SFM Blog
August 3, 2011
As I prepared to go on stage at the SFM Conference on October 6, my husband passed me his iPhone and told me, Steve Jobs died. I found myself stunned. (both by his passing and the fact that Greg felt it was the right time to let me know!) Although we all knew he was gravely ill, it still seemed to have an affect on me; similar to when John Lennon had passed. I didn’t know Steve Jobs personally, and I don’t even own an iPhone (I’m a crackberry girl) but he has had such an impact on all of our lives that I felt it was important to take a moment and remember what Steve Jobs brought to the world with these five important lessons.
We’re clueless. Set a goal and then take steps that align with this goal in order to achieve success. The problem is that most of us have no idea what our goal should be. But, as Apple’s college dropout proved, being clueless is a part of success. It’s okay to be clueless, because, in your search for answers, you will become inspired. The more you search for your goal, the more invested you are in that goal.
Goals evolve. When “the Steves” built today’s Apple, Inc., it was called Apple Computer, Inc. The goal was to create user-friendly computers. Over time, it became less about computers and more about software, devices and experiences. The better we are able to embrace, evolve and react to change, the more likely we are to continue to succeed.
Creativity is essential. Jobs created a culture of creativity within Apple that fostered the great minds that created the MacBook, iPod, iPhone and iPad and continues to push the cusp of consumer technology. Whether you’re pitching to a client, balancing a spreadsheet or hunting out that perfect product or service, creativity is essential because it puts you a half step in front of the competition.
Nothing is perfect. Not even Steve Jobs is perfect; his behavior got him fired from Apple in the 1980’s. Jobs got fired, the Wright Brothers crashed and NASA failed to get to the moon ten times. But out of failure comes growth, innovation and, ultimately, redemption. Nothing and no one is perfect and mistakes are bittersweet. Knowing that something is not perfect should only give us greater drive, greater vision and greater inspiration to improve. “Stay hungry. Stay foolish,” Jobs quoted. And that is exactly what he did.
Looking back, it all makes sense. Perhaps you’re unsure today, but taking part in and learning from new experiences today will shape your tomorrow. Dropping out of college and getting fired did not seem so great at the time, but, looking back, it defined Jobs’ career. Do not let today’s hurdles discourage you, for there will be a time when even the darkest of times becomes the greatest of influencers.
We can learn so much from the man that built America’s second largest company. He has inspired us in so many ways we do not even yet realize. As he so famously put in his 2005 Stanford commencement speech:
“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. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path. ” -- Steve Jobs
Thank you, Steve Jobs
Barbara Kane
President
