Ask HN: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

6 pointsjsmartonly14 comments

During commencement speech at Stanford University, Steve Jobs said "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." at the end of his speech.

What is meaning of "Foolish" here? My understanding is to stay humble. What do you think?

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I interpreted it as the literal term for foolish.

- Make mistakes, leap before you look, believe something crazy, etc.

I think of it as meaning "stay open to new ideas and experiences, and keep your preconceived notions at bay."

For me it means always ask questions. I originally felt the "fool" when I asked people to repeat really basic things that I didn't quite catch. But over time I've learned people's re-articulations and elaborations have been one of the best ways I've learned things and identified new areas.

FWIW he's quoting the final words of the Whole Earth Catalog.

Well, if you translate "foolish" for "humble", i myself believe it is "Stay Hungry, Stay fan of the Green Bay Packers"

I think by foolish he implies that all of us in this world were born naked. None of us are omniscient or above the other.

Here's a 1-minute interview which embodies the same message http://youtu.be/kYfNvmF0Bqw

Well, staying hungry obviously means to avoid satiation (as opposed to getting greedy). You always have something that you need that is some distance from you... on the other side of a wall.

Staying foolish means to run at that wall as fast and as hard as you can.

I understand it as if you stay hungry you are being foolish. If you are hungry eat.

So the way I see it as if you have an idea or something, go for it, cause if you are going to just stay with the craving of doing it, but never do, you are being foolish.

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few."

I interpret it as "unconventional". I think by "foolish", he means that what can appear very stupid could actually be brilliant. In other words, I think he's saying "Don't discredit something because everyone else is".

Continue to do what other may not understand....or follow your own path!

Stay hungry:be open to new things and don't stop learning through your life. Stay foolish: sometimes listen your heart, not always make decisions by using your logic, use your emotions.

Go for your ideas, see it for yourself, collect the experience. Even if others say it's stupid.

A sense of urgency, and a daring can-do-it attitude.

Set your ego aside and be willing to look like a fool. Kind of like the idea that "The only dumb question is the one you do not ask." I do not mind looking foolish or clueless. It really does make it easier to get things done of real importance.

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