In a 2024 commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania, Ternus told graduates to build things that interest and excite them, while making sure those things fit their values. John Ternus has spent much of his career working behind products that people use every day, dealing with the engineering decisions that determine how those products look, work and hold up over time. Now, as Apple’s chief executive, his words about building have a wider audience. The advice is straightforward, but the final part changes its meaning. It is not simply about finding enjoyable work or chasing an interesting idea. It asks people to think about what they are creating and whether it reflects the principles they want to stand behind. Coming from an engineer whose career has centred on designing and developing hardware, the choice of the word ‘build’ is particularly fitting.
The quote was delivered by Ternus during his 2024 commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania, where he had studied mechanical engineering. Apple announced in April 2026 that Cook would become executive chairman and Ternus would become CEO on September 1, 2026. “Build what interests you, build what excites you , but above all else, build it in a way that aligns with your values. The first part of Ternus’s advice is about curiosity. People tend to spend a great deal of their working lives on a relatively small number of subjects, so having a genuine interest in the problem can make a difference. Excitement adds something slightly different. Being interested in a subject does not necessarily mean finding every part of the work enjoyable. Difficult projects can involve repetition, setbacks and long stretches when progress is hard to see. Ternus’s point is not that work should always be fun. It is that there should be something about the work that keeps a person engaged with it. Then comes the qualification: values come first. That shifts the quote away from simple career advice. A project can be technically impressive or personally exciting and still not be something a person wants to help create. Values provide the boundary around the other two ideas. Ternus’s own professional background makes the language of building especially appropriate. His appointment followed years of increasing responsibility within the company.
He joined Apple in 2001, initially working within the company’s product design organisation. Apple says Ternus became vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013 and joined the company’s executive team in 2021. His rise was therefore closely tied to the technical side of the company rather than following a conventional route through finance or sales. He therefore took over after more than two decades at Apple, much of that time spent working on hardware.
The third question is the one that prevents the advice from becoming another version of “follow your passion”. There is also an important implication in the word “build”. He studied mechanical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania before beginning his career at Virtual Research Systems. Over the years, his responsibilities expanded across hardware engineering and some of Apple’s most recognisable products. Ternus eventually became senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, overseeing the teams responsible for Apple’s hardware development. That role placed him close to the practical process of turning ideas into finished products. Hardware engineering involves far more than the appearance of a device. Materials, reliability, manufacturing, durability and the interaction between different components all have to work together. The position also meant working across several product categories at once. A decision that makes sense for one device may not necessarily work for another. Engineering teams have to balance performance, size, cost, manufacturing constraints and the experience of the person using the finished product. The transition also meant that an engineer with extensive experience in product development moved into the role responsible for the company as a whole. Ternus’s quote can be read as a simple three-question test. First, does the subject genuinely interest you? Second, is there something about the work that excites you enough to keep learning and improving? Third, does what you are building fit with your values? Interest can tell someone where to look. Excitement can help sustain attention. Values can help determine where the line should be drawn. A finished product is usually the visible result of many versions that never reached the public. Ideas are tested, changed, rejected and rebuilt. The same can happen with a career. Ternus’s own path at Apple was not a single leap from engineer to chief executive. He moved through different positions and took on broader responsibilities over many years. That makes the quote less about finding one perfect project and more about deciding what is worth continuing to work on. Sometimes the first version is wrong. That does not necessarily mean the entire idea has failed. It may simply need to be rebuilt. Let curiosity guide your direction Choose something that keeps you engaged Do not follow passion blindly Keep your values involved in your decisions Think beyond the finished result Know what is worth your effort Balance ambition with principles Build something you can stand behind Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.