"Steve Jobs, the iconic leader of Apple, has logged out", proclaimed the headlines on almost all news portals and newspapers, the world over, despite more pressing events like Hurricane Irene, the issues in Libya and Syria, and even our very own 'War against Corruption', here in India. Such has been the influence of this individual in his long and illustrious career that he is undoubtedly an 'iCon' to many.From the early years, he has always demonstrated his ability to 'Think different', and this has probably been a source of inspiration to many in the world, who are fans and followers of not only the Apple brand, but the current generation that has taken a huge following of the hugely successful and truly disruptive influences of this age - iTunes, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad!
Steve Jobs has provided inspiration in almost everything he has said and done. Here is a listing of what I found as his most inspirational quotes (and more):
1. Steve Jobs' 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University: “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish” (Watch this great video here)
2. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And, the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
3. “No one wants to die. 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.”
4. “Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works. The design of the Mac wasn’t what it looked like, although that was part of it. Primarily, it was how it worked. To design something really well, you have to get it. You have to really grok what it’s all about. It takes a passionate commitment to really thoroughly understand something, chew it up, not just quickly swallow it. Most people don’t take the time to do that...”
5. “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.”
6. “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
7. “When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."
8. “I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.”
9. “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”
10. There's many more, but I think, even his style of resignation stands out: “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come...” - Jobs, August 25, 2011.
