PEOPLE LOVE CHOPPING WOOD. IN THIS ACTIVITY ONE IMMEDIATELY SEES RESULTS. ALBERT EINSTEIN
STEVE JOBS
PEOPLE LOVE CHOPPING WOOD. IN THIS ACTIVITY ONE IMMEDIATELY SEES RESULTS. ALBERT EINSTEIN
STEVE JOBS
THE JOURNEY IS THE REWARD.
STEVE JOBS
THE ART OF BEING WISE IS THE ART OF KNOWING WHAT TO OVERLOOK. WILLIAM JAMES
STEVE JOBS
IF YOU ARE WORKING ON SOMETHING EXCITING THAT YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PUSHED, THE VISION PULLS YOU.
STEVE JOBS
PERFECTION IS ACHIEVED, NOT WHEN THERE IS NOTHING MORE TO ADD, BUT WHEN THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO TAKE AWAY. ANTOINE DE SAINT
STEVE JOBS
IT’S ONLY BY SAYING NO THAT YOU CAN CONCENTRATE ON THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
STEVE JOBS
CLUTTER AND CONFUSION ARE FAILURES OF DESIGN, NOT ATTRIBUTES OF INFORMATION. EDWARD TUFT
STEVE JOBS
IT IS NOT A DAILY INCREASE, BUT A DAILY DECREASE. HACK AWAY AT THE UNESSENTIAL. BRUCE LEE
STEVE JOBS
QUALITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN QUANTITY. ONE HOME RUN IS MUCH BETTER THAN TWO DOUBLES.
STEVE JOBS
WE HAD A FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF THAT DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME WAS GOING TO BE EASIER THAN HAVING TO GO BACK AND FIX IT. AND I CANNOT SAY STRONGLY ENOUGH THAT THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT ATTITUDE ARE STAGGERING. I’VE SEEN THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN THROUGHOUT MY BUSINESS LIFE.
STEVE JOBS
WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE THE FIRST TO THIS PARTY, BUT WE’RE GOING TO BE THE BEST.
STEVE JOBS
I AM SADDENED, NOT BY MICROSOFT SUCCESS, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THEIR SUCCESS, THEY’VE EARNED THEIR SUCCESS, FOR THE MOST PART. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE FACT THAT THEY JUST MAKE REALLY THIRD
STEVE JOBS
THEIR PRODUCTS HAVE NO SPIRIT OF ENLIGHTENMENT ABOUT THEM, THEY ARE VERY PEDESTRIAN. THE SAD PART IS THAT CUSTOMERS DON’T HAVE A LOT OF THAT SPIRIT EITHER, BUT THE WAY THAT WE’RE GOING TO RATCHET UP OUR SPECIES IS TO TAKE THE BEST AND TO SPREAD IT AROUND EVERYBODY SO THAT EVERYBODY GROWS UP WITH BETTER THINGS AND STARTS TO UNDERSTAND THE SUBTLETY OF THESE BETTER THINGS.
STEVE JOBS
LOOK AT THE DESIGN OF A LOT OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS – THEY’RE REALLY COMPLICATED SURFACES. WE TRIED TO MAKE SOMETHING MUCH MORE HOLISTIC AND SIMPLE.
STEVE JOBS
I WISH HIM THE BEST, I REALLY DO. I JUST THINK HE AND MICROSOFT ARE A BIT NARROW. HE’D BE A BROADER GUY IF HE HAD DROPPED ACID ONCE OR GONE OFF TO AN ASHRAM WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER.
STEVE JOBS
WHEN YOU FIRST START OFF TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, THE FIRST SOLUTIONS YOU COME UP WITH ARE VERY COMPLEX, AND MOST PEOPLE STOP THERE. BUT IF YOU KEEP GOING, AND LIVE WITH THE PROBLEM AND PEEL MORE LAYERS OF THE ONION OFF, YOU CAN OFTENTIMES ARRIVE AT SOME VERY ELEGANT AND SIMPLE SOLUTIONS. MOST PEOPLE JUST DON’T PUT IN THE TIME OR ENERGY TO GET THERE.
STEVE JOBS
THEIR PRODUCTS HAVE NO SPIRIT TO THEM.
STEVE JOBS
WE BELIEVE THAT CUSTOMERS ARE SMART AND WANT OBJECTS WHICH ARE WELL THOUGHT THROUGH.
STEVE JOBS
MICROSOFT HAS HAD TWO GOALS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. ONE WAS TO COPY THE MAC, AND THE OTHER WAS TO COPY LOTUS’ SUCCESS IN THE SPREADSHEET – BASICALLY, THE APPLICATIONS BUSINESS. AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 10 YEARS, MICROSOFT ACCOMPLISHED BOTH OF THOSE GOALS. AND NOW THEY ARE COMPLETELY LOST.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT I FOUND WHEN I GOT HERE WAS A ZILLION AND ONE PRODUCTS. IT WAS AMAZING. AND I STARTED TO ASK PEOPLE, NOW WHY WOULD I RECOMMEND A 3400 OVER A 4400? WHEN SHOULD SOMEBODY JUMP UP TO A 6500, BUT NOT A 7300? AND AFTER THREE WEEKS, I COULDN’T FIGURE THIS OUT. IF I COULDN’T FIGURE THIS OUT… HOW COULD OUR CUSTOMERS FIGURE THIS OUT?
STEVE JOBS
WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY, WITH OBJECTS, LITERALLY THREE PEOPLE IN A GARAGE CAN BLOW AWAY WHAT 200 PEOPLE AT MICROSOFT CAN DO.
STEVE JOBS
APPLE IS A $30 BILLION COMPANY, YET WE’VE GOT LESS THAN 30 MAJOR PRODUCTS. I DON’T KNOW IF THAT’S EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. CERTAINLY THE GREAT CONSUMER ELECTRONICS COMPANIES OF THE PAST HAD THOUSANDS OF PRODUCTS. WE TEND TO FOCUS MUCH MORE. PEOPLE THINK FOCUS MEANS SAYING YES TO THE THING YOU’VE GOT TO FOCUS ON. BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT IT MEANS AT ALL. IT MEANS SAYING NO TO THE HUNDRED OTHER GOOD IDEAS THAT THERE ARE. YOU HAVE TO PICK CAREFULLY.
STEVE JOBS
OUR FRIENDS UP NORTH SPEND OVER FIVE BILLION DOLLARS ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND ALL THEY SEEM TO DO IS COPY GOOGLE AND APPLE.
STEVE JOBS
WE’RE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT NEW MARKETS WE COULD ENTER, BUT IT’S ONLY BY SAYING NO THAT YOU CAN CONCENTRATE ON THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
STEVE JOBS
THERE’S LOTS OF WAYS TO BE AS A PERSON. AND SOME PEOPLE EXPRESS THEIR DEEP APPRECIATION IN DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I BELIEVE PEOPLE EXPRESS THEIR APPRECIATION TO THE REST OF HUMANITY IS TO MAKE SOMETHING WONDERFUL AND PUT IT OUT THERE. AND YOU NEVER MEET THE PEOPLE, YOU NEVER SHAKE THEIR HANDS, YOU NEVER HEAR THEIR STORY OR TELL YOURS, BUT SOMEHOW, IN THE ACT OF MAKING SOMETHING WITH A GREAT DEAL OF CARE AND LOVE, SOMETHING IS TRANSMITTED THERE. AND IT’S A WAY OF EXPRESSING TO THE REST OF OUR SPECIES OUR DEEP APPRECIATION. SO WE NEED TO BE TRUE TO WHO WE ARE, AND REMEMBER WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
STEVE JOBS
ANYWAY, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES, AND THE ONE I THINK JOHN SCULLEY AND I SHOULD BE JUDGED ON IN FIVE TO TEN YEARS, IS MAKING APPLE AN INCREDIBLY GREAT 10 OR 20 BILLION
STEVE JOBS
I HAVE TO TELL YOU THERE’S SOME STUFF IN OUR INDUSTRY THAT WE WOULDN’T BE PROUD TO SHIP, THAT WE WOULDN’T BE PROUD TO RECOMMEND TO OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. AND WE CAN’T DO IT, WE JUST CAN’T SHIP JUNK.
STEVE JOBS
IF YOU JUST SIT AND OBSERVE, YOU WILL SEE HOW RESTLESS YOUR MIND IS. IF YOU TRY TO CALM IT, IT ONLY MAKES IT WORSE, BUT OVER TIME IT DOES CALM, AND WHEN IT DOES, THERE’S ROOM TO HEAR MORE SUBTLE THINGS – THAT’S WHEN YOUR INTUITION STARTS TO BLOSSOM AND YOU START TO SEE THINGS MORE CLEARLY AND BE IN THE PRESENT MORE. YOUR MIND JUST SLOWS DOWN, AND YOU SEE A TREMENDOUS EXPANSE IN THE MOMENT. YOU SEE SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU COULD SEE BEFORE.
STEVE JOBS
IF APPLE BECOMES A PLACE WHERE COMPUTERS ARE A COMMODITY ITEM, WHERE THE ROMANCE IS DONE, AND WHERE PEOPLE FORGET THAT COMPUTERS ARE THE MOST INCREDIBLE INVENTION THAT MAN HAS EVER INVENTED, I’LL FEEL I HAVE LOST APPLE. BUT IF I’M A MILLION MILES AWAY, AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE STILL FEEL THOSE THINGS… THEN I WILL FEEL THAT MY GENES ARE STILL THERE.
STEVE JOBS
WE THINK THE MAC WILL SELL ZILLIONS, BUT WE DIDN’T BUILD THE MAC FOR ANYBODY ELSE. WE BUILT IT FOR OURSELVES.
STEVE JOBS
FOCUSING IS ABOUT SAYING NO.
STEVE JOBS
I DIDN’T SEE IT THEN, BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT GETTING FIRED FROM APPLE WAS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED TO ME. THE HEAVINESS OF BEING SUCCESSFUL WAS REPLACED BY THE LIGHTNESS OF BEING A BEGINNER AGAIN, LESS SURE ABOUT EVERYTHING. IT FREED ME TO ENTER ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE PERIODS OF MY LIFE.
STEVE JOBS
WE WERE THE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO JUDGE WHETHER IT WAS GREAT OR NOT. WE WEREN’T GOING TO GO OUT AND DO MARKET RESEARCH. WE JUST WANTED TO BUILD THE BEST THING WE COULD BUILD.
STEVE JOBS
JUST GET RID OF THE CRAPPY STUFF AND FOCUS ON THE GOOD STUFF.
STEVE JOBS
MUCH OF WHAT I STUMBLED INTO BY FOLLOWING MY CURIOSITY AND INTUITION TURNED OUT TO BE PRICELESS LATER ON.
STEVE JOBS
THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH MICROSOFT IS THEY JUST HAVE NO TASTE.
STEVE JOBS
WE TRY TO FOCUS AND DO VERY FEW THINGS WELL. AND FOCUSING IS HARD BECAUSE FOCUSING DOESN’T MEAN SAYING YES, IT MEANS SAYING NO. SO WE DECIDE NOT TO DO A LOT OF THINGS SO WE CAN FOCUS ON A HANDFUL OF THINGS AND DO THEM WELL.
STEVE JOBS
THE KEY THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT ME IS THAT I’M STILL A STUDENT. I’M STILL IN BOOT CAMP. IF ANYONE IS READING ANY OF MY THOUGHTS, I’D KEEP THAT IN MIND.
STEVE JOBS
THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO TASTE. AND I DON’T MEAN THAT IN A SMALL WAY, I MEAN THAT IN A BIG WAY, IN THE SENSE THAT THEY DON’T THINK OF ORIGINAL IDEAS, AND THEY DON’T BRING MUCH CULTURE INTO THEIR PRODUCTS.
STEVE JOBS
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.
STEVE JOBS
I THINK IF YOU DO SOMETHING AND IT TURNS OUT PRETTY GOOD, THEN YOU SHOULD GO DO SOMETHING ELSE WONDERFUL, NOT DWELL ON IT FOR TOO LONG. JUST FIGURE OUT WHAT’S NEXT.
STEVE JOBS
THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE I SEE HOW MUCH MOTIVATIONS MATTER. THE ZUNE WAS CRAPPY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE AT MICROSOFT DON’T REALLY LOVE MUSIC OR ART THE WAY WE DO. WE WON BECAUSE WE PERSONALLY LOVE MUSIC.
STEVE JOBS
I HAVE A VERY SIMPLE LIFE. I HAVE MY FAMILY AND I HAVE APPLE AND PIXAR. AND I DON’T DO MUCH ELSE.
STEVE JOBS
REED COLLEGE AT THAT TIME OFFERED PERHAPS THE BEST CALLIGRAPHY INSTRUCTION IN THE COUNTRY… I DECIDED TO TAKE A CALLIGRAPHY CLASS TO LEARN HOW TO DO THIS. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, HISTORICAL, ARTISTICALLY SUBTLE IN A WAY THAT SCIENCE CAN’T CAPTURE, AND I FOUND IT FASCINATING. NONE OF THIS HAD EVEN A HOPE OF ANY PRACTICAL APPLICATION IN MY LIFE. BUT TEN YEARS LATER, WHEN WE WERE DESIGNING THE FIRST MACINTOSH COMPUTER, IT ALL CAME BACK TO ME.
STEVE JOBS
I BOUGHT AN APARTMENT IN NEW YORK, BUT IT’S BECAUSE I LOVE THAT CITY. I’M TRYING TO EDUCATE MYSELF, BEING FROM A SMALL TOWN IN CALIFORNIA, NOT HAVING GROWN UP WITH THE SOPHISTICATION AND CULTURE OF A LARGE CITY. I CONSIDER IT PART OF MY EDUCATION.
STEVE JOBS
MY FAVORITE THINGS IN LIFE DON’T COST ANY MONEY.
STEVE JOBS
WE WANTED TO MORE RICHLY EXPERIENCE WHY WERE WE WERE ALIVE, NOT JUST MAKE A BETTER LIFE, AND SO PEOPLE WENT IN SEARCH OF THINGS. THE GREAT THING THAT CAME FROM THAT TIME WAS TO REALIZE THAT THERE WAS DEFINITELY MORE TO LIFE THAN THE MATERIALISM OF THE LATE 50’S AND EARLY SIXTIES. WE WERE GOING IN SEARCH OF SOMETHING DEEPER.
STEVE JOBS
I USED TO THINK THAT TECHNOLOGY COULD HELP EDUCATION. I’VE PROBABLY SPEARHEADED GIVING AWAY MORE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT TO SCHOOLS THAN ANYBODY ELSE ON THE PLANET. BUT I’VE HAD TO COME TO THE INEVITABLE CONCLUSION THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT ONE THAT TECHNOLOGY CAN HOPE TO SOLVE. WHAT’S WRONG WITH EDUCATION CANNOT BE FIXED WITH TECHNOLOGY. NO AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY WILL MAKE A DENT.
STEVE JOBS
WELL, MY FAVORITE THINGS IN LIFE ARE BOOKS, SUSHI AND… MY FAVORITE THINGS IN LIFE DON’T COST ANY MONEY. IT’S REALLY CLEAR THAT THE MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE WE ALL HAVE IS TIME. AS IT IS, I PAY A PRICE BY NOT HAVING MUCH OF A PERSONAL LIFE. I DON’T HAVE THE TIME TO PURSUE LOVE AFFAIRS OR TO TOUR SMALL TOWNS IN ITALY AND SIT IN CAFÉS AND EAT TOMATO
STEVE JOBS
ON WHY HE MADE EVERYBODY SIGN THE MAC CASES: BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED ON IT CONSIDER THEMSELVES AND I CERTAINLY CONSIDER THEM ARTISTS. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD BE PAINTERS AND POETS BUT BECAUSE OF THAT TIME THAT WE LIVE IN THIS NEW MEDIUM HAS APPEARED IN WHICH TO EXPRESS ONESELF TO ONE’S FELLOW SPECIES AND THAT’S A MEDIUM OF COMPUTING.
STEVE JOBS
BETWEEN MY SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR YEARS, I GOT STONED FOR THE FIRST TIME; I DISCOVERED SHAKESPEARE, DYLAN THOMAS, AND ALL THAT CLASSIC STUFF. I READ MOBY DICK AND WENT BACK AS A JUNIOR TAKING CREATIVE
STEVE JOBS
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS A PERSON. A PERSON WHO INCITES AND FEEDS YOUR CURIOSITY; AND MACHINES CANNOT DO THAT IN THE SAME WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN.
STEVE JOBS
I END UP NOT BUYING A LOT OF THINGS, BECAUSE I FIND THEM RIDICULOUS.
STEVE JOBS
HOW DO YOU KNOW THE DIRECTION TO HEAD WITH PRODUCTS? IT BOILS DOWN TO TASTE. EMERGE YOURSELF WITH THE BEST IDEAS FROM THE HUMANITIES. AND INTEGRATE THEM. PULL INTERESTS FROM DIVERSE AREAS.
STEVE JOBS
YOU COULD GET LSD FRESH MADE FROM STANFORD. YOU COULD SLEEP ON THE BEACH AT NIGHT WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND. CALIFORNIA HAS A SENSE OF EXPERIMENTATION AND A SENSE OF OPENNESS – OPENNESS TO NEW POSSIBILITIES.
STEVE JOBS
ONE OF THE SAINTS IN MY LIFE IS THIS WOMAN NAMED IMOGENE HILL, WHO WAS A FOURTH
STEVE JOBS
THE WAY WE’RE RUNNING THE COMPANY, THE PRODUCT DESIGN, THE ADVERTISING, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS: LET’S MAKE IT SIMPLE. REALLY SIMPLE.
STEVE JOBS
A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS HAVE GONE INTO THIS FIELD TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELING AND SO IT SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
STEVE JOBS
HUMAN MINDS SETTLE INTO FIXED WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD AND THAT’S ALWAYS BEEN TRUE AND IT’S PROBABLY ALWAYS GOING TO BE TRUE.
STEVE JOBS
I WAS PRETTY BORED IN SCHOOL, AND I TURNED INTO A LITTLE TERROR. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN US IN THIRD GRADE. WE BASICALLY DESTROYED OUR TEACHER. WE WOULD LET SNAKES LOOSE IN THE CLASSROOM AND EXPLODE BOMBS.
STEVE JOBS
THE FINEST DOZEN COMPUTER SCIENTISTS I KNOW ARE ALL MUSICIANS.
STEVE JOBS
THERE’S A PHRASE IN BUDDHISM, ‘BEGINNER’S MIND’. IT’S WONDERFUL TO HAVE A BEGINNER’S MIND.
STEVE JOBS
SCHOOL WAS PRETTY HARD FOR ME AT THE BEGINNING.
STEVE JOBS
THE KEY THING THAT COMES TRUE IS THAT THEY HAD A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES WHICH THEY COULD DRAW UPON, IN ORDER TO TRY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM OR TO ATTACK A PARTICULAR DILEMMA IN A KIND OF UNIQUE WAY.
STEVE JOBS
I’M COMPLETELY STUNNED. I’M 19 YEARS OLD, IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, UP IN THE HIMALAYAS, AND HERE IS THIS BIZARRE INDIAN BABA WHO HAS JUST DRAGGED ME AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE CROWD, SHAVING MY HEAD ATOP THIS MOUNTAIN PEAK. I’M STILL NOT SURE WHY HE DID IT.
STEVE JOBS
MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME HOW TO READ BEFORE I GOT TO SCHOOL AND SO WHEN I GOT THERE I REALLY JUST WANTED TO DO TWO THINGS. I WANTED TO READ BOOKS BECAUSE I LOVED READING BOOKS AND I WANTED TO GO OUTSIDE AND CHASE BUTTERFLIES. YOU KNOW, DO THE THINGS THAT FIVE
STEVE JOBS
LEONARDO DA VINCI WAS A GREAT ARTIST AND A GREAT SCIENTIST.
STEVE JOBS
THERE’S SOME STUFF IN OUR INDUSTRY THAT WE WOULDN’T BE PROUD TO SHIP.
STEVE JOBS
OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE GREAT CHALLENGES OF AN EDUCATION IS TO TEACH US HOW TO THINK. WHAT WE’RE FINDING IS THAT COMPUTERS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO AFFECT THE QUALITY OF THINKING AS MORE AND MORE OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE THESE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO THEM.
STEVE JOBS
MICHELANGELO KNEW A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT HOW TO CUT STONE AT THE QUARRY.
STEVE JOBS
THE LISA PEOPLE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING GREAT. AND THE MAC PEOPLE WANT TO DO SOMETHING INSANELY GREAT. THE DIFFERENCE SHOWS.
STEVE JOBS
I KNOW FROM MY OWN EDUCATION THAT IF I HADN’T ENCOUNTERED TWO OR THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT SPENT EXTRA TIME WITH ME, I’M SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL.
STEVE JOBS
THE FINEST DOZEN COMPUTER SCIENTISTS I KNOW ARE ALL MUSICIANS. SOME ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, BUT THEY ALL CONSIDER THAT AN IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR LIFE. I DON’T BELIEVE THAT THE BEST PEOPLE IN ANY OF THESE FIELDS SEE THEMSELVES AS ONE BRANCH OF A FORKED TREE. I JUST DON’T SEE THAT. PEOPLE BRING THESE THINGS TOGETHER A LOT.
STEVE JOBS
IF THEY ARE WORKING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EXCELLENCE IS EXPECTED, THEN THEY WILL DO EXCELLENT WORK WITHOUT ANYTHING BUT SELF
STEVE JOBS
WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG, A LITTLE BIT OF COURSE CORRECTION GOES A LONG WAY. I THINK IT TAKES PRETTY TALENTED PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
STEVE JOBS
MANY COMPANIES FORGET WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE GREAT PRODUCTS. AFTER INITIAL SUCCESS, SALES AND MARKETING PEOPLE TAKE OVER AND THE PRODUCT PEOPLE EVENTUALLY MAKE THEIR WAY OUT.
STEVE JOBS
YOU’VE GOT TO START WITH THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND WORK BACKWARD TO THE TECHNOLOGY.
STEVE JOBS
THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY. IF YOU ARE MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY, AS A SIDE EFFECT, THEY WILL BE HAPPY TO OPEN UP THEIR WALLETS AND PAY YOU. DEREK SIVERS
STEVE JOBS
WHEN YOU’RE A CARPENTER MAKING A BEAUTIFUL CHEST OF DRAWERS, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO USE A PIECE OF PLYWOOD ON THE BACK, EVEN THOUGH IT FACES THE WALL AND NOBODY WILL EVER SEE IT. YOU’LL KNOW IT’S THERE, SO YOU’RE GOING TO USE A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF WOOD ON THE BACK.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS REMOVE THE BARRIER OF HAVING TO LEARN HOW TO USE A COMPUTER.
STEVE JOBS
WE WANT TO STAND AT THE INTERSECTION OF COMPUTERS AND HUMANISM.
STEVE JOBS
I LOVE IT WHEN YOU CAN BRING REALLY GREAT DESIGN AND SIMPLE CAPABILITY TO SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T COST MUCH. IT WAS THE ORIGINAL VISION FOR APPLE. THAT’S WHAT WE TRIED TO DO WITH THE FIRST MAC. THAT’S WHAT WE DID WITH THE IPOD.
STEVE JOBS
THIS IS WHAT CUSTOMERS PAY US FOR – TO SWEAT ALL THESE DETAILS SO IT’S EASY AND PLEASANT FOR THEM TO USE OUR COMPUTERS. WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE REALLY GOOD AT THIS. THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE DON’T LISTEN TO CUSTOMERS.
STEVE JOBS
BESIDES DYLAN, I WAS INTERESTED IN EASTERN MYSTICISM, WHICH HIT THE SHORES AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
STEVE JOBS
IT TAKES A LOT OF HARD WORK TO MAKE SOMETHING SIMPLE, TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING CHALLENGES AND COME UP WITH ELEGANT SOLUTIONS.
STEVE JOBS
IT’S HARD FOR THEM TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THEY’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING REMOTELY LIKE IT. TAKE DESKTOP VIDEO EDITING. I NEVER GOT ONE REQUEST FROM SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO EDIT MOVIES ON HIS COMPUTER. YET NOW THAT PEOPLE SEE IT, THEY SAY, ‘OH MY GOD, THAT’S GREAT!’.
STEVE JOBS
WOZ AND I VERY MUCH LIKED BOB DYLAN’S POETRY, AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT A LOT OF THAT STUFF.
STEVE JOBS
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR INDUSTRY HAVEN’T HAD VERY DIVERSE EXPERIENCES. SO THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH DOTS TO CONNECT, AND THEY END UP WITH VERY LINEAR SOLUTIONS WITHOUT A BROAD PERSPECTIVE ON THE PROBLEM.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO IS MAKE THE PRODUCTS HIGH
STEVE JOBS
I STARTED TO LISTEN TO MUSIC A WHOLE LOT AND I STARTED TO READ MORE OUTSIDE OF JUST SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, SHAKESPEARE, PLATO. I LOVED ‘KING LEAR’.
STEVE JOBS
WE WILL MAKE THEM BRIGHT AND PURE AND HONEST ABOUT BEING HIGH
STEVE JOBS
ON MAKING SIMPLE DESIGNS: IT’S INSANE: WE ALL HAVE BUSY LIVES, WE HAVE JOBS, WE HAVE INTERESTS, AND SOME OF US HAVE CHILDREN. EVERYONE’S LIVES ARE JUST GETTING BUSIER, NOT LESS BUSY, IN THIS BUSY SOCIETY. YOU JUST DON’T HAVE TIME TO LEARN THIS STUFF, AND EVERYTHING’S GETTING MORE COMPLICATED… WE BOTH DON’T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO LEARN HOW TO USE A WASHING MACHINE OR A PHONE.
STEVE JOBS
APPLE IS ABOUT SOMETHING MORE THAN THAT, APPLE, AT THE CORE, ITS CORE VALUE, IS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WITH PASSION CAN CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER.
STEVE JOBS
LOOK AT THE WAY ARTISTS WORK. THEY’RE NOT TYPICALLY THE MOST ‘BALANCED’ PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. NOW, YES, WE HAVE A FEW WORKAHOLICS HERE WHO ARE TRYING TO ESCAPE OTHER THINGS, OF COURSE. BUT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OUT HERE HAVE MADE VERY CONSCIOUS DECISIONS; THEY REALLY HAVE.
STEVE JOBS
WE SPENT SOME TIME IN OUR FAMILY TALKING ABOUT WHAT’S THE TRADE
STEVE JOBS
OUR DNA IS AS A CONSUMER COMPANY – FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMER WHO’S VOTING THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN. THAT’S WHO WE THINK ABOUT.
STEVE JOBS
LEARNING TO PROGRAM TEACHES YOU HOW TO THINK. COMPUTER SCIENCE IS A LIBERAL ART.
STEVE JOBS
ONE OF MY ROLE MODELS IS BOB DYLAN. AS I GREW UP, I LEARNED THE LYRICS TO ALL HIS SONGS AND WATCHED HIM NEVER STAND STILL. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ARTISTS, IF THEY GET REALLY GOOD, IT ALWAYS OCCURS TO THEM AT SOME POINT THAT THEY CAN DO THIS ONE THING FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, AND THEY CAN BE REALLY SUCCESSFUL TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD BUT NOT REALLY BE SUCCESSFUL TO THEMSELVES. THAT’S THE MOMENT THAT AN ARTIST REALLY DECIDES WHO HE OR SHE IS. IF THEY KEEP ON RISKING FAILURE, THEY’RE STILL ARTISTS.
STEVE JOBS
WE SPENT TWO WEEKS TALKING ABOUT THIS EVERY NIGHT AT THE DINNER TABLE. WE’D GET AROUND TO THAT OLD WASHER
STEVE JOBS
WE THINK THAT OUR JOB IS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COMPLETE USER EXPERIENCE.
STEVE JOBS
PICASSO HAD A SAYING: GOOD ARTISTS COPY, GREAT ARTISTS STEAL. AND WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SHAMELESS ABOUT STEALING GREAT IDEAS, AND I THINK PART OF WHAT MADE THE MACINTOSH GREAT WAS THAT THE PEOPLE WORKING ON IT WERE MUSICIANS AND POETS AND ARTISTS AND ZOOLOGISTS AND HISTORIANS WHO ALSO HAPPENED TO BE THE BEST COMPUTER SCIENTISTS IN THE WORLD.
STEVE JOBS
IT’S RARE THAT YOU SEE AN ARTIST IN HIS 30S OR 40S ABLE TO REALLY CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING AMAZING. OF COURSE, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE INNATELY CURIOUS, FOREVER LITTLE KIDS IN THEIR AWE OF LIFE, BUT THEY’RE RARE.
STEVE JOBS
PEOPLE THINK IT’S THIS VENEER – THAT THE DESIGNERS ARE HANDED THIS BOX AND TOLD, ‘MAKE IT LOOK GOOD!’ THAT’S NOT WHAT WE THINK DESIGN IS. IT’S NOT JUST WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND FEELS LIKE. DESIGN IS HOW IT WORKS.
STEVE JOBS
YOU KNOW, DR. EDWIN LAND WAS A TROUBLEMAKER. HE DROPPED OUT OF HARVARD AND FOUNDED POLAROID.
STEVE JOBS
AS YOU ARE GROWING AND CHANGING, THE MORE THE OUTSIDE WORLD TRIES TO REINFORCE AN IMAGE OF YOU THAT IT THINKS YOU ARE, THE HARDER IT IS TO CONTINUE TO BE AN ARTIST, WHICH IS WHY A LOT OF TIMES, ARTISTS HAVE TO GO, BYE. I HAVE TO GO. I’M GOING CRAZY AND I’M GETTING OUT OF HERE.” AND THEY GO AND HIBERNATE SOMEWHERE. MAYBE LATER THEY RE
STEVE JOBS
YOU’RE ASKING, WHERE DOES AESTHETIC JUDGMENT COME FROM? WITH MANY THINGS: HIGH
STEVE JOBS
ON DR. EDWIN LAND: NOT ONLY WAS HE ONE OF THE GREAT INVENTORS OF OUR TIME BUT, MORE IMPORTANT, HE SAW THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND SCIENCE AND BUSINESS AND BUILT AN ORGANIZATION TO REFLECT THAT.
STEVE JOBS
3 SIMPLE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CREATIVITY LIKE STEVE
STEVE JOBS
I’VE ALSO FOUND THAT THE BEST COMPANIES PAY ATTENTION TO AESTHETICS. THEY TAKE THE EXTRA TIME TO LAY OUT GRIDS AND PROPORTION THINGS APPROPRIATELY, AND IT SEEMS TO PAY OFF FOR THEM. I MEAN, BEYOND THE FUNCTIONAL BENEFITS, THE AESTHETIC COMMUNICATES SOMETHING ABOUT HOW THEY THINK OF THEMSELVES, THEIR SENSE OF DISCIPLINE IN ENGINEERING, HOW THEY RUN THEIR COMPANY, STUFF LIKE THAT.
STEVE JOBS
YOU NEED A VERY PRODUCT
STEVE JOBS
YOU’VE BAKED A REALLY LOVELY CAKE, BUT THEN YOU’VE USED DOG SHIT FOR FROSTING.
STEVE JOBS
IT’S REALLY HARD TO DESIGN PRODUCTS BY FOCUS GROUPS. A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT UNTIL YOU SHOW IT TO THEM.
STEVE JOBS
WE DID ITUNES BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE MUSIC. WE MADE WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE BEST JUKEBOX IN ITUNES. THEN WE ALL WANTED TO CARRY OUR WHOLE MUSIC LIBRARIES AROUND WITH US. THE TEAM WORKED REALLY HARD. AND THE REASON THAT THEY WORKED SO HARD IS BECAUSE WE ALL WANTED ONE. YOU KNOW? I MEAN, THE FIRST FEW HUNDRED CUSTOMERS WERE US.
STEVE JOBS
THE BROADER ONE’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, THE BETTER DESIGN WE WILL HAVE.
STEVE JOBS
DESIGNING A PRODUCT IS KEEPING FIVE THOUSAND THINGS IN YOUR BRAIN, THESE CONCEPTS AND FITTING THEM ALL TOGETHER IN KIND OF CONTINUING TO PUSH TO FIT THEM TOGETHER IN NEW AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET WHAT YOU WANT.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT ARE WE, ANYWAY? MOST OF WHAT WE THINK WE ARE IS JUST A COLLECTION OF LIKES AND DISLIKES, HABITS, PATTERNS. AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE ARE IS OUR VALUES, AND WHAT DECISIONS AND ACTIONS WE MAKE REFLECT THOSE VALUES.
STEVE JOBS
DESIGN IS THE FUNDAMENTAL SOUL OF A MAN
STEVE JOBS
EVERY DAY YOU DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW THAT IS A NEW PROBLEM OR A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO FIT THESE THINGS TOGETHER A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
STEVE JOBS
WELL, I WAS THROWN OUT OF SCHOOL A FEW TIMES.
STEVE JOBS
I WANT IT TO BE AS BEAUTIFUL AS POSSIBLE, EVEN IF IT’S INSIDE THE BOX. A GREAT CARPENTER ISN’T GOING TO USE LOUSY WOOD FOR THE BACK OF A CABINET, EVEN THOUGH NOBODY’S GOING TO SEE IT.
STEVE JOBS
I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND BUDDHISM – JAPANESE ZEN BUDDHISM IN PARTICULAR – TO BE AESTHETICALLY SUBLIME. THE MOST SUBLIME THING I’VE EVER SEEN ARE THE GARDENS AROUND KYOTO.
STEVE JOBS
I THINK ALL OF US NEED TO BE ON GUARD AGAINST ARROGANCE WHICH KNOCKS AT THE DOOR WHENEVER YOU’RE SUCCESSFUL.
STEVE JOBS
TO DESIGN SOMETHING REALLY WELL, YOU HAVE TO GET IT. YOU HAVE TO REALLY GROK WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. IT TAKES A PASSIONATE COMMITMENT TO REALLY THOROUGHLY UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, CHEW IT UP, NOT JUST QUICKLY SWALLOW IT. MOST PEOPLE DON’T TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
STEVE JOBS
LOOK AT THE MERCEDES DESIGN, THE PROPORTION OF SHARP DETAIL TO FLOWING LINES. OVER THE YEARS, THEY HAVE MADE THE DESIGN SOFTER BUT THE DETAILS STARKER. THAT’S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THE MACINTOSH.
STEVE JOBS
INVEST TIME IN YOURSELF TO HAVE GREAT EXPERIENCES THAT ARE GOING TO ENRICH YOU.
STEVE JOBS
I DISCOVERED THAT THE BEST INNOVATION IS SOMETIMES THE COMPANY, THE WAY YOU ORGANIZE A COMPANY. THE WHOLE NOTION OF HOW YOU BUILD A COMPANY IS FASCINATING.
STEVE JOBS
I DON’T THINK THAT MY ROLE IN LIFE IS TO RUN BIG ORGANIZATIONS AND DO INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS.
STEVE JOBS
BE YOURSELF, EVERYONE ELSE IS ALREADY TAKEN. OSCAR WILDE
STEVE JOBS
LEONARDO [DA VINCI] WAS THE ARTIST BUT HE ALSO MIXED ALL HIS OWN PAINTS. HE ALSO WAS A FAIRLY GOOD CHEMIST. HE KNEW ABOUT PIGMENTS, KNEW ABOUT HUMAN ANATOMY. AND COMBINING ALL OF THOSE SKILLS TOGETHER, THE ART AND THE SCIENCE, THE THINKING AND THE DOING, WAS WHAT RESULTED IN THE EXCEPTIONAL RESULT.
STEVE JOBS
I HAVE A GREAT RESPECT FOR INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENT, AND I’VE DONE THAT SORT OF THING IN MY LIFE, BUT I’VE ALWAYS BEEN ATTRACTED TO THE MORE REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES. I DON’T KNOW WHY. BECAUSE THEY’RE HARDER. THEY’RE MUCH MORE STRESSFUL EMOTIONALLY. AND YOU USUALLY GO THROUGH A PERIOD WHERE EVERYBODY TELLS YOU THAT YOU’VE COMPLETELY FAILED.
STEVE JOBS
WHENEVER YOU FIND YOURSELF ON THE SIDE OF THE MAJORITY, IT IS TIME TO REFORM (OR PAUSE AND REFLECT). MARK TWAIN
STEVE JOBS
WHEN COMPANIES GET BIGGER THEY TRY TO REPLICATE THEIR SUCCESS. BUT THEY ASSUME THEIR MAGIC CAME FROM PROCESS.
STEVE JOBS
THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO SEE OUR MOVIES ARE TRUSTING US WITH SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT – THEIR TIME AND THEIR IMAGINATION. SO IN ORDER TO RESPECT THAT TRUST, WE HAVE TO KEEP CHANGING; WE HAVE TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES AND TRY TO SURPRISE OUR AUDIENCES WITH SOMETHING NEW EVERY TIME.
STEVE JOBS
CREATIVITY IS JUST CONNECTING THINGS.
STEVE JOBS
THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE REALLY MADE THE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN THE THINKERS AND THE DOERS.
STEVE JOBS
INNOVATION COMES FROM PEOPLE MEETING UP IN THE HALLWAYS OR CALLING EACH OTHER AT 10:30 AT NIGHT WITH A NEW IDEA, OR BECAUSE THEY REALIZED SOMETHING THAT SHOOTS HOLES IN HOW WE’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT A PROBLEM.
STEVE JOBS
WHEN YOU ASK CREATIVE PEOPLE HOW THEY DID SOMETHING, THEY FEEL A LITTLE GUILTY BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T REALLY DO IT, THEY JUST SAW SOMETHING. IT SEEMED OBVIOUS TO THEM AFTER A WHILE. THAT’S BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO CONNECT EXPERIENCES THEY’VE HAD AND SYNTHESIZE NEW THINGS. AND THE REASON THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WAS THAT THEY’VE HAD MORE EXPERIENCES OR THEY HAVE THOUGHT MORE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES THAN OTHER PEOPLE.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT ARE THE GREAT BRANDS? LEVI’S, COKE, DISNEY, NIKE. MOST PEOPLE WOULD PUT APPLE IN THAT CATEGORY. YOU COULD SPEND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUILDING A BRAND NOT AS GOOD AS APPLE. YET APPLE HASN’T BEEN DOING ANYTHING WITH THIS INCREDIBLE ASSET.
STEVE JOBS
INNOVATION DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN A LEADER AND A FOLLOWER
STEVE JOBS
IT’S AD HOC MEETINGS OF SIX PEOPLE CALLED BY SOMEONE WHO THINKS HE HAS FIGURED OUT THE COOLEST NEW THING EVER AND WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF HIS IDEA.
STEVE JOBS
I DON’T THINK THAT MOST OF THE REALLY BEST PEOPLE THAT I’VE WORKED WITH WORKED WITH COMPUTERS FOR THE SAKE OF WORKING WITH COMPUTERS. THEY WORKED WITH COMPUTERS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE MEDIUM THAT IS BEST CAPABLE OF TRANSMITTING SOME FEELING THAT YOU HAVE, THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT IS APPLE, AFTER ALL? APPLE IS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO THINK ‘OUTSIDE THE BOX’, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO USE COMPUTERS TO HELP THEM CHANGE THE WORLD, TO HELP THEM CREATE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND NOT JUST TO GET A JOB DONE.
STEVE JOBS
THE ONLY WAY TO DO GREAT WORK IS TO LOVE WHAT YOU DO
STEVE JOBS
YOU CAN’T GO OUT AND ASK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE NEXT BIG THING IS. THERE’S A GREAT QUOTE BY HENRY FORD, RIGHT? HE SAID, ‘IF I’D HAVE ASKED MY CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANTED, THEY WOULD HAVE TOLD ME ‘A FASTER HORSE’.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT I DO SEE IS A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ARTISTS AND CARE MORE ABOUT THEIR ART THAN THEY DO ABOUT ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE. IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN FINDING A GIRLFRIEND, IT’S MORE IMPORTANT… THAN COOKING A MEAL, IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN JOINING THE MARINES, IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHATEVER.
STEVE JOBS
APPLE’S THE ONLY COMPANY LEFT IN THIS INDUSTRY THAT DESIGNS THE WHOLE WIDGET. HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, DEVELOPER RELATIONS, MARKETING.
STEVE JOBS
BE A YARDSTICK OF QUALITY. SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT USED TO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EXCELLENCE IS EXPECTED.
STEVE JOBS
MY PHILOSOPHY IS THAT EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A GREAT PRODUCT. SO, YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY BELIEVED IN LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS, BUT CUSTOMERS CAN’T TELL YOU ABOUT THE NEXT BREAKTHROUGH THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT YEAR THAT’S GOING THE CHANGE THE WHOLE INDUSTRY. SO YOU HAVE TO LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY. BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO GO AND SORT OF STOW AWAY – YOU HAVE TO GO HIDE AWAY WITH PEOPLE THAT REALLY UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT ALSO REALLY CARE ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS, AND DREAM UP THIS NEXT BREAKTHROUGH.
STEVE JOBS
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, A REVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT COMES ALONG THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING. IT’S VERY FORTUNATE IF YOU CAN WORK ON JUST ONE OF THESE IN YOUR CAREER. APPLE’S BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT IT’S INTRODUCED A FEW OF THESE.
STEVE JOBS
THAT’S BEEN ONE OF MY MANTRAS – FOCUS AND SIMPLICITY. SIMPLE CAN BE HARDER THAN COMPLEX.
STEVE JOBS
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU INNOVATE, YOU MAKE MISTAKES. IT IS BEST TO ADMIT THEM QUICKLY AND GET ON WITH IMPROVING YOUR OTHER INNOVATIONS.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE A LEAPFROG PRODUCT THAT IS WAY SMARTER THAN ANY MOBILE DEVICE HAS EVER BEEN, AND SUPER
STEVE JOBS
GREAT THINGS IN BUSINESS ARE NEVER DONE BY ONE PERSON. THEY’RE DONE BY A TEAM OF PEOPLE.
STEVE JOBS
THE THEME OF THE CAMPAIGN IS ‘THINK DIFFERENT’. IT’S HONORING THE PEOPLE WHO THINK DIFFERENT, AND WHO MOVE THIS WORLD FORWARD.
STEVE JOBS
I HAD THIS IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO GET RID OF THE KEYBOARD, TYPE ON A MULTI
STEVE JOBS
WE DON’T GET A CHANCE TO DO THAT MANY THINGS, AND EVERYONE SHOULD BE REALLY EXCELLENT. BECAUSE THIS IS OUR LIFE. LIFE IS BRIEF, AND THEN YOU DIE, YOU KNOW? SO THIS IS WHAT WE’VE CHOSEN TO DO WITH OUR LIFE.
STEVE JOBS
APPLE IS BUILT ON REFUGEES FROM OTHER COMPANIES. THESE ARE THE EXTREMELY BRIGHT INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS WHO WERE TROUBLEMAKERS AT OTHER COMPANIES.
STEVE JOBS
WE DESIGNED IMAC TO DELIVER THE THINGS CONSUMERS CARE ABOUT MOST: THE EXCITEMENT OF THE INTERNET AND THE SIMPLICITY OF THE MAC.
STEVE JOBS
ACTUALLY, MAKING AN INSANELY GREAT PRODUCT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE PRODUCT, HOW YOU LEARN THINGS AND ADOPT NEW IDEAS AND THROW OUT OLD IDEAS.
STEVE JOBS
THE PEOPLE WHO MADE MAC ARE SORT OF ON THE EDGE.
STEVE JOBS
IT’S NOT ABOUT CHARISMA AND PERSONALITY, IT’S ABOUT RESULTS AND PRODUCTS AND THOSE VERY BEDROCK THINGS THAT ARE WHY PEOPLE AT APPLE AND OUTSIDE OF APPLE ARE GETTING MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE COMPANY AND WHAT APPLE STANDS FOR AND WHAT ITS POTENTIAL IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INDUSTRY.
STEVE JOBS
PEOPLE GET STUCK AS THEY GET OLDER. OUR MINDS ARE SORT OF ELECTROCHEMICAL COMPUTERS. YOUR THOUGHTS CONSTRUCT PATTERNS LIKE SCAFFOLDING IN YOUR MIND. YOU ARE REALLY ETCHING CHEMICAL PATTERNS. IN MOST CASES, PEOPLE GET STUCK IN THOSE PATTERNS, JUST LIKE GROOVES IN A RECORD, AND THEY NEVER GET OUT OF THEM. IT’S A RARE PERSON WHO ETCHES GROOVES THAT ARE OTHER THAN A SPECIFIC WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS, A SPECIFIC WAY OF QUESTIONING THINGS.
STEVE JOBS
ON IF HE IS A NERD OR A HIPPIE: IF I HAD TO PICK ONE OF THOSE TWO I’M CLEARLY A HIPPIE. ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I WORKED WITH WERE CLEARLY IN THAT CATEGORY TOO.
STEVE JOBS
TALKING ABOUT THE IPOD NANO: WE’RE IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY. WE’VE NEVER SOLD THIS MANY OF ANYTHING BEFORE.
STEVE JOBS
YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP PUSHING TO INNOVATE. DYLAN COULD HAVE SUNG PROTEST SONGS FOREVER AND PROBABLY MADE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT HE DIDN’T. HE HAD TO MOVE ON, AND WHEN HE DID, BY GOING ELECTRIC IN 1965, HE ALIENATED A LOT OF PEOPLE. HIS 1966 EUROPE TOUR WAS HIS GREATEST.
STEVE JOBS
I THINK THE ARTISTRY IS IN HAVING AN INSIGHT INTO WHAT ONE SEES AROUND THEM. GENERALLY PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER IN A WAY NO ONE ELSE HAS BEFORE AND FINDING A WAY TO EXPRESS THAT TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE THAT INSIGHT.
STEVE JOBS
I’VE ALWAYS BEEN ATTRACTED TO THE MORE REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES.
STEVE JOBS
THE BEATLES WERE THE SAME WAY. THEY KEPT EVOLVING, MOVING, REFINING THEIR ART. THAT’S WHAT I’VE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO – KEEP MOVING. OTHERWISE, AS DYLAN SAYS, IF YOU ARE NOT BUSY BEING BORN, YOU’RE BUSY DYING.
STEVE JOBS
I NEVER MADE ONE OF MY DISCOVERIES THROUGH THE PROCESS OF RATIONAL THINKING. ALBERT EINSTEIN
STEVE JOBS
IT’S VERY EASY TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THE THINKING. THE DOING IS MORE CONCRETE. BUT SOMEBODY, IT’S VERY EASY TO SAY OH, I THOUGHT OF THESE THREE YEARS AGO”. BUT USUALLY WHEN YOU DIG A LITTLE DEEPER, YOU FIND THAT THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY DID IT WERE ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY WORKED THROUGH THE HARD INTELLECTUAL PROBLEMS AS WELL.
STEVE JOBS
THINK DIFFERENT.
STEVE JOBS
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING NEW, YOU HAVE TO STOP DOING SOMETHING OLD. PETER DRUCKER
STEVE JOBS
INNOVATION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW MANY R&D DOLLARS YOU HAVE. WHEN APPLE CAME UP WITH THE MAC, IBM WAS SPENDING AT LEAST 100 TIMES MORE ON R&D. IT’S NOT ABOUT MONEY. IT’S ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE, HOW YOU’RE LED, AND HOW MUCH YOU GET IT.
STEVE JOBS
INNOVATION DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN A LEADER AND A FOLLOWER.
STEVE JOBS
OBSESSION IS THE WELLSPRING OF GENIUS AND MADNESS. MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE
STEVE JOBS
WE DON’T STAND A CHANCE OF ADVERTISING WITH FEATURES AND BENEFITS AND WITH RAMS AND WITH CHARTS AND COMPARISONS. THE ONLY CHANCE WE HAVE OF COMMUNICATING IS WITH A FEELING.
STEVE JOBS
TALKING ABOUT BICYCLES: HUMAN ARE TOOL BUILDERS, AND WE BUILD TOOLS THAT CAN DRAMATICALLY AMPLIFY OUR INNATE HUMAN ABILITIES. WE ACTUALLY RAN AN AD LIKE THIS EARLY AT APPLE THAT THE PERSONAL COMPUTER IS THE BICYCLE OF THE MIND AND I BELIEVE THAT WITH EVERY BONE IN MY BODY THAT ALL THE INVENTIONS OF HUMANS, THE COMPUTER IS GOING TO RANK NEAR, IF NOT AT THE TOP, AS HISTORY UNFOLDS AND WE LOOK BACK.
STEVE JOBS
AND BOY, HAVE WE PATENTED IT. (FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE IPHONE, MACWORLD 2006)
STEVE JOBS
YOU CAN’T JUST ASK CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANT AND THEN TRY TO GIVE THAT TO THEM. BY THE TIME YOU GET IT BUILT, THEY’LL WANT SOMETHING NEW.
STEVE JOBS
IT IS THE MOST AWESOME TOOL THAT WE EVER INVENTED (THE COMPUTER). AND I FEEL INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO BE AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT PLACE IN SILICON VALLEY, AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME HISTORICALLY WHERE THIS INVENTION HAS TAKEN FORM.
STEVE JOBS
THE ROOTS OF APPLE WERE TO BUILD COMPUTERS FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR CORPORATIONS. THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED ANOTHER DELL OR COMPAQ.
STEVE JOBS
YOU SHOULD NEVER START A COMPANY WITH THE GOAL OF GETTING RICH. YOUR GOAL SHOULD BE MAKING SOMETHING YOU BELIEVE IN AND MAKING A COMPANY THAT WILL LAST.
STEVE JOBS
YOU SAW THE 1984 COMMERCIAL. MACINTOSH WAS BASICALLY THIS RELATIVELY SMALL COMPANY IN CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, TAKING ON THE GOLIATH, IBM, AND SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, YOUR WAY IS WRONG. THIS IS NOW THE WAY WE WANT COMPUTERS TO GO. THIS IS NOT THE LEGACY WE WANT TO LEAVE. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE LEARNING. THIS IS WRONG AND WE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT AND HERE IT IS. IT’S CALLED MACINTOSH AND IT IS SO MUCH BETTER.
STEVE JOBS
A COMPUTER IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE TOOL WE’VE EVER SEEN. IT CAN BE A WRITING TOOL, A COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, A SUPER CALCULATOR, A PLANNER, A FILER AND AN ARTISTIC INSTRUMENT ALL IN ONE, JUST BY BEING GIVEN NEW INSTRUCTIONS, OR SOFTWARE, TO WORK FROM. THERE ARE NO OTHER TOOLS THAT HAVE THE POWER AND VERSATILITY OF A COMPUTER.
STEVE JOBS
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS A CELL PHONE, BUT I DON’T KNOW ONE PERSON WHO LIKES THEIR CELL PHONE. I WANT TO MAKE A PHONE THAT PEOPLE LOVE.
STEVE JOBS
I THINK MONEY IS A WONDERFUL THING BECAUSE IT ENABLES YOU TO DO THINGS, IT ENABLES YOU TO INVEST IN IDEAS THAT DON’T HAVE A SHORT
STEVE JOBS
WE DO NO MARKET RESEARCH. WE DON’T HIRE CONSULTANTS. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE GREAT PRODUCTS.
STEVE JOBS
RIGHT NOW, COMPUTERS MAKE OUR LIVES EASIER. THEY DO WORK FOR US IN FRACTIONS OF A SECOND THAT WOULD TAKE US HOURS. THEY INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, SOME OF THAT BY SIMPLY AUTOMATING DRUDGERY AND SOME OF THAT BY BROADENING OUR POSSIBILITIES. AS THINGS PROGRESS, THEY’LL BE DOING MORE AND MORE FOR US.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT IF APPLE DIDN’T EXIST? THINK ABOUT IT. TIME WOULDN’T GET PUBLISHED NEXT WEEK. SOME 70% OF THE NEWSPAPER IN THE U.S. WOULDN’T PUBLISH TOMORROW MORNING. SOME 60% OF THE KIDS WOULDN’T HAVE COMPUTERS; 64% OF THE TEACHERS WOULDN’T HAVE COMPUTERS. MORE THAN HALF THE WEBSITES CREATED ON MACS WOULDN’T EXIST. SO THERE’S SOMETHING WORTH SAVING HERE. SEE?
STEVE JOBS
IT’S VERY INTERESTING, I WAS WORTH ABOUT OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WHEN I WAS 23 AND OVER 10 MILLION WHEN I WAS 24 AND OVER A HUNDRED MILLION WHEN I WAS 25 AND IT WASN’T THAT IMPORTANT BECAUSE I NEVER DID IT FOR THE MONEY.
STEVE JOBS
5 GREAT QUOTES ON MARKETING:
STEVE JOBS
THESE TECHNOLOGIES CAN MAKE LIFE EASIER, CAN LET US TOUCH PEOPLE WE MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE. YOU MAY HAVE A CHILD WITH A BIRTH DEFECT AND BE ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH OTHER PARENTS AND SUPPORT GROUPS, GET MEDICAL INFORMATION, THE LATEST EXPERIMENTAL DRUGS. THESE THINGS CAN PROFOUNDLY INFLUENCE LIFE. I’M NOT DOWNPLAYING THAT.
STEVE JOBS
BUT ESPECIALLY AT THAT POINT IN MY LIFE IT WAS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS THE COMPANY, THE PEOPLE, THE PRODUCTS WE WERE MAKING, WHAT WE WERE GOING TO ENABLE PEOPLE TO DO WITH THESE PRODUCTS SO I DIDN’T THINK ABOUT IT A GREAT DEAL, AND I NEVER SOLD ANY STOCK, JUST REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE COMPANY WOULD DO VERY WELL OVER THE LONG TERM.
STEVE JOBS
BEST WAY TO SELL SOMETHING – DON’T SELL ANYTHING. EARN THE AWARENESS, RESPECT, & TRUST OF THOSE WHO MIGHT BUY. RAND FISHKIN
STEVE JOBS
I THINK IT’S BROUGHT THE WORLD A LOT CLOSER TOGETHER, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. THERE ARE DOWNSIDES TO EVERYTHING; THERE ARE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES TO EVERYTHING. THE MOST CORROSIVE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT I’VE EVER SEEN IS CALLED TELEVISION – BUT THEN, AGAIN, TELEVISION, AT ITS BEST, IS MAGNIFICENT.
STEVE JOBS
BOTTOM LINE IS, I DIDN’T RETURN TO APPLE TO MAKE A FORTUNE. I’VE BEEN VERY LUCKY IN MY LIFE AND ALREADY HAVE ONE.
STEVE JOBS
THE CULTURE IS YOUR BRAND. TONY HSIEH
STEVE JOBS
ON HOW WILL THE WEB IMPACT OUR SOCIETY: WE LIVE IN AN INFORMATION ECONOMY, BUT I DON’T BELIEVE WE LIVE IN AN INFORMATION SOCIETY. PEOPLE ARE THINKING LESS THAN THEY USED TO. IT’S PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF TELEVISION. PEOPLE ARE READING LESS AND THEY’RE CERTAINLY THINKING LESS.
STEVE JOBS
WHEN I WAS 25, MY NET WORTH WAS $100 MILLION OR SO. I DECIDED THEN THAT I WASN’T GOING TO LET IT RUIN MY LIFE. THERE’S NO WAY YOU COULD EVER SPEND IT ALL, AND I DON’T VIEW WEALTH AS SOMETHING THAT VALIDATES MY INTELLIGENCE.
STEVE JOBS
MAKE YOUR MARKETING SO USEFUL PEOPLE WOULD PAY YOU FOR IT. JAY BAER
STEVE JOBS
I DON’T SEE MOST PEOPLE USING THE WEB TO GET MORE INFORMATION. WE’RE ALREADY IN INFORMATION OVERLOAD. NO MATTER HOW MUCH INFORMATION THE WEB CAN DISH OUT, MOST PEOPLE GET FAR MORE INFORMATION THAN THEY CAN ASSIMILATE ANYWAY.
STEVE JOBS
I’M NOT GOING TO LET IT RUIN MY LIFE. ISN’T IT KIND OF FUNNY? YOU KNOW, MY MAIN REACTION TO THIS MONEY THING IS THAT IT’S HUMOROUS, ALL THE ATTENTION TO IT, BECAUSE IT’S HARDLY THE MOST INSIGHTFUL OR VALUABLE THING THAT’S HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST TEN YEARS.
STEVE JOBS
THE BEST MARKETING DOESN’T FEEL LIKE MARKETING. TOM FISHBURNE
STEVE JOBS
BUT THE NEXT THING IS GOING TO BE COMPUTER AS GUIDE OR AGENT. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IT’S GOING TO DO MORE IN TERMS OF ANTICIPATING WHAT WE WANT AND DOING IT FOR US, NOTICING CONNECTIONS AND PATTERNS IN WHAT WE DO, ASKING US IF THIS IS SOME SORT OF GENERIC THING WE’D LIKE TO DO REGULARLY, SO THAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE CONCEPT OF TRIGGERS.
STEVE JOBS
IT MAKES ME FEEL OLD, SOMETIMES, WHEN I SPEAK AT A CAMPUS AND I FIND THAT WHAT STUDENTS ARE MOST IN AWE OF IS THE FACT THAT I’M A MILLIONAIRE.
STEVE JOBS
THE CONSUMER IS NOT A MORON; SHE IS YOUR WIFE. DAVID OGILVY
STEVE JOBS
WE’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ASK OUR COMPUTERS TO MONITOR THINGS FOR US, AND WHEN CERTAIN CONDITIONS HAPPEN, ARE TRIGGERED, THE COMPUTERS WILL TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS AND INFORM US AFTER THE FACT.
STEVE JOBS
I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND IT. IT’S A LARGE RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE MORE THAN YOU CAN SPEND IN YOUR LIFETIME, AND I FEEL I HAVE TO SPEND IT. IF YOU DIE, YOU CERTAINLY DON’T WANT TO LEAVE A LARGE AMOUNT TO YOUR CHILDREN. IT WILL JUST RUIN THEIR LIVES. AND IF YOU DIE WITHOUT KIDS, IT WILL ALL GO TO THE GOVERNMENT. ALMOST EVERYONE WOULD THINK THAT HE COULD INVEST THE MONEY BACK INTO HUMANITY IN A MUCH MORE ASTUTE WAY THAN THE GOVERNMENT COULD. THE CHALLENGES ARE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIVE WITH IT AND TO REINVEST IT BACK INTO THE WORLD, WHICH MEANS EITHER GIVING IT AWAY OR USING IT TO EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS OR VALUES.
STEVE JOBS
FACT 1: ‘EMPATHY, FOCUS, AND IMPUTE‘. THOSE WERE THE 3 GOALS OF THE INITIAL ‘APPLE MARKETING PHILOSOPHY‘ RELEASED IN 1977.
STEVE JOBS
THE POINT IS THAT TOOLS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE USED FOR CERTAIN THINGS WE DON’T FIND PERSONALLY PLEASING. AND IT’S ULTIMATELY THE WISDOM OF PEOPLE, NOT THE TOOLS THEMSELVES, THAT IS GOING TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THESE THINGS ARE USED IN POSITIVE, PRODUCTIVE WAYS.
STEVE JOBS
IT WAS GIANT! WE DID ABOUT $200,000 WHEN OUR BUSINESS WAS IN THE GARAGE, IN 1976. IN 1977, ABOUT $7,000,000 IN BUSINESS. I MEAN, IT WAS PHENOMENAL! AND IN 1978, WE DID $17,000,000. IN 1979, WE DID $47,000,000. THAT’S WHEN WE ALL REALLY SENSED THAT THIS WAS JUST GOING THROUGH THE RAFTERS. IN 1980, WE DID $117,000,000. IN 1981, WE DID $335,000,000. IN 1982, WE DID $583,000,000. IN 1983, WE DID $985,000,000, I THINK. THIS YEAR, IT WILL BE A BILLION AND A HALF.
STEVE JOBS
WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAR IT’S GOING TO GO.
STEVE JOBS
I DO FEEL THERE IS ANOTHER WAY WE HAVE AN EFFECT ON SOCIETY BESIDES OUR COMPUTERS.
STEVE JOBS
WELL, THEY’RE JUST YARDSTICKS, YOU KNOW. THE NEATEST THING WAS, BY 1979, I WAS ABLE TO WALK INTO CLASSROOMS THAT HAD 15 APPLE COMPUTERS AND SEE THE KIDS USING THEM. AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE REALLY THE MILESTONES.
STEVE JOBS
HUMANS ARE TOOL BUILDERS. WE CREATE THINGS TO AMPLIFY OURSELVES. THE COMPUTER WILL RANK AT THE TOP
STEVE JOBS
DID YOU KNOW THAT STEVE’S KIDS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO USE IPADS AT HOME? MAYBE HE KNEW HOW ADDICTIVE THESE TECHNOLOGIES WERE.
STEVE JOBS
NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THE MONEY. I MEAN, A LOT OF THEM MADE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THEY DON’T REALLY CARE. THEIR LIFESTYLES HAVEN’T PARTICULARLY CHANGED. IT WAS THE CHANCE TO ACTUALLY TRY SOMETHING, TO FAIL, TO SUCCEED, TO GROW.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT A COMPUTER IS TO ME IS THE MOST REMARKABLE TOOL THAT WE HAVE EVER COME UP WITH. IT’S THE EQUIVALENT OF A BICYCLE FOR OUR MINDS.
STEVE JOBS
HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT IPADS:
STEVE JOBS
TO ME, MARKETING IS ABOUT VALUES.
STEVE JOBS
WE THINK BASICALLY YOU WATCH TELEVISION TO TURN YOUR BRAIN OFF, AND YOU WORK ON YOUR COMPUTER WHEN YOU WANT TO TURN YOUR BRAIN ON.
STEVE JOBS
THEY HAVEN’T USED IT. WE LIMIT HOW MUCH TECHNOLOGY OUR KIDS USE AT HOME.
STEVE JOBS
IT’S A VERY COMPLICATED WORLD. IT’S A VERY NOISY WORLD. AND WE NOT GONNA GET A CHANCE TO GET PEOPLE TO REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT US. NO COMPANY IS. SO WE HAVE TO BE REALLY CLEAR ON WHAT WE WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT US.
STEVE JOBS
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY SHOULD LEARN HOW TO PROGRAM A COMPUTER, SHOULD LEARN A COMPUTER LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT TEACHES YOU HOW TO THINK.
STEVE JOBS
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE APPLE GREAT WAS THAT, IN THE EARLY DAYS, IT WAS BUILT FROM THE HEART.
STEVE JOBS
MY DREAM IS THAT EVERY PERSON IN THE WORLD WILL HAVE THEIR OWN APPLE COMPUTER. TO DO THAT, WE’VE GOT TO BE A GREAT MARKETING COMPANY.
STEVE JOBS
MY JOB IS TO PULL THINGS TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMPANY AND CLEAR THE WAYS AND GET THE RESOURCES FOR THE KEY PROJECTS. AND TO TAKE THESE GREAT PEOPLE WE HAVE AND TO PUSH THEM AND MAKE THEM EVEN BETTER, COMING UP WITH MORE AGGRESSIVE VISIONS OF HOW IT COULD BE.
STEVE JOBS
I WANT TO SEE IF THEY JUST FOLD OR IF THEY HAVE FIRM CONVICTION, BELIEF, AND PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DID.
STEVE JOBS
WE ARE GAMBLING ON OUR VISION, AND WE WOULD RATHER DO THAT THAN MAKE ‘ME
STEVE JOBS
I’LL TELL YOU WHAT OUR GOAL IS: OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE BEST PERSONAL COMPUTERS IN THE WORLD AND TO MAKE PRODUCTS WE ARE PROUD TO SELL AND RECOMMEND TO OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND, WE WANT TO DO THAT AT THE LOWEST PRICE WE CAN.
STEVE JOBS
ON WHY HE IS BRUTAL TO MOST COLLEAGUES: I’M BRUTALLY HONEST, BECAUSE THE PRICE OF ADMISSION TO BEING IN THE ROOM WITH ME IS I GET TO TELL YOU YOUR FULL OF SHIT IF YOU’RE FULL OF SHIT, AND YOU GET TO SAY TO ME I’M FULL OF SHIT, AND WE HAVE SOME RIP
STEVE JOBS
WELL, THEY’RE JUST YARDSTICKS, YOU KNOW.
STEVE JOBS
IF YOU ARE WORKING ON SOMETHING EXCITING THAT YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT, YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PUSHED. THE VISION PULLS YOU.
STEVE JOBS
NONE OF THE REALLY BRIGHT PEOPLE I KNEW IN COLLEGE WENT INTO POLITICS. THEY ALL SENSED THAT, IN TERMS OF MAKING A CHANGE IN THE WORLD, POLITICS WASN’T THE PLACE TO BE IN THE LATE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES. ALL OF THEM ARE IN BUSINESS NOW, WHICH IS FUNNY, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO TREKKED OFF TO INDIA OR WHO TRIED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TO FIND SOME SORT OF TRUTH ABOUT LIFE.
STEVE JOBS
ON MEETINGS: WE DON’T HAVE A LOT OF PROCESS AT APPLE, BUT THAT’S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS WE DO JUST TO ALL STAY ON THE SAME PAGE.
STEVE JOBS
WHEN WE CREATE STUFF, WE DO IT BECAUSE WE LISTEN TO CUSTOMERS, GET THEIR INPUTS AND ALSO THROW IN WHAT WE’D LIKE TO SEE, TOO. WE COOK UP NEW PRODUCTS. YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW IF PEOPLE WILL LOVE THEM AS MUCH AS YOU DO.
STEVE JOBS
OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE BEST PERSONAL COMPUTERS IN THE WORLD.
STEVE JOBS
IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO HIRE SMART PEOPLE AND TELL THEM WHAT TO DO; WE HIRE SMART PEOPLE SO THEY CAN TELL US WHAT TO DO.
STEVE JOBS
THERE’S AN OLD WAYNE GRETZKY QUOTE THAT I LOVE. I SKATE TO WHERE THE PUCK IS GOING TO BE, NOT WHERE IT HAS BEEN. AND WE’VE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO THAT AT APPLE. SINCE THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING.
STEVE JOBS
WE HAVE A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE WHERE APPLE IS GOING. AS EVERY DAY PASSES, THE WORK FIFTY PEOPLE ARE DOING HERE IS GOING TO SEND A GIANT RIPPLE THROUGH THE UNIVERSE. I AM REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF OUR RIPPLE. I KNOW I MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARD TO GET ON WITH, BUT THIS IS THE MOST FUN I’VE HAD IN MY LIFE. I’M HAVING A BLAST.
STEVE JOBS
I WANT TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE LIKE UNDER PRESSURE.
STEVE JOBS
PART 1. THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE WHO IS THE KEEPER AND REITERATOR OF THE VISION. […] A LOT OF TIMES, WHEN YOU HAVE TO WALK A THOUSAND MILES AND YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP, IT LOOKS LIKE A LONG WAY, AND IT REALLY HELPS IF THERE’S SOMEONE THERE SAYING, WELL WE’RE ONE STEP CLOSER. THE GOAL DEFINITELY EXISTS; IT’S NOT JUST A MIRAGE OUT THERE”.
STEVE JOBS
WE ATTRACT A DIFFERENT KIND OF PERSON – A PERSON WHO DOESN’T WANT TO WAIT FIVE OR TEN YEARS TO HAVE SOMEONE TAKE A GIANT RISK ON HIM OR HER. SOMEONE WHO REALLY WANTS TO GET A LITTLE OVER HIS HEAD AND MAKE A LITTLE DENT IN THE UNIVERSE.
STEVE JOBS
IF THEY FALL IN LOVE WITH APPLE, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. THEY’LL WANT TO DO WHAT’S BEST FOR APPLE, NOT WHAT’S BEST FOR THEM, WHAT’S BEST FOR STEVE, OR ANYBODY ELSE.
STEVE JOBS
PART 2. SO IN A THOUSAND AND ONE LITTLE, AND SOMETIMES LARGER WAYS, THE VISION NEEDS TO BE REITERATED. I DO THAT A LOT.
STEVE JOBS
MY JOB IS TO SAY WHEN SOMETHING SUCKS RATHER THAN SUGARCOAT IT.
STEVE JOBS
WE HIRE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MAKE THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD. YOU’D BE SURPRISED HOW HARD PEOPLE WORK OVER AROUND HERE. THEY WORK NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, SOMETIMES NOT SEEING THEIR FAMILIES FOR A WHILE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE WORK THROUGH CHRISTMAS TO MAKE SURE THE TOOLING IS JUST RIGHT AT SOME FACTORY IN SOME CORNER OF THE WORLD SO OUR PRODUCT COMES OUT THE BEST IT CAN BE. PEOPLE CARE SO MUCH, AND IT SHOWS.
STEVE JOBS
WHEN I GOT BACK HERE IN 1997, I WAS LOOKING FOR MORE ROOM, AND I FOUND AN ARCHIVE OF OLD MACS AND OTHER STUFF. I SAID, ‘GET IT AWAY!’ AND I SHIPPED ALL THAT SHIT OFF TO STANFORD. IF YOU LOOK BACKWARD IN THIS BUSINESS, YOU’LL BE CRUSHED. YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT I’M BEST AT DOING IS FINDING A GROUP OF TALENTED PEOPLE AND MAKING THINGS WITH THEM.
STEVE JOBS
THEY HAVE TO BE REALLY SMART. BUT THE REAL ISSUE FOR ME IS, ARE THEY GOING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH APPLE?
STEVE JOBS
THE HARD PART OF WHAT WE’RE UP AGAINST NOW IS THAT PEOPLE ASK YOU ABOUT SPECIFICS AND YOU CAN’T TELL THEM. A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, IF SOMEBODY HAD ASKED ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL, ‘WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WITH A TELEPHONE?’ HE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL HIM THE WAYS THE TELEPHONE WOULD AFFECT THE WORLD. HE DIDN’T KNOW THAT PEOPLE WOULD USE THE TELEPHONE TO CALL UP AND FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES WERE PLAYING THAT NIGHT OR TO ORDER SOME GROCERIES OR CALL A RELATIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLOBE.
STEVE JOBS
WHAT I DO ALL DAY, IS MEET WITH TEAMS OF PEOPLE, AND WORK ON IDEAS, AND SOLVE PROBLEMS, TO MAKE NEW PRODUCTS, TO MAKE NEW MARKETING PROGRAMS, WHATEVER IT IS.
STEVE JOBS
ALL WE ARE IS OUR IDEAS OR PEOPLE. THAT’S WHAT KEEPS US GOING TO WORK IN THE MORNING, TO HANG AROUND THESE GREAT BRIGHT PEOPLE. I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT RECRUITING IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF WHAT WE DO.
STEVE JOBS
IT’S NOT ABOUT POP CULTURE, AND IT’S NOT ABOUT FOOLING PEOPLE, AND IT’S NOT ABOUT CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT THEY WANT SOMETHING THEY DON’T. WE FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT. AND I THINK WE’RE PRETTY GOOD AT HAVING THE RIGHT DISCIPLINE TO THINK THROUGH WHETHER A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT IT, TOO. THAT’S WHAT WE GET PAID TO DO.
STEVE JOBS
THE GREATEST PEOPLE ARE SELF
STEVE JOBS
THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS IS THAT WE HAVE GONE TO EXCEPTIONAL LENGTHS TO HIRE THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. AND WHEN YOU’RE IN A FIELD WHERE THE DYNAMIC RANGE IS 25 TO 1, BOY, DOES IT PAY OFF.
STEVE JOBS
NEITHER OF US HAD ANY IDEA THAT THIS WOULD GO ANYWHERE. WOZ IS MOTIVATED BY FIGURING THINGS OUT. HE CONCENTRATED MORE ON THE ENGINEERING AND PROCEEDED TO DO ONE OF HIS MOST BRILLIANT PIECES OF WORK, WHICH WAS THE DISK DRIVE, ANOTHER KEY ENGINEERING FEAT THAT MADE THE APPLE II A POSSIBILITY. I WAS TRYING TO BUILD THE COMPANY, TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT A COMPANY WAS. I DON’T THINK IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT WOZ AND I DON’T THINK IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT ME.
STEVE JOBS
SOMEBODY ONCE TOLD ME, MANAGE THE TOP LINE, AND THE BOTTOM LINE WILL FOLLOW.” WHAT’S THE TOP LINE? IT’S THINGS LIKE, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHAT’S OUR STRATEGY? WHAT ARE CUSTOMERS SAYING? HOW RESPONSIVE ARE WE? DO WE HAVE THE BEST PRODUCTS AND THE BEST PEOPLE? THOSE ARE THE KIND OF QUESTIONS YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON.
STEVE JOBS
RECRUITING IS HARD. IT’S JUST FINDING THE NEEDLES IN THE HAYSTACK.
STEVE JOBS
EVEN A GREAT BRAND NEEDS INVESTMENT AND CARING IF IT’S GOING TO RETAIN ITS RELEVANCE AND VITALITY AND THE APPLE BRAND HAS CLEARLY SUFFERED FROM NEGLECT IN THIS AREA IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK. THE WAY TO DO THAT IS NOT TO TALK ABOUT SPEED AND FEES, IT’S NOT TO TALK ABOUT BITS AND MEGA
STEVE JOBS
DON’T GET HUNG UP ON WHO OWNS THE IDEA. PICK THE BEST ONE, AND LET’S GO.
STEVE JOBS
WE DO IT OURSELVES AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT IT. I’VE PARTICIPATED IN THE HIRING OF MAYBE 5,000+ PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. SO I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
STEVE JOBS
THE BEST EXAMPLE OF ALL AND ONE OF THE GREATEST JOBS OF MARKETING THAT THE UNIVERSE HAS EVER SEEN, IS NIKE. REMEMBER, NIKE SELLS A COMMODITY. THEY SELL SHOES. AND YET, WHEN YOU THINK OF NIKE, YOU FEEL SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN A SHOE COMPANY. IN THEIR ADS, AS YOU KNOW, THEY DON’T EVER TALK ABOUT THE PRODUCT. THEY DON’T EVER TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR AIR SOLES.
STEVE JOBS
WE’VE GOT 25,000 PEOPLE AT APPLE. ABOUT 10,000 OF THEM ARE IN THE STORES. AND MY JOB IS TO WORK WITH SORT OF THE TOP 100 PEOPLE, THAT’S WHAT I DO. THAT DOESN’T MEAN THEY’RE ALL VICE PRESIDENTS. SOME OF THEM ARE JUST KEY INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS.
STEVE JOBS
YOU CAN’T KNOW ENOUGH IN A ONE
STEVE JOBS
WHAT DOES NIKE DO IN THEIR ADVERTISING? THEY HONOR GREAT ATHLETES, AND THEY HONOR GREAT ATHLETICS. THAT’S WHO THEY ARE, THAT’S WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT.
STEVE JOBS
WHEN A GOOD IDEA COMES, YOU KNOW, PART OF MY JOB IS TO MOVE IT AROUND, JUST SEE WHAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE THINK, GET PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IT, ARGUE WITH PEOPLE ABOUT IT, GET IDEAS MOVING AMONG THAT GROUP OF 100 PEOPLE, GET DIFFERENT PEOPLE TOGETHER TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF IT QUIETLY, AND, YOU KNOW – JUST EXPLORE THINGS.
STEVE JOBS
MY NUMBER ONE JOB HERE AT APPLE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TOP 100 PEOPLE ARE A+ PLAYERS. AND EVERYTHING ELSE WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.
STEVE JOBS
MORE IMPORTANT THAN BUILDING A PRODUCT, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ARCHITECTING A COMPANY THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE MUCH MORE INCREDIBLE, THE TOTAL WILL BE MUCH MORE INCREDIBLE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS.
STEVE JOBS
COMPANIES, AS THEY GROW TO BECOME MULTI
STEVE JOBS
IT’S PAINFUL WHEN YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AND YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THEM; BUT I FOUND MY JOB HAS SOMETIMES EXACTLY BEEN THAT – TO GET RID OF SOME PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T MEASURE UP AND I’VE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO IT IN A HUMANE WAY. BUT NONETHELESS IT HAS TO BE DONE AND IT IS NEVER FUN.
STEVE JOBS
DO YOU WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE SELLING SUGARED WATER OR DO YOU WANT A CHANCE TO CHANGE THE WORLD?
STEVE JOBS
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK ARE THE MOVING FORCE BEHIND THE MACINTOSH. MY JOB IS TO CREATE A SPACE FOR THEM, TO CLEAR OUT THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION AND KEEP IT AT BAY.
STEVE JOBS
MANY TIMES IN AN INTERVIEW I WILL PURPOSELY UPSET SOMEONE: I’LL CRITICIZE THEIR PRIOR WORK. I’LL DO MY HOMEWORK, FIND OUT WHAT THEY WORKED ON, AND SAY, GOD, THAT REALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A BOMB. THAT REALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A BOZO PRODUCT. WHY DID YOU WORK ON THAT?…”.
STEVE JOBS
SOMETIMES LIFE WILL HIT YOU IN THE HEAD WITH A BRICK, DON’T LOSE FAITH.
STEVE JOBS
I’VE NEVER FOUND ANYONE WHO’S SAID NO OR HUNG UP THE PHONE WHEN I CALLED
STEVE JOBS
THE SMALLEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD CAN LOOK AS LARGE AS THE LARGEST COMPANY ON THE WEB.
STEVE JOBS
I CONTRIBUTE IDEAS, SURE. WHY WOULD I BE THERE IF I DIDN’T?
STEVE JOBS
IF YOU HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO YET, KEEP LOOKING. DON’T SETTLE.
STEVE JOBS
YOU GOTTA ACT. AND YOU’VE GOTTA BE WILLING TO FAIL, YOU GOTTA BE READY TO CRASH AND BURN, WITH PEOPLE ON THE PHONE, WITH STARTING A COMPANY, WITH WHATEVER. IF YOU’RE AFRAID OF FAILING, YOU WON’T GET VERY FAR.
STEVE JOBS
I THINK THIS IS THE START OF SOMETHING REALLY BIG. SOMETIMES THAT FIRST STEP IS THE HARDEST ONE, AND WE’VE JUST TAKEN IT.
STEVE JOBS
WE’RE HERE TO PUT A DENT IN THE UNIVERSE.
STEVE JOBS
WHEN YOU DIE, IT DOESN’T JUST ALL DISAPPEAR.
STEVE JOBS
ANOTHER PRIORITY WAS TO MAKE APPLE MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND STARTUP
STEVE JOBS
IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO HIRE SMART PEOPLE AND THEN TELL THEM WHAT TO DO; WE HIRE SMART PEOPLE SO THEY CAN TELL US WHAT TO DO.
STEVE JOBS
SOMETIMES I BELIEVE IN GOD, SOMETIMES I DON’T. I THINK IT’S 50
STEVE JOBS
BUT IT’S A DISSERVICE TO CONSTANTLY PUT THINGS IN THIS RADICAL NEW LIGHT – THAT IT’S GOING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING. THINGS DON’T HAVE TO CHANGE THE WORLD TO BE IMPORTANT.
STEVE JOBS
MY FAVORITE THINGS IN LIFE DON’T COST ANY MONEY. IT’S REALLY CLEAR THAT THE MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE WE ALL HAVE IS TIME.
STEVE JOBS
EVER SINCE I’VE HAD CANCER, I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT MORE. AND I FIND MYSELF BELIEVING A BIT MORE. I KIND OF – MAYBE IT’S ’CAUSE I WANT TO BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE. THAT WHEN YOU DIE, IT DOESN’T JUST ALL DISAPPEAR. THE WISDOM YOU’VE ACCUMULATED. SOMEHOW IT LIVES ON, BUT SOMETIMES I THINK IT’S JUST LIKE AN ON
STEVE JOBS
ONE OF THE KEYS TO APPLE IS APPLE’S AN INCREDIBLY COLLABORATIVE COMPANY. YOU KNOW HOW MANY COMMITTEES WE HAVE AT APPLE? ZERO. WE HAVE NO COMMITTEES. WE ARE ORGANIZED LIKE A START
STEVE JOBS
ALL I ASK IS THAT TODAY, YOU DO THE BEST WORK OF YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
STEVE JOBS
I THINK DIFFERENT RELIGIONS ARE DIFFERENT DOORS TO THE SAME HOUSE. SOMETIMES I THINK THE HOUSE EXISTS, AND SOMETIMES I DON’T. IT’S THE GREAT MYSTERY.
STEVE JOBS
WE ARE AWARE THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT. WE’RE HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF IT AND WE’RE ABLE TO SHAPE HOW IT GOES.
STEVE JOBS
EVERYONE HERE HAS THE SEN THAT RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WHEN WE ARE INFLUENCING THE FUTURE.
STEVE JOBS
BUT I BELIEVE LIFE IS AN INTELLIGENT THING, THAT THINGS AREN’T RANDOM.
STEVE JOBS
EVERYONE HERE HAS THE SENSE THAT RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WHEN WE ARE INFLUENCING THE FUTURE.
STEVE JOBS
MOST PEOPLE DON’T GET THOSE EXPERIENCES BECAUSE THEY NEVER ASK. I’VE NEVER FOUND ANYBODY THAT DIDN’T WANT TO HELP ME IF I ASKED THEM FOR HELP.
STEVE JOBS
I’M A LONG
STEVE JOBS
MOST OF THE TIME, WE’RE TAKING THINGS. NEITHER YOU NOR I MADE THE CLOTHES WE WEAR; WE DON’T MAKE THE FOOD OR GROW THE FOODS WE EAT; WE USE A LANGUAGE THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY OTHER PEOPLE; WE USE ANOTHER SOCIETY’S MATHEMATICS. VERY RARELY DO WE GET A CHANCE TO PUT SOMETHING BACK INTO THAT POOL. I THINK WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY NOW.
STEVE JOBS
MOST PEOPLE NEVER PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL. MOST PEOPLE NEVER ASK. AND THAT’S WHAT SEPARATES SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE THAT DO THINGS FROM THE PEOPLE THAT JUST DREAM ABOUT THEM.
STEVE JOBS