Steve Jobs- What Can We Learn?

I am a HUGE fan of Apple products and therefore of Steve Jobs. He changed the world in so many ways. He was a complex, intense guy who was absolutely brilliant in his design instincts.

He had a dramatic impact on the computer industry, music industry, and movie industry etc. He was an “out of the box” thinker passionate about his vision.

What are the positive “self improvement” clues we can learn from how Steve Jobs lived his life?

CLUE ONE: SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

Steve Jobs’ words: “That’s been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

Clue:  Simplicity is a zen concept. To Steve, simplicity had to do with design and the experience he provided with his products. Adapting the concept to our hectic American lives can mean a shift of our focus from not acquiring the latest electronics  (sorry Steve) to getting rid of the clutter in our homes to moving toward minimalism toy to simplifying our schedules. As you simplify life, it clarifies your thinking. Simplifying your life puts you back in the driver seat; you feel in control of your life again.I think simplicity is a powerful way to get laser focused. It helps us experience the world in a richer way.

CLUE TWO: TRUST YOUR GUT INSTINCT

Steve Jobs’ words: “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.” (From Steve Jobs Stanford- 2005 commencement speech).

Clue:  Trusting your gut instinct, trusting your own intuition to move forward is a critical part of personal development. If you have a strong gut instinct about something, it is often your unconscious signaling you to make a change. I have learned to listen to my “gut” or inner voice. It is your deeper wisdom. Steve trusted himself. His gut instincts led him to change the world. Trust yours and great things will happen.

CLUE THREE: DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT

Steve Jobs’ words: “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. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.

And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.” (From Steve Jobs Stanford- 2005 commencement speech).

Steve Jobs’ words: “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.” (from Steve Jobs Stanford- 2005 commencement speech).

Clue: It’s critical for your happiness to separate out what you want for yourself versus what your parent wants for you or your spouse, for example. Be true to yourself. Figure out a way to position yourself to do what you love. It will give you a sense of purpose and bring happiness to your life. If it is a difficult road or you need to retrain in a different area- just do it. It ill be worth it. Don’t live your life full of regrets.

Steve Jobs had vision and passion. He loved the pursuit of his dream. He was committed to simplicity in everything that he did. These 4 quotes represent how he approached the world.

If you follow the wisdom in these clues for your own personal development, you will live a happier and more fulfilling life.

Steve Jobs was a fantastic role model for being true to himself. Let his life inspire you to do the same.

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Resources- The 1st of the Steve Jobs quote is from BusinessWeek, May 25, 1998. The last 3 quotes are from Steve Jobs Stanford speech 2005.

Tags: personal development, steve job quote, Steve Jobs, steve jobs stanford