Steve Jobs, the wunderkind and infant terrible of the tech world, passed away last week as a casualty of pancreatic cancer. Steve was undoubtedly a visionary and a genius who sparked many hearts and minds around the world. His vision when he founded Apple in 1977 (“To put a computer in every home”) was revolutionary for the time and he turned it into reality with sheer grit and determination. Most entrepreneurs dream about changing the way an industry functions. Steve Jobs, on the other hand, revolutionized at least six –computing, music, animation, publishing and telecommunications.
There is no doubt that Steve Jobs was a remarkable man – but you are probably wondering what a hagiography of his life is doing on this site. Steve Jobs was one of the most innovative men of our time, and not only did his life inspire an entire generation of entrepreneurs, but he also left us with some valuable life lessons about love.
Never, ever give up hope
This is probably the biggest lesson that anyone can take away from Steve’s life. When Steve was fired as the CEO of Apple in the late 1980s, he could have chosen to give up and live a life of leisure off his millions. But instead, he went on to found Pixar, a brilliantly successful animation company that was acquired by Disney for an undisclosed sum reported to be over $ 10 billion. Then he made a triumphant comeback to Apple, where he worked tirelessly over a decade to make it the world’s most valuable technology company.
What does this tell us? Even when the situation seems hopeless, you can still recover and rise like a phoenix from the ashes. Whether you are trying to recover from a bad break up or trying to win back the one who slipped away, always have hope and things will turn out well.
Treat others the way you want to be treated yourself
Few people know this, but Steve Jobs had a daughter, Lisa, with his high school sweetheart. Lisa was born when Jobs was 23, and he did not pay child support for the majority of Lisa’s life – in fact, he even claimed that he was not be Lisa’s father, in official court documents, because he was impotent and sterile.
This is not the way that you should treat anyone in your life. If you are trying to get out of a relationship with someone because you no longer love them, then at least try to be kind. It may sound trite, but a little kindness goes a long way. Always be fair to others, especially in matters of love. A heart is a fragile thing that breaks easily. And no matter how hard you try to patch it up again, the cracks will always be visible.
Do what you want to do
Steve Jobs dropped out of college in order to start Apple, a decision that most people would call foolhardy. But he knew what he wanted and was willing to do whatever it took to get it.
Remember to follow your heart when it is time for you to marry, and you won’t go wrong.
How has Steve Jobs inspired you?