I didn’t expect the passing of Steve Jobs to move me as much as it did. My infautation and awe of him has been something that’s only developed recently in the last few years. This is when I learned about his history with Apple, Pixar, and discovered his marketing genius.
While I don’t have a Mac, there isn’t a single day that’s gone by since I got the first generation iPod that I don’t extract a few hours of joy from it. We’re all indebted to Steve for his persistent innovation.
In the first video, I took more out of that than the marketing degree I worked four years for. The simplicity, the focus on the story, it’s all brilliant. The ad at the end is my favorite Apple ad as well.
You will be missed, Steve.
Better than a Marketing Degree:
Steve Jobs Commencement Speech:
The commencement speech has some of the best life wisdom I’ve heard from anyone:
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”