one sentence on how to change the world…
The one sentence summary on how to change the world, according to Larry Page, Google co-founder is:
Always Work Hard On Something Uncomfortably Exciting.
While channel surfing, I came across Larry’s commencement speech at University of Michigan. I’ve read about him, but never heard him speak. If you have about 15 minutes, it’s funny, touching, ripe with inspiring quotes, and his inflection grows on you as you listen. It’s definitely a hearty dose of optimism and positivity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFb2rvmrahc
If you don’t have 15 minutes, here’s a handful of my favorite quotes (not necessarily in order) from his speech:
Page always remembered the LeaderSHAPE program’s motto of have “healthy disregard for the impossible.”
“You never lose a dream, it just incubates as a hobby.”
(The idea that led to Google as we now know it, began as a dream that woke him up, and thankfully he got out of bed to jot it down before it would be inevitably forgotten at sunrise!)
“I think it’s easier to make progress on mega ambitious dreams. I know that sounds nuts, but since no one else is crazy enough to do it, you have little competition. And so few people are crazy, I feel like I know them all by first name…”
The Best People Want To Work on the Best Challenges.
..He goes on to say that is what happened at Google.
“We almost didn’t found Google, because my partner Sergey and I were too worried about dropping out of the phD program.”
“We maxed out 3 credit cards buying hard drives off the back of a truck. That was actually the first hardware for Google… “
(It’s pretty cool to imagine the humble origins of one of the world’s coolest brands. When Larry said that, it took me a moment to put Google into perspective. We depend on it so much and it has grown so huge, and I don’t think I had ever stopped to think about how it started out as a small, crazy-sounding idea (download the web and save the links), that many probably doubted, but Larry and Sergey knew to stick it out despite it all. And now, I see things written like imagine back to Life BG, short for Life Before Google. Awesome.)
[Graduates] “Don’t ever forget that invincible feeling you have right now.”
“I know it sounds like the world is crumbling,
but now’s a great time in your life to get a little crazy,
follow your curiosity, and be ambitious about it.
Don’t give up on your dream.
The World needs you all.”
Write What You Know 