What I learned from Steve Jobs

Build things simply so people can live their lives better.

Build.  It's human nature to be productive.  You will find joy in constructing things.  Most importantly, you have to finish and present your creations for them to be appreciated.

Simply.  Simple means that it just works.  The fewer the clicks, adjustments, and other time-wasting annoyances, the higher the adoption rate.  And people find an intrinsic joy in design that gets them moving forward.

People.  The world is bigger than just you.  If you get more than just yourself interested in what you create, then you've got something.  They are validation that you are on the right path.

Live.  Steve's technologies allowed people to get past tons of settings and glitches so they could go out and live their lives.  

Better.  If we just stuck with the status quo, the pages of history books would be empty.  One of his more telling quotes is when he asked the CEO of Pepsi, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want to change the world?"

Before I understood what Steve Jobs was about, I was busy messing with difficult technology and other distractions, thinking I was getting somewhere.  Really, I was just getting more frustrated and wasting time.  When I saw the success of Apple with their simple designs and single-focused products, I finally gave in and tried it for myself.  I found technology that was the most simple way to get the job done and get on with living life.  It took Steve's success for me to realize this, and I owe much of my happiness to his vision.  

Most importantly, he was human, just like you or me.  We all have the potential to make such an impact in the world, so get out there and do it.

Comments

[Drewhbend]

so true