If you haven’t yet seen the 2017 Harvard commencement speech given by Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, it is worth a listen. During the commencement, Zuckerberg implores the class of 2017 to not just find their purpose, but to create a world where everyone has a sense of purpose. Zuckerberg illustrates this by sharing the story of a NASA janitor in 1962. As the janitor swept the floor, President John F. Kennedy approached him and asked, “What are you doing?” The janitor looked up from his sweeping and said, “Well, Mr. President. I am helping to put a man on the moon.”
Zuckerberg says that when he was initially building Facebook, he felt excited to connect the Harvard community. He recognized that the desire for interconnection is innate to all humans. He knew that one day someone would connect the whole world. But he always thought someone else was going to do it. What he didn’t realize was that someone would be him.
It is amazing to think that a seed of an idea grew to become an enterprise that changed the way the world connects. It’s about a higher purpose and enhancing the way we learn and interact with one another. Through it all, Zuckerberg learned the importance of sharing his purpose with others. Never underestimate the importance of small actions and working together towards the greater good.
About Christopher Jones
Christopher Jones is the Founder and President of Sparrow Wealth Management, a fee-only financial planning and investment management firm. Before entering the investment field, Chris was a management consultant for Deloitte Monitor. He graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in Economics and a minor in Business Management.
