Lessons from Steve Jobs

Today the world mourns for a man that made a huge impact on all of our lives, Steve Jobs. Whether or not you ever owned any of his products, there was no way that you could avoid the impact on our day to day lives. iPhone, i pads all the way back to the first "Macs" his innovation and futuristic thinking effected us all. He will be missed.

My wife found a quote of his that I wanted to share with you: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me. I was worth over $1,000,000 when I was 23, and over $10,000,000 when I was 24, and over $100,000,000 when I was 25, and it wasn’t that important because I never did it for the money.” Steve Jobs
There are many lessons that we can learn from that statement. The first being that money isn't everything.This was a man who was looking at his own imminent death and he knew the truth to the matter. Money was not going to save him.

Another reason though was because he simply enjoyed his work. Imagine if all of us had that kind of attitude, that the money wasn't important because we enjoy what it is that we are doing, that attitude alone could change the world.

There is a lesson as well that the government could learn if they would simply pay attention. Get rid of all the cumbersome rules and regulations so small business can get to the business of hiring people and stimulating the economy.

In his bio it says that Steve Jobs started in his garage back in 1974. Just imagine the world in that day having all the rules and regs that we have now and then ask yourself if Apple would have every got off the ground. I doubt it. I have friends who are small business men who don't see a whole lot of hiring going on because of all the regulations coming out of DC. I am not talking major corporations here, I am talking about people that I know that are trying to make it and expand but can't because of all the regs.

So essentially there are two lessons to learn here. One is to love what you do so that the money is a secondary issue at best and second is to let loose the chains that are currently stopping small businesses from expanding because you never know where you will find another " Steve Jobs."

Rest in Peace. Steve Jobs, 1955-2011