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April 21,
2003, Vol. 73, No. 13S
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| THINK3 CEO WILL MAKE YOU THINK:
Joe Costello will give a talk April 30 on how to “make the
most of what you’ve got” and will share his personal
lessons on success. |
think3 CEO
Joe Costello shares secrets of success in Berkeley talk
Silicon Valley CEO Joe Costello sounds more like an Eastern philosopher
than a successful high tech entrepreneur when he speaks about success.
The secret, he says, is self-reflection.
On April 30 Costello will share his personal lessons and explain how
to “make the most of what you’ve got” during a 3:30
p.m. talk in Sibley Auditorium.
Costello’s life was changed by a day at the beach. He told his
girlfriend at the time about the work he did in Silicon Valley while
on leave from his Berkeley Ph.D. studies in physics. She told him he
sounded more excited about Silicon Valley than his Ph.D. “I got
very angry at her. I wanted to be a professor and she was telling me
I wasn’t excited about my work?” recalls Costello.
After reflecting on his overreaction, Costello realized that physics
was not his true passion. He left his Ph.D. program to pursue a career
in high tech.
“Everyday experiences can teach you important lessons. If you
reflect on those lessons you have the opportunity for vast self-improvement,”
he says.
Costello’s successful career included starting Cadence Design
Systems and he is currently the CEO of think3, a company that produces
computer-aided design programs.
“Following your heart and passion will help you reap the most
rewards. You can’t be concerned with what other people think because
the world will always try to get you to conform. Doing your thing, along
with self-discipline and confidence, will let you generate the greatest
things for yourself and the world,” Costello adds.
Costello’s no fear attitude has allowed him to take risks. “If
you reflect on your fears, you realize that they are all inside you
and not caused by something external. When you realize that, you find
that your fear is easily evaporated,” he says.
There’s no reason to be afraid of making mistakes, says Costello,
who sees each stumble as an opportunity to reflect and learn something.
The underlying key to success, according to Costello, is self-reflection
and self-confidence. “Confident people are people who have really
reflected on themselves, who are open to learning, who don’t have
to be right all the time, and who don’t fear being honest and
sharing bad news. Confidence and self-reflection are qualities that
make good team players, and many other good qualities flow from them,”
he says.
Although Costello doesn’t often give public talks, he is speaking
at Berkeley by popular demand after a rousing speech given at last year’s
Berkeley in Silicon Valley. Costello’s funny stories and animated,
down-to-earth style has made him a favorite with audiences.
The reason Costello’s talks remain so fresh and exciting is that
he often decides what he will say an hour beforehand.
As a pre-talk teaser Costello promises to tell his hang gliding story
and offers this enthusiastic and ambitious mission statement.
“ I want to infect students with personal stories that will cause
self-reflection and help them change their lives,” he says.
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