I have always thought different.  I have always been different.  I am the crazy one, the misfit, the rebel, even by Google standards.  Eric Schmidt half-jokingly wagged his finger at me and called me a “troublemaker”.

In retrospect, I think I have been so successful in my life because I thought so differently.  It has not been easy, however.  Thinking different means you never really fit in.  It means nobody can really understand you, ever.  It is very lonely here.  Once you are here, there are only two paths.  One is a slow, lonely path towards some form of self-destruction.  The other is to let go of your ego and dedicate whatever talents you may think you have towards the service of greater good.  I chose the second path.  I thank the Buddha everyday because his teachings gave me the capacity to make that choice.

Given this context, many years ago, I watched a “Think Different” TV ad commissioned by Steve Jobs which obviously reflected his own personality.  It touched and inspired me like no 60-second video ever did.

Here is the video and the text:

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

Thank you, Steve.  I’m sorry I missed the chance to meet you.  You will always be an inspiration and a hero, and this world will miss you very much.