Read Tim Cook’s memo to employees on Apple’s 50th anniversary

Today, Apple turns 50. It’s a landmark year for a landmark company. In addition to the various celebratory events around the world and an employee swag bag, Apple CEO Tim Cook is marking the occasion with a special memo to employees.

In it, he reflects on the humble beginnings of Apple, its phenomenal growth, and the opportunities in the future. Those hoping for some hint at future products or services, or a unique insight into the technology world of today, won’t find it in this memo, though he does offer his usual vague look at “opportunities ahead.” It’s a nice, if obvious, example of Apple’s trademark executive cheerleading.

Team,

Today officially marks Apple’s 50th anniversary. And as we’ve celebrated that milestone this month, l’ve been reflecting on some powerful words from Steve.

“When you grow up, you tend to get told that the world is the way it is,” he said. “But life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. You can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.”

This is the ethos that brought Apple into the world in 1976 – and for fifty years, it’s what has drawn the smartest, most passionate, most creative and most committed people to this company.

We come here to do the best work of our lives, and to reach beyond what any of us could do alone. To be part of a culture that asks us to stay curious, to collaborate deeply, to demand excellence of ourselves and the people around us, and to believe — genuinely believe — that we can do the impossible.

Across our teams and across generations, we’ve been united by a simple belief: the future isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you build. And it is staggering to think of everything we’ve built together.

Fifty years ago, there was a single computer prototype in a garage. Today, there are 2.5 billion active Apple devices in the hands of people in every corner of the earth — helping them create, communicate, learn and connect in ways that would have seemed unimaginable then.

It’s impossible to fully quantify the profound impact this company and its people have had on the world. And it’s a truly special thing to do what we do every day, knowing that our work is squarely focused on empowering people and enriching their lives.

Whether you joined this year or have been here for dozens of years, I hope you take a minute to reflect on how much your work means. Thank you.

Thank you for pushing yourselves further than you thought you could go. Thank you for believing in our mission and holding fast to our values. Thank you for dedicating yourself to something so much bigger than any one of us.

As extraordinary as it is to reflect on the past fifty years, what excites me most is what comes next. The opportunities ahead of us are among the greatest we have ever seen — and there’s no team in the world better positioned to meet them.

Thank you for everything and here’s to the next fifty years.

Tim