Steve Jobs’s Philosophy of Life (Part IV): Four Rules of Life
This article is part of a series that delves into the core beliefs guiding some of the world’s most successful individuals. Their remarkable achievements can often be traced back to a distinctive philosophy of life — a framework for living that enabled them to harness the full power of their mission, ambition, and purpose.
For each person that I analyze as a part of this series, I write four articles. Each article covers a component of their unique philosophy of life (meaning of life, priorities, virtues, and rules of life). This article is the fourth in my series on Steve Jobs and introduces his rules of life. Enjoy!
Steve Jobs’s Rules of Life
Rules of life represent the final piece of a philosophy of life and are essentially specific examples of applying ones meaning of life, priorities, and virtues to real world situations. Below, I have listed and analyzed four of my favorite rules of life that led Jobs to becoming the person we know today.
Stay hungry, stay foolish
This mantra, which Jobs famously borrowed from the final issue of the Whole Earth Catalog, encapsulated his rebellious spirit and his willingness to challenge the status quo. Throughout his life and career, Jobs embraced the countercultural ethos of staying hungry and foolish, drawing inspiration from his hippie roots and hacker culture. This rule wasn’t just about taking risks or defying conventions; it reflected Jobs’ deeper belief in the power of curiosity, creativity, and intuition in driving innovation and personal growth. By staying hungry and foolish, Jobs remained open to new ideas and experiences instead of being trapped by the dogma of ego and fear.
Connect the dots looking back
This rule of life reflects Jobs’s belief in an inteligent universe and the importance of following ones intuition. He elaborated on this advice in his Stanford Commencement Speech stating “You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
Focus
Steve Jobs’ approach to focus was more than just a business strategy; it was a way of life deeply rooted in his Zen training. When he returned to Apple in 1997, he famously simplified the company’s product lineup to just four essential categories, a move that ultimately saved the struggling company. This decision wasn’t just about cutting costs or streamlining operations; it reflected Jobs’ unwavering commitment to clarity and simplicity in pursuit of greatness.
Take End-to-End Responsibility
One of Jobs’ most enduring legacies was his insistence on taking end-to-end responsibility for the user experience. From hardware to software to peripherals, Jobs believed that every aspect of Apple’s products should be tightly integrated to enhance the overall user experience. This holistic approach wasn’t just about creating seamless products; it reflected Jobs’ deeper philosophy of life, which emphasized the importance of excellence and attention to detail in everything he did.
Create Your Own Philosophy of Life
I hope you enjoyed the article and appreciated this more holistic approach to looking at self-improvement.
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