喬布斯最經典演說親述抗癌歷程
蘋果「教主」喬布斯（Steve Jobs）今日病逝，他2005年於美國史丹福大學的畢業禮上演說，講及對生死的看法及親述抗癌歷程。
「當我17歲時，我讀到一則格言，好像是「如果把每一天都當成生命中的最後一天，總有一天你是對的。」這對我影響深遠，在過去33年裏，我每天早上都會照鏡子，自問：「如果今天是此生最後一日，我今天要幹些什麼？」每當我連續太多天都得到一個「沒事做」的答案時，我就知道我必須有所變革了。提醒自己快死了，是我在人生中做重大決定時，所用過最重要的工具。因為幾乎每件事－所有外界期望、所有名譽、所有對困窘或失敗的恐懼－在面對死亡時，都消失了，只有最重要的東西才會留下。提醒自己快死了，是我所知避免陷入擔心失去什麼陷阱裏的最好方法。人生不帶來，死不帶去，沒什麼道理不順心而為。
一年前，我被診斷出癌症。我在早上七點半作斷層掃描，在胰臟清楚出現一個腫瘤，我連胰臟是什麼都不知道。醫生告訴我，那幾乎可以確定是一種不治之症，我大概活不到三到六個月了。醫生建議我回家，把所有的事都安排妥當，這是醫生對臨終病人的標準建議。那代表你得試著在幾個月內把你將來十年想跟小孩講的話講完。那代表你得把每件事情搞定，儘量減輕家人的負擔。那代表你得跟人說再見了。
我整天想著那個診斷結果，那天晚上做了一次切片，從喉嚨伸入一個內視鏡，從胃進腸子，插了根針進胰臟，取了一些腫瘤細胞出來。我打了鎮靜劑，不醒人事，但是我太太在場。她後來跟我說，當醫生們用顯微鏡看過那些細胞後，他們都哭了，因為那是非常少見的一種胰臟癌，可以用手術治好。所以我接受了手術，康復了。
這是我最接近死亡的時候，我希望那會繼續是未來幾十年內最接近的一次。經歷此事後，我可以比之前死亡只是抽象概念時要更肯定告訴你們下面這些：
沒有人想死。即使那些想上天堂的人，也想活著上天堂。但是死亡是我們共有的目的地，沒有人逃得過。這是註定的，因為死亡簡直就是生命中最棒的發明，是生命變化的媒介，送走老人們，給新生代留下空間。現在你們是新生代，但是不久的將來，你們也會逐漸變老，被送出人生的舞臺。抱歉講得這麼戲劇化，但是這是真的。
你們的時間有限，所以不要浪費時間活在別人的生活裏。不要被信條所惑——盲從信條就是活在別人思考結果裏。不要讓別人的意見淹沒了你內在的心聲。最重要的，擁有跟隨內心與直覺的勇氣，你的內心與直覺多少已經知道你真正想要成為什麼樣的人。任何其他事物都是次要的。」
原文：
When I was 17,I read a quote that went something like:"If you live each day as if it was your last,someday you'll most certainly be right."It made an impression on me,and since then,for the past 33 years,I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself:"If today were the last day of my life,would I want to do what I am about to do today?"And whenever the answer has been"No"for too many days in a row,I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.Because almost everything- all external expectations,all pride,all fear of embarrassment or failure- these things just fall away in the face of death,leaving only what is truly important.Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.You are already naked.There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer.I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning,and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas.I didn't even know what a pancreas was.The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable,and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months.My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order,which is doctor's code for prepare to die.
I lived with that diagnosis all day.Later that evening I had a biopsy,where they stuck an endoscope down my throat,through my stomach and into my intestines,put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor.I was sedated,but my wife,who was there,told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery.I had the surgery and I'm fine now.
This was the closest I've been to facing death,and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades.Having lived through it,I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:
Your time is limited,so don't waste it living someone else's life.Don't be trapped by dogma- which is living with the results of other people's thinking.Don't let the noise of others'opinions drown out your own inner voice.And most important,have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.They somehow already know what you truly want to become.Everything else is secondary.
