Everyone knows the name “Steve Jobs.” These days, it’s synonymous with innovation, with achieving more than anyone thought humanly possible, and with technological revolution that can be unmatched by any other human brain. Obviously, he was a great inventor and thinker about culture and the world around him, but he was not gifted by God with traits that only he can possess. He was, after all, a mortal. So what lessons from his incredible life can we learn, so that we too can be more like Steve Jobs when it comes to entrepreneurism and innovation?
Here are some tips that may seem abrasive at first, but really work. After all, that’s why Steve Jobs is a household name.
- Believe in Yourself Immensely and with Passion
If your goal is simply to make a few bucks, that won’t be enough intrinsic motivation to truly excel. Steve Jobs worked passionately at everything he put his hands on. If you want to be like him, you have to truly want your business or your idea to succeed, and you have to care about each and every step of the way. When you’re building a team around you, seek out that same level of passion. You need the fire in your eye, and you need those around you to have the same spark. If you don’t feel that burning and yearning and fire, you may be on the wrong path.
- You Are Right About Everything
Though it sounds truly obnoxious, that is how Steve Jobs got going, believing he was right about pretty much everything. Because he claimed to be right, he had to work hard to prove to both himself and his doubters that he was indeed right. Sometimes that meant putting in many extra hours. You don’t want to be a jerk, you just want to be supremely self-confident. It’s amazing what self-confidence does to your work and to the morale of those around you. Everyone wants a leader, and if you’ve built a smart and fiery team, they’ll in particular want a strong and self-assured leader to believe in.
- Be Creative in your Creativity
A successful brain-of-the-company not only cannot be the sole source of creativity, he must actively want not to be. The whole point of assembling a capable cast of creative thinkers around you is to get the most out of these people, whom you have picked to excel and help you. What Steve Jobs did that a lot of other folks in his position fail to do, is to delegate the responsibility of creativity itself. Jobs never considered himself worthy of the praise he received – he was not the one and only reason for Apple’s success. He just knew how to get the most out of his trusted co-workers.
- Be Curious and Be Quick
Without curiosity, you will have boredom and apathy. A successful entrepreneur like Steve Jobs is curious about every step of the process, about the inside and outside of the product. He was able to ascertain issues, problems and even successful features quickly and to make suggestions and difficult decisions quickly and with confidence. Problem solving, which requires in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the process, is of paramount importance.
- Take Risks and Get Up When You Fail
If you are unwilling to take risks or follow a line of thought you are confident in, you will never reach true greatness. The most successful people in the world have all had some flops. Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Matthew McConaughey have all had flops, and are still leading geniuses in their respective fields. If you can fail and get up and grow from it, you will be stronger for it.
