And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.
Genuine
Yes. In Commencement address at Stanford University (2005), Second story, “love and loss”, final paragraph.
Checked against Steve Jobs, commencement address at Stanford University, 12 June 2005; published transcript in Make Something Wonderful, Steve Jobs Archive, section “Commencement Address at Stanford University”, in a full-text transcription.
- Work
- Commencement address at Stanford University, 2005
- Where
- Second story, “love and loss”, final paragraph
- Source
- Steve Jobs, commencement address at Stanford University, 12 June 2005; published transcript in Make Something Wonderful, Steve Jobs Archive, section “Commencement Address at Stanford University”
- Checked
- In a full-text transcription
Researched by AI. Entry updated 24 October 2026. Editorial review: pending. How we check
About this quote
The scene
In his second story to the Stanford graduates, Jobs describes being removed from Apple, feeling publicly defeated, and discovering that he still loved his work. He recounts starting again with NeXT and Pixar and returning to Apple. This advice comes at the end of that story, followed by an appeal to keep looking rather than settle.
What it means
Love for the work itself is, in Jobs’s account, necessary for doing work one regards as great and for continuing after failure.
Often misread
It is not a promise that any enjoyable activity will make someone successful. His example includes rejection and rebuilding; loving the work is presented as necessary, not as a sufficient guarantee.
Topics
Related quotes
- Play long-term games with long-term people. (paraphrase) Naval Ravikant
- Be the change you wish to see in the world. (misattributed) Mahatma Gandhi
- Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. Dr. Seuss
- Escape competition through authenticity. Naval Ravikant
- When you know better, you do better. Maya Angelou
Sources
Cite it
Steve Jobs, Commencement address at Stanford University (2005), Second story, “love and loss”, final paragraph. Checked at Quotogeny, https://quotogeny.com/q/the-only-way-to-do-great-work/ (24 October 2026).
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Checked by people
People who checked this entry against its source, under their own names. Their checks do not change the verdict: an editor reviews every entry.
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