I don’t know what Apple CEO Steve Jobs thinks of Ayn Rand, or if he’s even read the novels, but he is an inspiring visionary in many ways, and recently gave a commencement speech at Stanford that’s worth reading.
Here’s an excerpt, after his harrowing tale of getting kicked out of his own company, starting other companies, and eventually finding himself back at the helm of Apple:
I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. 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. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.
See the full speech for more.