Steve Jobs' impact on your life cannot be overestimated. His innovations have likely touched nearly every aspect -- computers, movies, music and mobile. As a communications coach, I learned from Jobs that a presentation can, indeed, inspire. For entrepreneurs, Jobs' greatest legacy is the set of principles that drove his success.
Over the years, I've become a student of sorts of Jobs' career and life. Here's my take on the rules and values underpinning his success. Any of us can adopt them to unleash our "inner Steve Jobs."
1. Do what you love. Jobs once said, "People with passion can change the world for the better." Asked about the advice he would offer would-be entrepreneurs, he said, "I'd get a job as a busboy or something until I figured out what I was really passionate about." That's how much it meant to him. Passion is everything.
2. Put a dent in the universe. Jobs believed in the power of vision. He once asked then-Pepsi President, John Sculley, "Do you want to spend your life selling sugar water or do you want to change the world?" Don't lose sight of the big vision.
Related: Steve Jobs' Surprising First Business Venture
3. Make connections. Jobs once said creativity is connecting things. He meant that people with a broad set of life experiences can often see things that others miss. He took calligraphy classes that didn't have any practical use in his life -- until he built the Macintosh. Jobs traveled to India and Asia. He studied design and hospitality. Don't live in a bubble. Connect ideas from different fields.
4. Say no to 1,000 things. Jobs was as proud of what Apple chose not to do as he was of what Apple did. When he returned in Apple in 1997, he took a company with 350 products and reduced them to 10 products in a two-year period. Why? So he could put the "A-Team" on each product. What are you saying "no" to?
5. Create insanely different experiences. Jobs also sought innovation in the customer-service experience. When he first came up with the concept for the Apple Stores, he said they would be different because instead of just moving boxes, the stores would enrich lives. Everything about the experience you have when you walk into an Apple store is intended to enrich your life and to create an emotional connection between you and the Apple brand. What are you doing to enrich the lives of your customers?
Related: 10 Things to Thank Steve Jobs For
6. Master the message. You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you can't communicate your ideas, it doesn't matter. Jobs was the world's greatest corporate storyteller. Instead of simply delivering a presentation like most people do, he informed, he educated, he inspired and he entertained, all in one presentation.
7. Sell dreams, not products. Jobs captured our imagination because he really understood his customer. He knew that tablets would not capture our imaginations if they were too complicated. The result? One button on the front of an iPad. It's so simple, a 2-year-old can use it. Your customers don't care about your product. They care about themselves, their hopes, their ambitions. Jobs taught us that if you help your customers reach their dreams, you'll win them over.
There's one story that I think sums up Jobs' career at Apple. An executive who had the job of reinventing the Disney Store once called up Jobs and asked for advice. His counsel? Dream bigger. I think that's the best advice he could leave us with. See genius in your craziness, believe in yourself, believe in your vision, and be constantly prepared to defend those ideas.
Related: Remembering Apple's Steve Jobs
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Comments:
Very interesting article, I am inspired. For those who have not read up on the biography, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, I highly recommend it. It will change your outlook on life. Dream big!
I am picking this ''Jobs taught us that if you help your customers reach their dreams, you'll win them over'' for myself. Nice collection!!!
Every success has a story behind. And it would be worth knowing. So if ever you want to obtain such positivity, you have to make some effort to know everything about it and make some time to apply it on your won presentation.
Xam on this Steve Jobs is the dreamer of our generation that brings innovations in reality we miss you Jobs
Managing my big dreams conflicted with fears and restrictions due to 'traditions and disagreements'. - ESCY.
i want to know more about your job camppaning
It never stops amazing me; When I read a Obit. of a person's life and the things they accomplished, I wonder how they were allowed 48hours a day vs. my 24? Mr. Jobs seemed to quanify this therom, with his life's accomplishments, one can only wonder if he could have done more with a longer time span. Perhaps not, he left something for the rest of us humans to accomplish! So, from now on I will dream BIG and if I only get half way I will consider my life a success! That way someone else can finish the dream and accomplish even more! "We stand on the shoulders of .........(others dreams)" As a 'innovator' my research team goes over past failures and the questions we ask; Why, did they fail? Some of our research has developed some therom's: Wrong time; Wrong place; Wrong contacts; Wrong funding (biggest); Inventor's would not let go, in order to accomplish the project; Death; etc. Person's Education was not a 'show stopper' on the adverage! No Idea is a bad Idea, giving time and money! Things that were rediclous in the past are common place to day! In America, in the 21 century, dreams still can come true!! That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to them! Geno L. Inventor/Innovator Co-owner of CAN-TRON
The rule #7 is the same rule that any entrepreneur should know: the KISS rule = Keep It Simple Stupid.... that's the key of Apple's and Google's success.
These are great but the essential message I got from the Isaacson biography is product before profit. Whatever it took to make a product perfect is what Steve Jobs did. He saw profit as the natural result of an insanely great product.
Thanks for the article. I never had a clue about Mr Jobs. When you are just an average Joe you very seldom get to see the insight, but this is quite inspirational. Thanks Carmine Gallo.
I like #1 . . . . . I have always told my employees to be passionate about your job and believe in the "80 / 20" rule: If you do your job and you enjoy 80% of it, you will be successful and you will have the desire to continue with it. We all have certain aspects of our job that we really don't like or care to do. Just keep it at 20% or less!! Darrell Petersen www.DCPFinancial.com
Great rules. Thanks. I like number 3 Robert from http://www.freshjoomlatemplates.com
Compared to... the education we had... when?
Because of course, we can all control when and how we will die... Please note friend, that this is sarcasm :)
I really like the say no to 1,000 things. This really forces you to focus on a few things and be great at it. Trying to be all things to all people is a sure fire way to screw up. Steve was/is an inspiration on what he was able to create.
i Like Number 7. Sell Dreams, not Products he's visioner. Jobs is one of my favourite enterpreuner. i Like it.
Do what you love, the most important.
Well said Amy, people like alien99 will have there day...
Is it really a success if your dead at 56? I suppose maybe if your as passionate about it as he seemed to be, but still to the neglect of his body, to which he paid the ultimate price. The prior 10 years were spent fighting cancer. Without your health you have nothing.
Alien99, Everybody dies someday, that is guaranteed. It is what you do in your brief time in your life that matters. Steve got a lot done in his 56 years. There are lot of folks I know (especially public sector employees) who spend a long lifetime accomplishing nothing. Just a thought
Alien99, you have to be the most uncompassionate and ignorant person for writing such ridiculous comments. Clearly you have never had cancer touch someone you love. Do you really have such a disregard for the lives of others? May god watch over you because you are gonna need it!
yes.Living in the world is not depends on how long we can be alive. To be the right one and the meaningful one is most important.Jobs did well when he did is so amazing. His spirit will be alive in our heart, it's sure for all who admired him.
yep.It doesn't matter how long can we live in that world. But to be the right one and to be the meaningful one is most important. Jobs loves what he did, so I think he won't regret that he left the world behind so fast.He was remain in our heart forever and ever.His spirit goes on------------
Not really. I'm not the one can't keep a clear view of things because they have on sycophantic blinders. Jobs was a dick, and not this near holy person that people make him out to be. He was a terrible presenter with a strong marketing team behind him. His adjective laden presentations were garbage, but since he had all the iNubs waiting to hear about the next "amazing innovation," he didn't need to be good. In the end, I don't need to kiss Steve Jobs necrotic butt because I've learned from his short coming how not to lead. Apple's success is predicated on marketing and nothing more.
Love this! Particularly no. 1 and 3. Most people never figure out what they care about and what they stand for. Lucky are those who take the time to find it.
Great post about Steve Jobs Carmine. Wonderful collection of some great attributes about Steve Jobs. Thanks for sharing!
alien99... u are quite right... Jobs could have lived another 10 or so years if he had learned to balance his act.... but how many people live like he did??? I mean whats the point of adding years to a meaningless life... i'd say he added much more life to his years than most people who would go on to live till 70!!! its a personal opinion... i'd rather live a short meaningful life than a long meaningless one. :)
its to bad you spend your time hating... you must be used to getting left behind by now. thank you steve jobs for being relevant, since most of us are not!
Well, if you're that well read on Steve then you're aware of the fact that the guy is a megalomaniac, that steals ideas (by his own admission) and markets to a cult of isheep that are willing to overspend on anything. Your history or how you save/spend isn't relevant. It isn't about whether or not one can afford Crapple kit, but about whether or not it's magic or special. Hint: It isn't. It's just Foxconn garbage that has shiny marketing leading to an overpriced pos.
Hey Tony, forgive me for saying so, but thats the most uneducated moronic comment I have ever heard. Cancer isn't a random occurrence as you make it seem. There is an underlying cause or root of the Dis-Ease or it can be environmental exposure to toxins or both. In any case all are preventable and with Jobs situation I think he failed to see it as you do. You are just spouting what the Gov't,Big Pharma, AMA, and mainstream media would like you to believe that Cancer is a random situation, and it strikes you out of the blue. Cancer is the body screaming at you to stop what you're doing(stress, chemicals, smoking, bad diet, toxic environment, etc) or the body will do you in Tony my friend. I was trying to say if you take your health for granted...you have nothing or a short life, but in Jobs case he accomplished more than the average person in the time he was here for the material world. I can tell you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but that's okay life goes on. Another Sheeple/feeder opens his gap of ignorance and to show his hand of total unawareness. I hope you wake up before you die.
Alien99, forgive me for saying so, but this is a stupid comment. Healthy people still get cancer, and die from it. It's not like he got cancer because he was passionate about his work! To try and say he wasn't successful because cancer killed him at 56 is one of the dumbest things I've heard all day.
Im a very spendthrift person. I don't buy a lot of things and have a high savings rate amd dont owe anyone or any institution money( i only use credit cards for convenience and pay it in full as soon as the bill arrives). (im of chinese descent by the way and we have been trained to be frugal and to not spend on useless junk) But on the other hand, when i do buy things, they have to be of the best quality. I just think of ways to make more money rather than have the mentality of not being able to afford things and have that complaining attitude that things are too expensive. Steve has always inspired me to have that "can do" attitude even if ive only owned a few of his products. In fact ive owned more books about him than the only 2 apple gadgets ive ever owned.
LOL, he didn't appreciate the customer. The customer was stupid in his eyes. The customer didn't know what he wanted. He knew how to market to inubs.
LOL. That's because a bunch of people are in there to talk to "geniuses" about fixing their crap.
Huh? What the hell does that even mean??? You realize he didn't invent the PC, right? iSheepsezwut?
Fiction can be fun. I met him once in Fantasy Land and punched him because I'm not a sycophantic iSheep that believes he was the second coming.
He inspired a bunch of inubs to overspend on crap with marketing that led sheep down the a road to lining his pockets.
Maybe your teacher isn't an iSheep?
the physical body is temporary but the spirit lives on. his spirit now lives in the people he has inspired.
Having pancreatic cancer has nothing to do with his career success. What you are really saying is that people who die young are not really successful. What is the logic in that? And what are you supposed to do when you have pancreatic cancer? It is a rare form of cancer which spreads quickly and arguably Jobs would have gotten it anyway regardless of how much he cared for his body due to genetic...etc. Also, Apple produced so many new products even after he was diagnosed with cancer.
This is a flagship article - my congrats ... will be applying the important points to a new website I created VOICES OF WOMEN WORLDWIDE & VOW-TV at http://voicesofwomenworldwide-vowwtv.ning.com/ focusing on promoting "voiceless" women, young girls and children to "voice" their personal visual stories on the Internet and try to bring about solutions to their problems ...on a global scale that can be achieved by the Internet alone !
I was telling my college teacher about number 3 and he was laughing at me. I hate education we have nowadays.
You have nothing for yourself, but it only makes sense when you actually are not thinking about yourself and trying to live life at its fullest. Like in the film BraveHeart: "every man dies, but not every man really lives." With the exception that Job's life was real and not a movie.
Is it really a success if your dead at 56? I suppose maybe if your as passionate about it as he seemed to be, but still to the neglect of his body, to which he paid the ultimate price. The prior 10 years were spent fighting cancer. Without your health you have nothing.
Excellent article. Number one, four and seven. A spoonful of mindset, strategy and a vision far greater than you!
surname palang trabaho na......he gave jobs to many lives and touches many lives thru his innovations...
Aside being a great tech expert Steve had great business sense as well.I believe that his legacy in the com world would be greatly missed.
I liked his theory, but love most the last one "Dream bigger" I think that's the best advice he could leave us with. Thanks for sharing these valuable tips. Best regards
le escribo en español, pues tuve que traducir por mi computadora. Me parecio excelente la informacion que he leido , los libro se pueden conseguir en español? gracias por su informacion
Steve Jobs is the mentor of Entrepreneur. He created impossible thing.
Jobs is still changeing visions from the beyond.
The "Power of Vision" can truly change the world. Thank you CARMINE GALLO for a very concise and well written synopsis on the rules of success according to Steve Jobs.
Don't forget rule #8 - "Swoop in and take credit for everything!"
this was a very good article
Glad I've lived long enough to be more in touch with my passions. Wish I had more of Steven Jobs courage to live life "bigger". Who of us can equal his vision or single-mindedness?
Nice post. I am happy at least by sharing Jobs birth date w.r.t mine which is just one day before :) Cheers, Kiran
Ever successful person from Jobs to Oprah say "passion" is the number one thing any business person should be reaching for! Not the project but who you want to reach with it!
Simply simple, smartly smart
it is taught to us in our management subjects ....give wat people want...but wat if people dont know wat they want....with our changing lifestyle and exponential addition of information..even customers dont know wat they want.....i feel point number 6..master the message has become more important wid time......inform, create need and deliver....excellent article...
Team!!! One rule!!! One!!!! It's never good enough.Everr!!! Ever!!! Ever!!b He learned it it in os8... OS 10,72 would not have been launched if the man were there. Same flaws fixed quick... Power computers are removing it... Grest features if your a light weight.... Try managing 100,0000,000,000.00 pieces of data not integrated. Tough stuff processes in 25% the time in the last OS.
Great advice, I love how he educates during his presentations. I believe in the same as you must teach your clients and inspire security. http://www.besecurenetworks.com you will see how we do the same... thanks!
You are 100% correct - but Jobs didn't make our society capitalistic and product obsessed. One can purchase an iPad or iPhone or Macbook and still recognize you don't have to have all three and everything brand new that comes out. No one is saying Jobs was Mother Teresa - but you can't knock his business sense and ability at creating a brand that people want to be a part of. Parents' lack of parenting is not his fault. Greedy consumption is also not his fault. People's priorities are askew but you can't blame Jobs.
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A great article from a man full of insight. Doing what you have passion for is the greatest advantage one can give to oneself.
To be a succesful person, we all know what to do but what we really dont know is "how to do?"
Great read! About #2 - Put a Dent in the Universe - yes! Have that vision. And... be patient and persistent. In this world of instant gratification, it's important to remember that these dreams and visions take nurturing, faith and persistance. Persistance of vision. My vision is to create bonding, peace and joy for millions of parents and babies, one beautiful lullaby at a time. http://www.tenderheartsongs.com Wishing you happiness today, Kira Callahan.
I just regret that everything nowadays is purely black or purely white. Sure, financially speaking he was succesful, no doubt about that. But socially? At first a product named Apple for which no other companies could produce parts like with IBM, thus keeping prices artificially high, much higher than for an IBM PC. Then creating new products like i-pad, -pod and -phone causing people to all want that, creating new "needs" at the cost of our environment and social life (in many cases causing kids having to miss their parents' guidance because both are full time at work instead of parenting as they should and in all of mankind's history always have done). Not to mention the gruesome and unhealthy conditions under which Chinese, often very young laborers had to work, excessive long hours for sub-standard wages working in part with life-threatening chemicals, That also was Steve Jobs. Not a very fine example for mankind I think.
this is so trye
Actually, Steve Jobs took credit and called everything "innovative" thus claiming he/they invented it. Innovations are inventions.
You forgot #8: Copy everything good, slap your logo on it and call it innovative. Enough with the Jobs love.
Truly inspiring and will continue to inspire me 4 eternity...
He appears to be an everyday kind of guy.Joe average that took the time to excel and certainly did. I don't know about anyone else, but when I think of the head of any corporation I think of an uptight,suit,kind of person, that has no idea what its like to work within his own company. I don't get that feeling with Steve. For most of America, customer service is a lost art. Most people today would rather roll their eyes and not be of any help when you walk into any given store. I love his approach to customer service, grassroots perspective. What other CEO's don't get is that is what we as consumers want. Time and attention from CSR's. He made it a pleasure to shop his stores CEO's what about your stores???????.
I met Jobs in a Dennys when he was looking for funding to build the first Apple computers. Unfortunately, being a mainframe guy, when he offered stock for an investment, I laughed at him. Ok, so now I've established I was a complete and utter idiot. But Steve didn't list what should have been #1, and #2, if you look at how he became successful. #1- be lucky to have a genius for a friend who did all the work, and #2, manage not to run off #1 and two or three key initial employees before Apple got big enough to exist DESPITE the major a-hole he became. He should have been fired years before he was. Its a good think Microsoft bailed them out or Steve would have run it into the ground.
Great article about a Visionary man! He inspired us in many ways. The way he lived his life and changed the world. Thank you for giving us the great product to live with!! Truly a great man.
Wow, John. You really added a lot with that comment. I think Mauricio brings up a valid point. Did Steve Jobs (and others like him) achieve success at the cost of his personal life and his family? And if so, should that be defined as success?
so true
There are thousands who die every day. You only get to know those few geniuses who left an indellible mark in this world, with their work, vision.....
you must dream big to achieve ones goal...
What about numer 8; copy and paste?
Yeah, and his response to the iPhone 4 antennae problems was.. "you're holding it wrong." Sure he cared about u. Sure.
A great article about a great man! despite the emphasis on vision and the like, Steve's approach to business is eminently practical as well. Something that all entrepreneurs and start-ups should be aware of and adopt.
Thank u Steve for helpin me build babybuttjingles youtube!! Go big, then go bigger trumped by Dream big, then dream bigger!
A pioneer of our computer world. If it wasn't for him most of us would still be working a 9-5 type job.
Let some one else do not fascinate our lives with their achievements. Every human is born with one brain. Some people let it sleep, others make it work.
yawn.
He was a business genius and will be sadly missed. A few weeks ago I was walking through a shopping centre and a lot of the businesses were completely empty, except of course the Apple store. It was filled to the brim with happy, smiling staff who were engaging, educating and having fun with the customers. Even though it's been a tough year in the economy, everyday people still fork out the money for Apple products. Do they need them? No, but they sure want them. Brilliant!
This article should be actually a decalogue: FIRST RULE: Forget your family or friends. Your company is everything into your life; sons, parents and anyone else is just a biological appendix you can cut. SECOND RULE: Everyone is stupid. You're the better one. If you're the better one in architecture, i.e., how could a regular physician tell you what's happening in your body. Don't mind: you're the number one and you know more than nobody: do what you think is best for you altough it was found in Internet boards. THIRD RULE: People? What people? Marketing geniuses just care about profit margins. To be rich and have objects which show it is the real meaning of life. People who can't afford things other people like to have is like grass in the park; not interesting at all. ------------> And then, put here your seven rules
Your article inspired me to write about my experience with Steve Jobs. Steve knew how to appreciate "the customer," and strongly believed if Apple did that, customers would see the company through the ups and downs. When he returned to Apple, I rejoiced! I wrote him about a nagging issue with my iBook (then my fifth Apple computer). His office called me within a few days and resolved my problem. The concept of customer loyalty, along with Steve's visionary marketing and product, are the key to Apple's longevity. He was one of a kind in every respect. I'll miss him.
Jobs was lucky to be at the right place and at the right time. His life story will not be beneficial to many thousands, if not millions of other dreamers and visionaries who live in unfavourable times and environments, such as Zimbabwe, Greece and Yemen, just to mention a few. Let's be realistic. What works for one, may not work for thousand others. and be warned; Generalization is the cradle of prejudice.
umh.. not sure.. but i will stick with steve's #7 "Sell Dreams, Not Products"
i never knew him until he died. thank you for writing this article.
I just finished reading the Seven Rules of Success from Steve Jobs...I have goose bumps and a frog in my throat. I feel at a loss because I would've loved to hear him speak in person just once; absolutely inspiring and great man that left us with soo much in such little time...
From this passage, i suddenly found out that it's true about Jobs has changed my life, though i do not have any product of Apple, its spirit is deep in my mind. i am inriching my life everyday, and do things with passion, trying to do the things i'd love to whcih seemed to be no chance for me. Facing the things i do not like, the best idea Jobs told me is having a better life, and finially i trully get used to the new invironment, thinking not so bad after i changed some nearby things. Feeling thankful.
Ideas are inspiring!!
I am really amazed at how clever this person was. He is no longer alive, but his influence will remain forever!
great
Amazing
Steve Jobs has demonstrated the strength of vision and attentive pursuation. The power of being confident and composed is clearly visible character of his success. I salute to the great entrepreneur and am late to join the family of apple just before he left the world.
Gr88888 Great concepts.You can do wonders if you are focus.