The Passing of a Legend, Steve Jobs
It is rare to see the death of one person affect the lives of so many. What is it like to be a person with such an unfathomable legacy that the world literally loses it’s rhythm at the swift removal of this respected icon from its grasp? Not just one person. Not just a city. Not even just a nation. Steve Jobs, the recognized as most valuable CEO in the world by Forbes, rescued our entire civilization from a dull, pathetic view of technology innovation. He created a magical simplicity that inspired every person it touched. He departed peacefully from our world, but fans and followers of his beloved vision are left wondering, “What now?”.
The Time We’re Losing
I still remember the day Diana died. I remember thinking about whether or not people would morn me when my time comes. Today, I read Chris Brogan’s article, The Time We’re Losing, and it escapes me why so many of us continue the same mundane routine day in and out. We live our lives on repeat. We remain inside our safe circular world, where everything is familiar and usual. There’s no worry here, no chance of failure, no judgment. It’s what we know. Are you really content to live your last day on Earth just as you lived your first? Do you strive for nothing more? See things differently. Be Steve Jobs.
Our Turn to Aspire
Even renowned marketing guru Seth Godin was at a loss for words, but the few he spoke rang true and remain in my mind. Seth said, “It’s one thing to miss someone, to feel a void when they’re gone. It’s another to do something with their legacy, to honor them through your actions.” Jobs inspired us to stay hungry and foolish in his Stanford commencement speech. For a man worth billions, it seems apparent that his true vision was not to become great, but to inspire a culture of greatness.
A man so well loved across cultures and nations is more than deserving of the Tribute to Steve Jobs by the New York Times, as well as Tim Cook’s email to employees at Apple. As I read all of these wonderful commemorative articles on this amazing icon, my mind keeps jumping back to Samsung’s not-so-oddly Apple-esque “The Way We’re Wired” campaign:
“No body ever set their sights on second place. Who aspires to be almost remembered? No one wants to tell an average joke, make an underwhelming entrance, go out with a whimper.
No one ever stood in front of the mirror with a hairbrush pretending to be the tambourine player, and there are definitely more kids dressed up as Batman than Robin. We all aspire.”
This Is Your Life
Steve created a revolution when he founded Apple. He was a failed millionaire has-been at age 30, after the company he founded was taken from him. He stayed true to his vision and became a self-made billionaire with Pixar’s animated movie Toy Story. When the world was ready, he rescued us yet again by bringing us the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Each device was a revolution in its time. The most iconic figures of our generation remember him with these words of awe and appreciation.
We’ve all been told we only live once. Steve lived a hundred lives in the short course of 56 years. How many lives can you live? How many hurdles can you surpass? How many brick walls can you tear down against all opposition? How many times can you take the impossible and make it not only possible, but exciting and beautiful?
