Google Founder's Inspirational Speech

Google co-founder Larry Page delivered the Spring 2009 commencement address at the University of Michigan yesterday, the same university at which he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering. Page used the opportunity to tell the story of his success, along with that of Google itself.

I have a story about following dreams. Or maybe more accurately, it’s a story about finding a path to make those dreams real.When I was here at Michigan, I had actually been taught how to make dreams real! I know it sounds funny, but that is what I learned in a summer camp converted into a training program called Leadershape. Their slogan is to have a “healthy disregard for the impossible"

The most interesting part for me was this

I think it is often easier to make progress on mega-ambitious dreams. I know that sounds completely nuts. But, since no one else is crazy enough to do it, you have little competition. The best people want to work the big challenges. That is what happened with Google. Our mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. How can that not get you excited? But we almost didn’t start Google because my co-founder Sergey and I were too worried about dropping out of our Ph.D. program. You are probably on the right track if you feel like a sidewalk worm during a rainstorm! That is about how we felt after we maxed out three credit cards buying hard disks off the back of a truck. That was the first hardware for Google. Parents and friends: more credit cards always help. What is the one sentence summary of how you change the world? Always work hard on something uncomfortably exciting!

Here is the video of the speech