Steve Jobs: learning from a turning point
In his 2005 Stanford address, Jobs reflects on leaving college, being dismissed from Apple and continuing his work. Our question is how a person can preserve useful skills and interests while changing direction. Identify one decision he describes, then ask what information was available at the time and what other options might have existed.
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Write about a turning point of your own. Which abilities remain useful, who could help, and what small next step could you try without imitating his decision?
Elon Musk: turning ambition into a sequence
Tesla’s 2006 master plan describes a sequence from a sports car toward more affordable cars. The question to explore is how an early step can help make a later one possible. Examine the assumptions about customers, money and production before borrowing the idea for a small undertaking.
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Choose a goal of your own. Sketch three stages and write what each stage must provide for the next. Which assumption should you check first?
Jensen Huang: find a new direction after a setback
In his 2024 Caltech commencement address, Huang described how setbacks pushed NVIDIA to explore new areas, including robotics. He also encouraged graduates to devote themselves to a carefully considered idea. A useful study question is how to separate commitment to a purpose from commitment to one particular route. Look for the capabilities that remain useful when a plan changes.
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Think of a plan that stalled. Write down what you learned, what you can still use and one alternative worth investigating. What would you need to know before investing further?