord. Even LeBron James used it to rally his team during the NBA finals. It’s the kind of message that’s easy to romanticize, but remember, this is the same Jobs who was as demanding as they come. The speech’s fame grew posthumously, but let’s not forget it was one of many facets of a complex man.
