iRIP - Steve Jobs

iRIP


I was very sad to hear of the death of Steve Jobs. It was inevitable, the writing was on the wall when he retired, when he started to look so very ill, when the rumours of his weight loss abounded but nothing prepares you for the shock when it finally happens.


It isn't often that the death of a CEO of a Company makes the Earth shake but this was one occasion.

I have read a lot about Steve Jobs. There have been numerous books about him and his Biography is published soon.

A friend of mine Cliff Mann, the CEO of Time4Change, http://www.t4c.org.uk/  posted a quote by Steve Jobs which struck me as one of the best pieces of advice you can give anyone in business.

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." - Steve Jobs

Well, I dont think you have to be dying any time soon to take charge of your life but obviously Steve Jobs had other issues going on, his health was deteriorating rapidly through pancreatic cancer. 

I hate the phrase "Today is the first day of the rest of your life".  It's as if you have plenty of time to start again.  You dont. 

Consider my take on that.

What if today was the LAST day of your life?  What then?  I bet you could get a shed load of work done.  I bet you could talk to a lot of people.  I bet you could come up with so many plans and ideas you would have seen through IF ONLY...you had the time.  You HAVE the time.  Use it.

Steve Jobs changed the world.  Through hard work, innovation, business acumen, customer service/ experience, technology and by just being Steve Jobs.  How many other CEO's do you know of who do that?  There are a few, there should be more.

Every Apple product is an experience.  Just entering a store is an adventure.  He made technology fun.  From the technology itself right the way down to the packaging and how you open the box...it is an experience.

If you love Apple you know what I mean.  If you hate Apple, you have to admit they made their competitors 'up' their game.

Steve Jobs did it his way.  As he said once; "Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life." ~ Steve Jobs

iRIP