By Lauryn Franzoni

Steve Jobs: Says loving what you do is the secret to success.

What qualities and talents drive achievement? One way to answer this question is to study the careers of extraordinarily successful people. Like Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs is the co-founder and CEO of Apple Computer and co-founder and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios. His current net worth exceeds $3 billion. Not too shabby for a college "dropout."

In June, Jobs explained his success with Stanford University graduates in his Commencement address. Jobs's secret: Look for work that you love.

Starting Out

After dropping out of college, Jobs stayed as a drop-in taking courses that interested him. In his address he noted that "much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on."

Apple Computer

Jobs also talked about love and loss, and how he discovered what he wanted to do in life at an early age. He was 20 years old when he and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer. In 10 years the venture grew into a $2 billion company with 4,000 employees.

Despite this success, the Apple Board of Directors fired Jobs when he was 30. Jobs commented, "What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating."

NeXT Software

With the realization that he still loved what he did, Jobs started over. He founded NeXT Software Inc. In 1997 the company was acquired by none other than the company that got him started, Apple Computer.

"I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple," Jobs said. "I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did."

Beating Cancer

Last year, Jobs was diagnosed with cancer. Jobs said doctors initially gave him six months to live. But Jobs's cancer turned out to be a rare, curable form. He underwent immediate surgery and has since recovered. But the experience taught him another lesson. "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life," Jobs said. "Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice."

The Lessons

The lessons Steve Jobs has learned in his remarkable career: Find what you love, don't lose faith, believe in yourself and live each day as if it were your last. "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

Read the full text of Steve Jobs Commencement Address at Stanford University.

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

A Parting Thought

To dream anything that you want to dream, that is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do, that is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself, to test your limits, that is the courage to succeed.

Bernard Edmonds

Wishing you career success!

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet
www.execunet.com.

WORKFORCE PROFILES

The 6 Segments of the Workforce

Continuing the theme of profiles, some of the country's top consultants recently teamed up to do a massive study of American workers of all ages, occupations and industries. Here are the six segments they broke the workforce into. Where do you fit in?

1. Self-Empowered Innovators (14 percent)

Hardworking, entrepeneurial, well educated and self-empowered. They want work that's stimulating and that serves a larger social purpose.

2. Fair & Square Traditionalists (20 percent)

Highly reliable and loyal with below average education and above average incomes. They work hard and expect to be paid for it.

3. Accomplished Contributors (17 percent)

Team players who work hard and have a very positive attitude toward their employers, colleagues and workplace. They want to learn and grow on the job.

4. Maverick Morphers (15 percent)

Salient characteristics are confidence, intellectual curiosity and high energy. These are the innovators who generally do best in smaller organizations.

5. Stalled Survivors (19 percent)

Stressed out. Want a good paycheck and a fun work environment for now but something more productive and successful down the road. This is the youngest group.

6. Demanding Disconnects (15 percent)

The least satisfied and productive segment. Want their employers to step up and provide extensive benefits but are willing to provide little energy or commitment in return.

Source: Joint Study by: Age Wave (www.agewave.com); Concours Group (www.concoursgroup.com); and Harris Interactive Inc. (www.harrisinteractive.com)

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