It’s no secret that Steven Paul “Steve” Jobs is a game changer, a visionary, an artist, and probably one of the greatest business minds of our era. He co-founded Apple Inc. in his parents’ garage in 1976 and was responsible for the creation of revolutionary products like the iPod, iTunes, iPhone, and the iPad. He also co-founded PIXAR, a computer animation film studio that created box-office hit (animated) films like Toy Story, Monster’s Inc., Finding Nemo, TheIncredibles, Cars, Wall- E, and Up. Unfortunately, Steve died at a young age of 56 on October 5, 2011. Although he is not an investment guru, his net worth was estimated to be at around $7 billion as of September last year. Indeed, his words and lessons are solid guides for all of us in our quest for excellence in our lives. Here are eight Steve Jobs quotes that we can all apply to life and in investing.
1. “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” – In other words, don’t settle for anything less than amazing work for yourself and for others. When people see that you expect greatness, they will give you what you expect. The same goes for investing, you will never go wrong with buying excellent companies.
2. “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.” – When you are wrong, stop what you are doing, admit your mistakes, cut your losses short, and move on. This will prove to be valuable in investing as well as in life and in business.
3. “Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.” – Simply put, no one can say no to great. If you want to live a life that matters, do great work. If you want a portfolio that kicks ass, put in your research and buy great companies. Yes, it’s that simple.
4. “Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it.” – Never underestimate the value of people, especially the power of teams. If you want to come up with excellent work, choose excellent peers.
5. “The problem with the Internet startup craze isn’t that too many people are starting companies; it’s that too many people aren’t sticking with it.” – Success comes from hardwork, commitment, true grit, and passion. Steve was so passionate with his work that he used to cry when things don’t turn out the way he intended.
6. “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” – This was Steve’s closing note on his commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005. In this speech, he advised the graduating students not to live according to other people’s thinking, and to have the courage to follow their hearts and intuition. Staying hungry and foolish means never becoming complacent, to strive and work for what you truly believe in, and to be “foolish” enough not to listen to so-called experts and authorities when it comes to what can and can’t be done.
7. “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.” – Simple is better. The less clutter in your life (and in investing) the more focus you have on what’s truly important. And naturally, the more focus you have, the more impact you make in your life and in others’.
8. “That’s how I see business: great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people.” – Always remember that the RIGHT PEOPLE are a company’s greatest asset. Whether you’re starting a venture or investing in a company, make sure that the right people are involved. A lone person can only do so much, but a great team can literally move mountains in terms of results.
These quotes show how much Steve Jobs valued excellence, passion, and teamwork. Although he left this world way too early, he already changed its course with the technology that he and his companies developed. The basic ingredients of his success apply to everyone’s life, let’s all learn a thing or two from the man who encouraged everyone to “think different.”
1. “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” – In other words, don’t settle for anything less than amazing work for yourself and for others. When people see that you expect greatness, they will give you what you expect. The same goes for investing, you will never go wrong with buying excellent companies.
2. “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.” – When you are wrong, stop what you are doing, admit your mistakes, cut your losses short, and move on. This will prove to be valuable in investing as well as in life and in business.
3. “Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.” – Simply put, no one can say no to great. If you want to live a life that matters, do great work. If you want a portfolio that kicks ass, put in your research and buy great companies. Yes, it’s that simple.
4. “Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it.” – Never underestimate the value of people, especially the power of teams. If you want to come up with excellent work, choose excellent peers.
5. “The problem with the Internet startup craze isn’t that too many people are starting companies; it’s that too many people aren’t sticking with it.” – Success comes from hardwork, commitment, true grit, and passion. Steve was so passionate with his work that he used to cry when things don’t turn out the way he intended.
6. “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” – This was Steve’s closing note on his commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005. In this speech, he advised the graduating students not to live according to other people’s thinking, and to have the courage to follow their hearts and intuition. Staying hungry and foolish means never becoming complacent, to strive and work for what you truly believe in, and to be “foolish” enough not to listen to so-called experts and authorities when it comes to what can and can’t be done.
7. “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.” – Simple is better. The less clutter in your life (and in investing) the more focus you have on what’s truly important. And naturally, the more focus you have, the more impact you make in your life and in others’.
8. “That’s how I see business: great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people.” – Always remember that the RIGHT PEOPLE are a company’s greatest asset. Whether you’re starting a venture or investing in a company, make sure that the right people are involved. A lone person can only do so much, but a great team can literally move mountains in terms of results.
These quotes show how much Steve Jobs valued excellence, passion, and teamwork. Although he left this world way too early, he already changed its course with the technology that he and his companies developed. The basic ingredients of his success apply to everyone’s life, let’s all learn a thing or two from the man who encouraged everyone to “think different.”
