“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.”

In 2005, Steve Jobs delivered a commencement speech at Stanford University. It’s a very thoughtful and inspiring speech.

To watch or read it in full, click here.

This quote is lifted from that speech, stating:

“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. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

In the speech, Jobs talks about his journey. He discusses the expectations that were placed on him and finding his own path. In addition, the fact that life is short is something that constantly played at the back of his mind. And he would ask himself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”

This is a question we can all ask ourselves from time to time to gauge our current path. For Jobs, if the answer to that question is no several days in a row, it would be an indication that something had to change.

This quote reminds us that our work is going to consume a large part of our life. At the same time, it reminds us that life is short. So finding what you love and doing that thing is not just a light suggestion. It means when you ask yourself the question Jobs asked himself, you answer yes more often than no.