I had somehow not managed to listen to the late Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement speech before, but as it's been circulating again right after the man's death (RIP), I thought I would do that finally. He said a number of good things, but one point he made stuck with me. Paraphrasing, he said that the important thing to him wasn't the money he made; rather, it was making something better for our children.
As it happens, I don't have children of my own, nor am likely to any time soon – but I both am a teacher and have three younger siblings, and so it still resonates with me. And not only in the realm of private activity: I thought almost immediately that this would be a great measure for almost any political proposal as well: will it make the world a better place in 20 years? 25? 50? Too often political – and business – decisions are merely made on the basis of, "What can this do for me, right now?"
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