Remembering Steve Jobs : February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011
Just like you, I woke this morning to the news that Steve Jobs had died.
What to say? The man was an icon, an innovator, a bit of an oddity, a creator, a world changer, an inspiration.
More than that I cannot say. I confess to knowing very little about Jobs other than his role with Apple. But I suppose few who loved him, looked up to him, were inspired by him, actually knew him all that personally.
There is no denying that he was an amazing man and changed the way the world thinks – and that’s quite a task.
I’ve already read half a dozen blogs around his achievements, the difference he made, and how missed he will be – all far more eloquent and knowledgeable than I can manage. So I’d like to offer something a little different.
Let’s honour Steve Jobs by watching for and being excited by what comes next….
He set the stage, he built amazing foundations, he cleared a path and inspired some amazing entrepreneurs and thought-leaders. And now that he is gone there is the space and room for some of these to truly climb on his shoulders and do amazing things. Amazing things we cannot even begin to imagine.
Steve Jobs’ legacy is not just what he created and what new versions of what he created follow him. His legacy is not just the millions inspired by his words and achievements. His legacy is also what comes after him. Who comes after him. And how they change the world.
“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.
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
……..Update: since writing this blog I have done a second blog on the topic which offers a bit of a different perspective on Steve Jobs and how we remember him. If you want to check it out it’s here – ‘Steve Jobs: was he really that great?’
