I know not a few people who don't understand the world's fascination with Steve Jobs.
I can't say I'm a die hard Apple fan because I've always been more of a value-for-money kind of guy than a flashy gadget techie. Despite that, I still own a couple of Apple products, both of which occupy a particularly meaningful place in my life. But, really, it's more than just these products.
I'm affected by this man because he stands as the testament that one should never give up. Life can throw you so many curve balls. Sometimes, a few of those are bound to hit you. And you pick yourself up each time.
He dropped out of college. A lot of us would probably consider that a big failure. But, he turned this into an opportunity. He used his time studying calligraphy. A pretty non-practical field of study, if you ask me. He used this skill into making what was then a revolutionary typeface that eventually became the standard for fonts in computers when he co-founded Apple.
But, that was not the last of the curveballs to hit him.
In 1985, he was forced out of Apple because of disagreements over the company's strategy. A lot of people counted him out then. What can you do when you're forced out of something that you were responsible for? His answer was, to create something new entirely. He went on to acquire that money making machine we owe a lot of laughs (and a few tears too) that is called Pixar. He also acquired a company called NeXT. It was this move that would lead him back to the Apple boardroom when the merger of NeXT and Apple was finalized in 1997.
And we all know (somewhat) what happens next.
So, on behalf of those of us you have inspired, be it because of innovation or the sheer depth of your life, thank you, Steve. You will be remembered.
