Steve Jobs
Apple, Pixar · Technology · United States
Biography
Co-founded Apple in 1976. Forced out in 1985, he founded NeXT and led Pixar, then returned to Apple in 1997 and led the iMac, iPod and iPhone.
Starting point: Apple was started in 1976 partly funded by selling a van and a calculator.
“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”
The lesson
Paraphrased from documented sourcesSetbacks can lead to your best work; follow what you care about deeply.
How it helps you
Early failures teach skills you will use later. Keep going when an idea does not work.
Practical steps
- Write down what your last failure taught you.
- Pick the part of your idea you care about most.
- Simplify your product to that core.
- Keep a notebook of lessons from each attempt.
Apply This Lesson
Pick an idea from your last scan, or type your own.