Find a Job You Really Want In
Steve Jobs, a pioneering entrepreneur and visionary, profoundly impacted the tech landscape and global culture. Best known for his role at Apple Inc., he transformed not only how we interact with technology but also how we approach business, design, and leadership.
Co-founding Apple in 1976 with Steve Wozniak, Jobs began his journey in a small bedroom and quickly moved to a garage. The motivation behind this venture was simple: to democratize computing by making home computers accessible both in design and affordability.
The duo launched their first product, the Apple I, which was revolutionary in its compact, desk-sized design, contrasting starkly with the bulky personal computers of the time. Following the success of the Apple I, the Apple II sold 2 million units worldwide, solidifying Apple’s role in the tech revolution.
Jobs achieved immense wealth and recognition, but his journey faced setbacks. In 1985, after internal conflicts, he left Apple. Nevertheless, he embarked on various innovative projects, including NeXT and Pixar, which played critical roles in advancing technology and entertainment.
Upon his return to Apple, Jobs led the creation of iconic products like the iMac, iPod, and iPhone, which redefined industries and user experiences. Jobs’ battle with a pancreatic tumor, diagnosed in 2003, led him to work intermittently until his passing on October 5, 2011, at the age of 56.
The Impact of Steve Jobs
Renowned for his innovative and visionary business strategies, Steve Jobs understood that technology shapes society and vice versa. Many regard him as a prophetic figure, recognizing the transformative power of computers long before they became ubiquitous.
Jobs practiced Zen Buddhism, which influenced his leadership style and the culture at Apple. His commitment to mindfulness and present-moment awareness infused his business practices, fostering creativity and focus.
His captivating presentations, where he launched groundbreaking products, became cultural milestones, demonstrating his deep understanding of marketing and consumer engagement.
Despite his immense success, Jobs’ journey was not without challenges. His story inspires many, illustrating that humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary achievements. He embodies the belief that with passion and dedication, anyone can realize their entrepreneurial dreams.
Even if you don’t aspire to be the next Steve Jobs, his life and insights can motivate you to pursue your unique path with vigor.
This compilation features 40 of the most inspiring and thought-provoking quotes from Steve Jobs, perfect for anyone seeking motivation or deeper reflection on their journey toward success.
Famous Steve Jobs Quotes
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“Things don’t have to change the world to be important.”
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“My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”
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“You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.”
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“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
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“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
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“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.”
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“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
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“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. 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.”
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“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.”
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“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.”
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“You gotta act. And you’ve gotta be willing to fail; you gotta be ready to crash and burn. If you’re afraid of failing, you won’t get very far.”
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“When you grow up, you tend to get told that the world is the way it is and your life is just to live your life inside the world. Life can be much broader.”
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“Most people never pick up the phone and call. Most people never ask. And that’s what separates the doers from the dreamers.”
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“Ultimately, it comes down to taste. It comes down to exposing yourself to the best things humans have done.”
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“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful…that’s what matters to me.”
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“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”
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“We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know?”
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“Death is the destination we all share. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”
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“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.”
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“If you are willing to work hard and ask lots of questions, you can learn business pretty fast.”
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“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”
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“In business, if I knew earlier what I know now, I’d have probably done some things better, but it’s more important to be engaged in the present.”
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“Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.”
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“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
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“Let’s go invent tomorrow rather than worrying about what happened yesterday.”
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“Most of the time, we’re taking things. Very rarely do we get a chance to put something back into that pool. I think we have that opportunity now.”
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“You can build your own things that others can use. Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.”
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“I’m a tool builder. I want to build really good tools that I know will be valuable.”
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“I’m as proud of many of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things.”
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“I’ve always been attracted to revolutionary changes. They’re harder and much more stressful emotionally.”
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“To turn interesting ideas and fledgling technologies into a lasting company requires a lot of discipline.”
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“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
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“It’s hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”
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“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel guilty because they didn’t really do it; they just saw something.”
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“Part of what made the Macintosh great was that the team included musicians, poets, artists, and historians, alongside the best computer scientists.”
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“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”
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“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
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“Getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”
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“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
Steve Jobs Quotes on Life
Steve Jobs Quotes on Work
Steve Jobs Quotes on Innovation
Steve Jobs Quotes on Creativity
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
