0:00:02.468,0:00:06.126
I want to discuss with you this afternoon

0:00:06.150,0:00:08.588
why you're going to fail[br]to have a great career.

0:00:08.612,0:00:09.987
(Laughter)

0:00:10.011,0:00:12.205
I'm an economist.

0:00:12.706,0:00:14.089
I do dismal.

0:00:14.823,0:00:18.394
End of the day, it's ready[br]for dismal remarks.

0:00:19.204,0:00:22.844
I only want to talk to those of you[br]who want a great career.

0:00:23.185,0:00:26.907
I know some of you have already decided[br]you want a good career.

0:00:26.931,0:00:28.321
You're going to fail, too.

0:00:28.345,0:00:29.416
(Laughter)

0:00:29.440,0:00:32.049
Because -- goodness,[br]you're all cheery about failing.

0:00:32.073,0:00:33.082
(Laughter)

0:00:33.106,0:00:34.908
Canadian group, undoubtedly.

0:00:34.932,0:00:38.058
(Laughter)

0:00:38.082,0:00:40.900
Those trying to have good careers[br]are going to fail,

0:00:40.924,0:00:43.844
because, really, good jobs[br]are now disappearing.

0:00:44.297,0:00:47.634
There are great jobs and great careers,

0:00:47.658,0:00:50.290
and then there are the high-workload,

0:00:50.314,0:00:54.790
high-stress, bloodsucking,[br]soul-destroying kinds of jobs,

0:00:54.814,0:00:56.515
and practically nothing in-between.

0:00:56.539,0:00:58.940
So people looking for good jobs[br]are going to fail.

0:00:58.964,0:01:02.146
I want to talk about those[br]looking for great jobs, great careers,

0:01:02.170,0:01:05.026
and why you're going to fail.

0:01:05.937,0:01:11.899
First reason is that no matter[br]how many times people tell you,

0:01:11.923,0:01:15.153
"If you want a great career,[br]you have to pursue your passion,

0:01:15.177,0:01:18.422
you have to pursue your dreams,[br]you have to pursue

0:01:18.446,0:01:21.414
the greatest fascination in your life,"

0:01:21.438,0:01:24.693
you hear it again and again,[br]and then you decide not to do it.

0:01:24.717,0:01:28.041
It doesn't matter[br]how many times you download

0:01:28.065,0:01:32.240
Steven J.'s Stanford commencement address,

0:01:32.264,0:01:35.076
you still look at it[br]and decide not to do it.

0:01:35.100,0:01:37.790
I'm not quite sure[br]why you decide not to do it.

0:01:37.814,0:01:39.891
You're too lazy to do it. It's too hard.

0:01:39.915,0:01:42.782
You're afraid if you look[br]for your passion and don't find it,

0:01:42.806,0:01:45.536
you'll feel like you're an idiot,[br]so then you make excuses

0:01:45.560,0:01:48.282
about why you're not going[br]to look for your passion.

0:01:48.306,0:01:50.202
They are excuses, ladies and gentlemen.

0:01:50.226,0:01:52.401
We're going to go through[br]a whole long list --

0:01:52.425,0:01:56.691
your creativity in thinking of excuses[br]not to do what you really need to do

0:01:56.715,0:01:58.937
if you want to have a great career.

0:01:58.961,0:02:04.585
So, for example,[br]one of your great excuses is:

0:02:04.609,0:02:05.966
(Sigh)

0:02:05.990,0:02:09.745
"Well, great careers are[br]really and truly, for most people,

0:02:09.769,0:02:11.896
just a matter of luck.

0:02:11.920,0:02:14.992
So I'm going to stand around,[br]I'm going to try to be lucky,

0:02:15.016,0:02:17.262
and if I'm lucky,[br]I'll have a great career.

0:02:17.286,0:02:18.896
If not, I'll have a good career."

0:02:18.920,0:02:22.523
But a good career is an impossibility,[br]so that's not going to work.

0:02:22.547,0:02:24.198
Then, your other excuse is,

0:02:24.222,0:02:28.784
"Yes, there are special people[br]who pursue their passions,

0:02:28.808,0:02:30.142
but they are geniuses.

0:02:30.166,0:02:31.720
They are Steven J.

0:02:31.744,0:02:33.347
I'm not a genius.

0:02:33.371,0:02:35.978
When I was five, I thought I was a genius,

0:02:36.002,0:02:39.922
but my professors have beaten that idea[br]out of my head long since."

0:02:39.946,0:02:41.301
(Laughter)

0:02:41.325,0:02:45.817
"And now I know[br]I am completely competent."

0:02:45.841,0:02:48.523
Now, you see, if this was 1950,

0:02:48.547,0:02:51.563
being completely competent --

0:02:51.587,0:02:53.629
that would have given you a great career.

0:02:53.653,0:02:54.806
But guess what?

0:02:54.830,0:02:58.551
This is almost 2012,[br]and saying to the world,

0:02:58.575,0:03:01.890
"I am totally, completely competent,"

0:03:01.914,0:03:05.995
is damning yourself[br]with the faintest of praise.

0:03:06.424,0:03:08.392
And then, of course, another excuse:

0:03:08.416,0:03:11.972
"Well, I would do this,[br]I would do this, but, but --

0:03:11.996,0:03:15.503
well, after all, I'm not weird.

0:03:15.963,0:03:18.653
Everybody knows that people[br]who pursue their passions

0:03:18.677,0:03:20.080
are somewhat obsessive.

0:03:20.104,0:03:21.573
A little strange.

0:03:21.597,0:03:23.232
Hmm? Hmm? Okay?

0:03:23.256,0:03:26.478
You know, a fine line[br]between madness and genius.

0:03:26.502,0:03:30.787
"I'm not weird. I've read[br]Steven J.'s biography.

0:03:30.811,0:03:34.670
Oh my goodness --[br]I'm not that person. I am nice.

0:03:34.694,0:03:36.028
I am normal.

0:03:36.052,0:03:39.850
I'm a nice, normal person,[br]and nice, normal people --

0:03:41.003,0:03:42.550
don't have passion."

0:03:42.574,0:03:43.598
(Laughter)

0:03:43.622,0:03:46.123
"Ah, but I still want a great career.

0:03:46.147,0:03:48.076
I'm not prepared to pursue my passion,

0:03:48.100,0:03:49.631
so I know what I'm going to do,

0:03:49.655,0:03:51.519
because I have a solution.

0:03:51.543,0:03:52.995
I have a strategy.

0:03:53.019,0:03:55.433
It's the one Mommy[br]and Daddy told me about.

0:03:55.457,0:03:58.512
Mommy and Daddy told me[br]that if I worked hard,

0:03:58.536,0:04:00.290
I'd have a good career.

0:04:00.877,0:04:03.615
So, if you work hard[br]and have a good career,

0:04:03.639,0:04:05.647
if you work really, really, really hard,

0:04:05.671,0:04:06.992
you'll have a great career.

0:04:07.016,0:04:09.432
Doesn't that, like,[br]mathematically make sense?"

0:04:09.456,0:04:10.940
Hmm. Not.

0:04:10.964,0:04:13.429
But you've managed[br]to talk yourself into that.

0:04:13.453,0:04:15.529
You know what? Here's a little secret:

0:04:15.553,0:04:18.623
You want to work? You want to work[br]really, really, really hard?

0:04:18.647,0:04:20.100
You know what? You'll succeed.

0:04:20.124,0:04:22.030
The world will give you the opportunity

0:04:22.054,0:04:25.669
to work really, really,[br]really, really hard.

0:04:25.693,0:04:28.633
But, are you so sure

0:04:28.657,0:04:31.577
that that's going to give you[br]a great career,

0:04:31.601,0:04:34.419
when all the evidence is to the contrary?

0:04:34.443,0:04:39.946
So let's deal with those of you[br]who are trying to find your passion.

0:04:39.970,0:04:42.643
You actually understand[br]that you really had better do it,

0:04:42.667,0:04:43.993
never mind the excuses.

0:04:44.017,0:04:46.005
You're trying to find your passion --

0:04:46.658,0:04:47.659
(Sigh)

0:04:47.683,0:04:49.063
and you're so happy.

0:04:49.842,0:04:52.101
You found something you're interested in.

0:04:52.125,0:04:54.166
"I have an interest! I have an interest!"

0:04:54.190,0:04:55.348
You tell me.

0:04:55.372,0:04:58.395
You say, "I have an interest!"[br]I say, "That's wonderful!

0:04:58.419,0:05:00.666
And what are you trying to tell me?"

0:05:00.690,0:05:02.205
"Well, I have an interest."

0:05:02.229,0:05:03.789
I say, "Do you have passion?"

0:05:03.813,0:05:05.432
"I have an interest," you say.

0:05:06.022,0:05:07.744
"Your interest is compared to what?"

0:05:07.768,0:05:09.670
"Well, I'm interested in this."

0:05:10.879,0:05:13.977
"And what about the rest[br]of humanity's activities?"

0:05:14.001,0:05:15.796
"I'm not interested in them."

0:05:15.820,0:05:17.923
"You've looked at them all, have you?"

0:05:17.947,0:05:20.050
"No. Not exactly."

0:05:20.693,0:05:22.732
Passion is your greatest love.

0:05:23.327,0:05:25.581
Passion is the thing

0:05:25.605,0:05:30.625
that will help you create[br]the highest expression of your talent.

0:05:30.649,0:05:33.220
Passion, interest --[br]it's not the same thing.

0:05:33.244,0:05:35.775
Are you really going to go[br]to your sweetie and say,

0:05:35.799,0:05:38.658
"Marry me! You're interesting."

0:05:38.682,0:05:41.792
(Laughter)

0:05:41.816,0:05:43.752
Won't happen.

0:05:43.776,0:05:45.870
Won't happen, and you will die alone.

0:05:45.894,0:05:47.236
(Laughter)

0:05:47.260,0:05:48.545
What you want,

0:05:48.569,0:05:51.077
what you want, what you want,

0:05:51.101,0:05:52.489
is passion.

0:05:52.513,0:05:54.323
It is beyond interest.

0:05:54.347,0:05:57.973
You need 20 interests,[br]and then one of them,

0:05:57.997,0:05:59.743
one of them might grab you,

0:05:59.767,0:06:02.347
one of them might engage you[br]more than anything else,

0:06:02.371,0:06:04.965
and then you may have found[br]your greatest love,

0:06:04.989,0:06:09.180
in comparison to all the other things[br]that interest you,

0:06:09.204,0:06:10.921
and that's what passion is.

0:06:10.945,0:06:13.976
I have a friend, proposed to his sweetie.

0:06:14.000,0:06:16.839
He was an economically rational person.

0:06:17.315,0:06:19.909
He said to his sweetie, "Let us marry.

0:06:21.355,0:06:23.601
Let us merge our interests."

0:06:23.625,0:06:25.497
(Laughter)

0:06:25.521,0:06:26.672
Yes, he did.

0:06:27.259,0:06:30.990
"I love you truly," he said.[br]"I love you deeply.

0:06:31.014,0:06:35.290
I love you more than any other woman[br]I've ever encountered.

0:06:35.314,0:06:39.867
I love you more than Mary,[br]Jane, Susie, Penelope,

0:06:39.891,0:06:41.907
Ingrid, Gertrude, Gretel --

0:06:41.931,0:06:44.383
I was on a German exchange program then.

0:06:44.407,0:06:47.446
I love you more than --"

0:06:47.470,0:06:49.019
All right.

0:06:49.043,0:06:50.424
She left the room

0:06:50.448,0:06:55.016
halfway through his enumeration[br]of his love for her.

0:06:55.820,0:06:59.952
After he got over his surprise[br]at being, you know, turned down,

0:06:59.976,0:07:03.721
he concluded he'd had a narrow escape

0:07:03.745,0:07:07.036
from marrying an irrational person.

0:07:07.512,0:07:10.901
Although, he did make a note to himself[br]that the next time he proposed,

0:07:10.925,0:07:12.584
it was perhaps not necessary

0:07:12.608,0:07:17.767
to enumerate all of the women[br]he had auditioned for the part.

0:07:17.791,0:07:19.882
(Laughter)

0:07:19.906,0:07:21.346
But the point stands.

0:07:21.370,0:07:25.011
You must look for alternatives[br]so that you find your destiny,

0:07:25.035,0:07:27.670
or are you afraid of the word "destiny"?

0:07:27.694,0:07:30.530
Does the word "destiny" scare you?

0:07:30.554,0:07:32.116
That's what we're talking about.

0:07:32.140,0:07:35.085
And if you don't find[br]the highest expression of your talent,

0:07:35.109,0:07:38.283
if you settle for "interesting,"[br]what the hell ever that means,

0:07:38.307,0:07:41.466
do you know what will happen[br]at the end of your long life?

0:07:41.490,0:07:44.704
Your friends and family will be[br]gathered in the cemetery,

0:07:44.728,0:07:48.220
and there beside your gravesite[br]will be a tombstone,

0:07:48.244,0:07:49.846
and inscribed on that tombstone

0:07:49.870,0:07:53.721
it will say, "Here lies[br]a distinguished engineer,

0:07:53.745,0:07:55.545
who invented Velcro."

0:07:58.505,0:08:02.474
But what that tombstone should have said,

0:08:02.498,0:08:05.172
in an alternative lifetime,

0:08:05.196,0:08:09.648
what it should have said if it was[br]your highest expression of talent,

0:08:09.672,0:08:14.224
was, "Here lies the last[br]Nobel Laureate in Physics,

0:08:14.248,0:08:17.589
who formulated[br]the Grand Unified Field Theory

0:08:17.613,0:08:21.016
and demonstrated[br]the practicality of warp drive."

0:08:21.602,0:08:23.781
(Laughter)

0:08:23.805,0:08:25.552
Velcro, indeed!

0:08:25.576,0:08:27.061
(Laughter)

0:08:28.686,0:08:30.519
One was a great career.

0:08:31.694,0:08:35.046
One was a missed opportunity.

0:08:35.652,0:08:38.042
But then, there are some of you who,

0:08:38.066,0:08:41.422
in spite of all these[br]excuses, you will find,

0:08:41.446,0:08:43.461
you will find your passion.

0:08:44.997,0:08:47.009
And you'll still fail.

0:08:48.176,0:08:51.043
You're going to fail, because --

0:08:52.041,0:08:54.619
because you're not going to do it,

0:08:54.643,0:08:58.627
because you will have[br]invented a new excuse,

0:08:58.651,0:09:02.428
any excuse to fail to take action,

0:09:02.452,0:09:06.546
and this excuse, I've heard so many times:

0:09:06.570,0:09:13.472
"Yes, I would pursue a great career,

0:09:13.496,0:09:20.233
but, I value human relationships --

0:09:20.257,0:09:21.258
(Laughter)

0:09:21.282,0:09:22.790
more than accomplishment.

0:09:23.394,0:09:25.752
I want to be a great friend.

0:09:25.776,0:09:28.020
I want to be a great spouse.

0:09:28.044,0:09:29.893
I want to be a great parent,

0:09:29.917,0:09:32.036
and I will not sacrifice them

0:09:32.060,0:09:35.050
on the altar of great accomplishment."

0:09:36.586,0:09:37.703
(Laughter)

0:09:37.727,0:09:39.227
What do you want me to say?

0:09:39.251,0:09:42.013
Now, do you really want[br]me to say now, tell you,

0:09:42.037,0:09:44.536
"Really, I swear I don't kick children."

0:09:44.560,0:09:46.513
(Laughter)

0:09:47.227,0:09:49.989
Look at the worldview[br]you've given yourself.

0:09:50.013,0:09:52.074
You're a hero no matter what.

0:09:53.420,0:09:56.222
And I, by suggesting ever so delicately

0:09:56.246,0:09:59.420
that you might want a great career,[br]must hate children.

0:09:59.444,0:10:01.453
I don't hate children. I don't kick them.

0:10:01.477,0:10:04.372
Yes, there was a little kid[br]wandering through this building

0:10:04.396,0:10:06.820
when I came here, and no,[br]I didn't kick him.

0:10:06.844,0:10:08.287
(Laughter)

0:10:08.311,0:10:11.423
Course, I had to tell him[br]the building was for adults only,

0:10:11.447,0:10:13.049
and to get out.

0:10:13.073,0:10:14.969
He mumbled something about his mother,

0:10:14.993,0:10:18.517
and I told him she'd probably[br]find him outside anyway.

0:10:18.541,0:10:21.225
Last time I saw him,[br]he was on the stairs crying.

0:10:21.249,0:10:22.337
(Laughter)

0:10:22.361,0:10:23.518
What a wimp.

0:10:23.542,0:10:24.549
(Laughter)

0:10:24.573,0:10:27.165
But what do you mean?[br]That's what you expect me to say.

0:10:27.189,0:10:29.166
Do you really think it's appropriate

0:10:29.190,0:10:35.803
that you should actually take[br]children and use them as a shield?

0:10:35.827,0:10:38.041
You know what will happen someday,

0:10:38.065,0:10:41.064
you ideal parent, you?

0:10:42.071,0:10:45.088
The kid will come to you someday and say,

0:10:45.112,0:10:47.524
"I know what I want to be.

0:10:47.548,0:10:49.563
I know what I'm going to do with my life."

0:10:49.587,0:10:50.762
You are so happy.

0:10:50.786,0:10:53.008
It's the conversation[br]a parent wants to hear,

0:10:53.032,0:10:54.889
because your kid's good in math,

0:10:54.913,0:10:57.706
and you know you're going to like[br]what comes next.

0:10:57.730,0:10:59.188
Says your kid,

0:10:59.212,0:11:02.615
"I have decided I want to be a magician.

0:11:02.639,0:11:05.760
I want to perform[br]magic tricks on the stage."

0:11:07.322,0:11:08.759
(Laughter)

0:11:08.783,0:11:10.347
And what do you say?

0:11:11.156,0:11:13.631
You say, you say,

0:11:13.655,0:11:16.978
"That's risky, kid.

0:11:17.002,0:11:19.801
Might fail, kid. Don't make[br]a lot of money at that, kid.

0:11:19.825,0:11:22.793
I don't know, kid, you should[br]think about that again, kid.

0:11:22.817,0:11:24.792
You're so good at math, why don't you --"

0:11:24.816,0:11:26.350
The kid interrupts you and says,

0:11:26.374,0:11:29.722
"But it is my dream.[br]It is my dream to do this."

0:11:30.286,0:11:32.311
And what are you going to say?

0:11:32.335,0:11:33.977
You know what you're going to say?

0:11:34.001,0:11:36.507
"Look kid. I had a dream once, too, but --

0:11:38.595,0:11:39.769
But --"

0:11:39.793,0:11:42.693
So how are you going to finish[br]the sentence with your "but"?

0:11:42.717,0:11:47.998
"But. I had a dream too, once,[br]kid, but I was afraid to pursue it."

0:11:48.781,0:11:51.360
Or are you going to tell him this:

0:11:51.384,0:11:53.036
"I had a dream once, kid.

0:11:55.161,0:11:56.703
But then, you were born."

0:11:56.727,0:11:59.037
(Laughter)

0:11:59.061,0:12:01.703
(Applause)

0:12:01.727,0:12:06.774
Do you really want to use your family,

0:12:06.798,0:12:11.345
do you really ever want to look[br]at your spouse and your kid,

0:12:11.369,0:12:12.918
and see your jailers?

0:12:14.601,0:12:18.212
There was something[br]you could have said to your kid,

0:12:18.236,0:12:20.926
when he or she said, "I have a dream."

0:12:22.012,0:12:23.948
You could have said --

0:12:23.972,0:12:27.993
looked the kid in the face and said,

0:12:28.017,0:12:29.799
"Go for it, kid!

0:12:31.162,0:12:32.866
Just like I did."

0:12:34.580,0:12:37.151
But you won't be able to say that,

0:12:37.175,0:12:38.833
because you didn't.

0:12:38.857,0:12:40.432
So you can't.

0:12:40.456,0:12:42.421
(Laughter)

0:12:45.086,0:12:48.253
And so the sins of the parents

0:12:48.277,0:12:50.404
are visited on the poor children.

0:12:52.277,0:12:57.800
Why will you seek refuge[br]in human relationships

0:12:57.824,0:13:03.753
as your excuse not to find[br]and pursue your passion?

0:13:04.530,0:13:05.815
You know why.

0:13:06.363,0:13:08.879
In your heart of hearts, you know why,

0:13:08.903,0:13:11.125
and I'm being deadly serious.

0:13:11.149,0:13:13.837
You know why you would get[br]all warm and fuzzy

0:13:13.861,0:13:16.756
and wrap yourself[br]up in human relationships.

0:13:17.543,0:13:19.527
It is because you are --

0:13:20.969,0:13:22.302
you know what you are.

0:13:22.761,0:13:25.702
You're afraid to pursue your passion.

0:13:26.180,0:13:28.212
You're afraid to look ridiculous.

0:13:28.236,0:13:29.744
You're afraid to try.

0:13:29.768,0:13:31.575
You're afraid you may fail.

0:13:35.043,0:13:41.218
Great friend, great spouse,[br]great parent, great career.

0:13:42.083,0:13:45.232
Is that not a package?[br]Is that not who you are?

0:13:46.253,0:13:48.122
How can you be one without the other?

0:13:49.412,0:13:51.031
But you're afraid.

0:13:52.166,0:13:57.020
And that's why you're not[br]going to have a great career.

0:13:59.401,0:14:01.768
Unless --

0:14:01.792,0:14:06.979
"unless," that most evocative[br]of all English words --

0:14:07.003,0:14:08.466
"unless."

0:14:09.371,0:14:13.804
But the "unless" word is also attached

0:14:13.828,0:14:18.780
to that other, most terrifying phrase,

0:14:18.804,0:14:20.693
"If only I had ..."

0:14:21.463,0:14:24.167
"If only I had ..."

0:14:24.191,0:14:29.437
If you ever have that thought[br]ricocheting in your brain,

0:14:29.461,0:14:31.818
it will hurt a lot.

0:14:33.007,0:14:35.635
So, those are the many reasons

0:14:35.659,0:14:37.635
why you are going to fail

0:14:37.659,0:14:39.301
to have a great career.

0:14:41.198,0:14:42.590
Unless --

0:14:46.698,0:14:47.857
Unless.

0:14:49.912,0:14:51.064
Thank you.

0:14:51.088,0:14:54.025
(Applause)