Connecting the Dots - Steve Jobs

This is the video and transcript of a story from Steve Jobs' life that he shares with the students of Stanford.

"I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

Inspiring Quotes from Einstein

"The only source of knowledge is experience.”

“Information is not knowledge.”

“Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.”

“Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work…”

The only sure way to avoid making mistakes is to have no new ideas.”

“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.”

“Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible”

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

“Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.”

Do You Have Psychopathic Tendencies?

No offence intended with the title.

This is a cool psychological experiment that I came to know about.

Answer the following question honestly. Honesty is the only thing that matters, no one other than you is going to know your answer.

The Hypothetical Scenario:

Its your mother's funeral. You see a very attractive person there. Before you actually get a chance to talk to that person, he/she leaves. Later that night you murder your sibling.

The Question:

Why did you murder your sibling?

The Answer:

The Cockroach Theory: Reaction vs Response

At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady. She started screaming out of fear. With a panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.

Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.

The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but …it landed on another lady in the group.

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.

The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.
In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.

The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt.
When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior?
If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?
He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.

A Poor Millionaire

A Father took his son to a village to show what poverty is all about :

After the trip, he asked his son about poverty...

The son replied :

We live as a nucleated family, they live in big extended families...

We have only 1 dog, they have a farm full of animals...

We have a small pool, they have a long river...

We've lamps, they have stars...

We've a small piece of land, they have large fields...

We buy food, they grow theirs & eat fresh...

They have many friends to play, we have less friends & no time to meet them, so we have to play with Computers & PS2...

Their fathers have time for their children & our fathers don't...

They have happiness, we have money...

Understanding Value

Once upon a time in a small town in India a well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a 500 Rupee note.

To the 200 people listening to him he asked "Who would like to have this 500 Rupee note?" 

Hands started to rise. Everyone wanted it. 

He said, "I am going to give this note to one of you but first let me do this." 

He then crumbled the note up. He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still all the hands were up in the air.

"Well", he replied. "What if I do this?" and he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it to the floor with his shoe. He picked up the note now all crumbled and filthy, and asked again "Who still wants this?

The Ghost Tracks of San Antonio

In the 1930's, in an intersection of railway track and road a train crashed into a school bus killing everyone on board. It is believed till day that the ghosts of the victims of the tragedy lurk around the place.

The Creepy Stuff people have experienced.

There have been several reports of hearing children's cries, feeling their car get rocked etc, but the most unbelievable thing about the place is that if you park your car near the railway crossing put it in neutral some kind of force pushes the car uphill and off from the railroad. The legend is that it is the ghosts of the children from the crash who are trying to save you from their fate.

Have a look at the video to see it for yourself.