The Internet is still topsy over the death of Steve Jobs. The company he cofounded changed the way we view and use technology. I was never an Apple fan boy. In fact, I used to make fun of Apple products. The main reason for getting my fist Macbook was to remove the MacOS and replace it with Windows. However, I made the mistake of trying out MacOS for a week to see what the fuss was about. Now, all the computers in my house are Macs, I call up friends with an iPhone, play music with an iPod and travel with an iPad.
Steve was more than a great leader and visionary. He was also one of the greatest teachers. Anyone wishing to succeed can take the following lessons from Steve Jobs’ life.
Live Each Day Like It’s Your Last
They say a man only truly lives when he knows he’s about to die. Also, keep in mind the following: If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right. Steve’s Stanford Commencement Speech in 2005 pretty much summed it up.
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because 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.â€
Surround Yourself with Great People
While Apple is known for Steve Jobs, he did not build the company alone. Apple is made up of 1000’s of talented people. Steve’s genius was his ability to find these people and use them to the best of their abilities.
Many people are questioning if Apple will survive without Steve. If they truly know Steve Jobs, that questions wouldn’t even come up. Steve knew that Apple was not just him. Success is a team sport. A great leader is only as great as his supporting cast and thanks to Steve Jobs, Apple has one of the best supporting casts in the world.
You can not build an empire alone, and you shouldn’t even try. To reach the top of the success ladder, you will need help along the way. Don’t be afraid to ask for it.
It Doesn’t Matter What You Think!
One of my favorite WWE characters is The Rock. One of the things he used to do is ask an opponent what he thought of this or that, and when the person is to about answer, The Rock interrupts with, “It doesn’t matter what you think!”
Too many people live life based on what other people think. They’re concern over what their friends or neighbors will think of them if they downsize their home or buy a new car. To be truly free, you need to think for yourself.
Who would have thought a computer company could change the entire music industry, or the phone industry? When Steve introduced the iPad, most thought it was just a giant iPod and would never take off. When Steve came back to Apple, Michael Dell recommended he sell off the company and return the money to the shareholders.
Don’t live your life based on what others think. Live it based on what you think.
Find Your Passion
Steve was really good at what he did because he was really passionate about it. He lived and breathed Apple. He was Apple. It was this passion and drive that drove him to make Apple the most valuable company in the world.
No matter what it is you’re doing right now, if you’re not passionate about it, then it’s not worth doing. As Steve said, our time here is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
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.
