“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
The first thing my husband told me on October 5 was that Steve Jobs died. His death struck a chord in hearts around the world, including mine. Gerald born in February 1955, too, is the same age. I am not far behind. For my generation of fifty-somethings, it is a reminder that we are infallible, even geniuses are mortal. It is wake up call to take action before its too late.
Breaking news bulletins across Europe reported his passing and offered tributes to the man whose remarkable innovations changed our lifestyle. His death caused reflection as we enter the digital age.
Steve Jobs name is synonymous with Apple. In 1976, he helped usher in the age of the personal computer by creating the Apple I and then II. Then he further revolutionized the industry with the introduction of the Macintosh.
You didn’t need to know anything about computers to navigate the Mac. The user friendly Macintosh was designed for computer illiterate, technologically disabled folks, like myself. I still struggle working the television remote control and turning on the stereo system.
He gave me and millions of other writers a voice. When the printed paper began to die out, digital communication took off and blogging was born.
Not only has Steve Jobs contributions to society improved our lives, his own story is inspires our soul. He defied the odds. Abandoned as a child, adopted by a family of modest means, he dropped out of college and started the Apple empire in his garage. The computer geek struck gold, becoming a multimillionaire before the age of 30. After being fired from his own company, he created successful ventures as NeXt and Pixar, then was rehired to turn Apple around and make it the most valuable business in the world.
His rags-to-riches, self-made man story, is the essence of the America Dream. His contributions are a tribute to the American spirit of discovery. As a visionary, he transformed the markets of computers, digital music and cell phones. He launched the first iPod, iPhone and iPad. As an innovator and entrepreneur, he found a new frontier and then shared it with the world.
His renegade life is a reminder for teachers to encourage students to think outside the box, to foster other pathways to success than traditional education, and to acknowledge that learning is a lifelong endeavor.
His life, cut short too soon, reminds each of us to seize the day. Dare to “think different.” iLove it!
I wanted to know more about Jobs and your post makes me even more curious. For example, I didn’t know he was abandoned, adopted, and rags-to-riches. That makes it even sweeter. But the comment about dogma being nothing more than the result of other peoples’ thinking? Priceless. Thank you, Pat.
Wish I had his computer savvy, my site has been down all week due to some quirky glitches somewhere. Grrrr!! So much of what Job’s advocated in his philosophy of life, you are promoting on your website Any Shiny Thing so as Kathy says, Write On.
Yes Pat, This man truly leaves an impact on all of our lives! His quote (above) reminds us we’re here only for a time and not to waste it living other people expectations.
He was what Langston Hughes referred to as “A Genius Child”
Oh yes, just the message you promote on your Authentic Woman site. I consider Langston Hughes a Genius Child too.
Pat, Tks for the great thoughts. I feel we have lost one of the brightest minds of our generation. Steve Job’s death and more importantly, how he lived, should inspire us to make each day count! To paraphrase Warren Zevon, “There’s a train leaving nightly for When All Is Said And Done and if you are not on it make this day count.
How true and you would certainly know for you, too, were a wizard in biz. May we never forget that life is fleeting, so seize the day!
What a rich post,Pat! I never knew these details about all the obstacles Steve had to overcome in his life but you have pulled it all together in this touching tribute. Perhaps his legacy is just as much about overcoming all those odds as it is about his lasting contributions to our world. Thanks for another enlightening and thought-provoking post from across the ocean. Love it! 🙂
Yes, his life as well as his work, was an inspiration. And how I long to have his savvy, I am having more & more technical difficulty with my blog site and the more I learn about social media, the more I realize I don’t have a clue!