Some Thoughts of Steve Jobs

 

Steve Jobs was born February 24, 1955, to two University of Wisconsin graduate students who gave him up for adoption. Smart but directionless, Jobs experimented with different pursuits before starting Apple Computers with Stephen Wozniak in the Jobs' family garage. Apple's revolutionary products, which include the iPod, iPhone and iPad, are now seen as dictating the evolution of modern technology.  They are credited with revolutionising the computer industry by democratising the technology and making the machines smaller, cheaper, intuitive, user-friendly and accessible to everyday consumers.

At the time of his resignation, and again after his death, Jobs was widely described as a visionary, pioneer and genius in the fields of business, innovation, and product design, a man who had "profoundly" changed the face of the modern world and who had revolutionised at least six different industries. 

On October 5, 2011, Jobs died in California at age 56, seven years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The following quotation was sent to me by Byter Leo:

"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.  Everything else is secondary".

Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech, 2005

I looked up some other comments by Steve Jobs and came up with the following:

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.”

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

“Why join the navy if you can be a pirate?”

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

“Almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”