Steve Jobs was one of the greatest innovators of our time, and his vision and wisdom continue to inspire millions of people around the world. His quotes are a testament to his brilliance and his unshakable belief in the power of creativity, hard work, and innovation.
25 Steve Jobs’ quotes that will inspire you to achieve success
In this blog, we’ve compiled some of Steve Jobs’ most inspiring quotes and explained what they mean and how they can apply to our lives.
Stay hungry. Stay foolish.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs delivered this quote during his 2005 Stanford University commencement speech. It has become one of his most famous quotes, and it speaks to the importance of maintaining a sense of curiosity and wonder throughout your life.
The phrase “stay hungry” suggests that you should never become complacent or satisfied with your current achievements. Instead, you should strive to continually learn, grow, and push yourself to new heights.
The phrase “stay foolish” encourages you to take risks and not be afraid to fail. In essence, Jobs is saying that you should never stop exploring and experimenting, even if it means doing something unconventional or going against the norm.
Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.
Steve Jobs
This quote highlights the importance of innovation and creativity in leadership. According to Jobs, a leader is someone who is willing to take risks, think outside the box, and create new solutions to problems. By contrast, a follower is someone who simply follows the status quo and does not try to innovate or improve upon existing ideas. In essence, Jobs is saying that if you want to be a leader, you need to be innovative and constantly strive to come up with new and better ways of doing things.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
Steve Jobs
This quote is a reminder that life is short and that we should make the most of the time we have. According to Jobs, we should not waste our time living someone else’s life or adhering to dogmatic beliefs that do not reflect our own inner truths. Instead, we should have the courage to follow our own hearts and intuition, which will lead us to our true passions and desires. Jobs is essentially saying that we should not be afraid to be true to ourselves and to pursue our own unique paths in life.
Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.
Steve Jobs
This quote emphasizes the importance of striving for excellence in all that you do.
According to Jobs, we should aim to be a “yardstick of quality,” setting the standard for excellence in our work and our lives. However, Jobs also acknowledges that not everyone is used to this level of excellence and that it can be challenging to maintain high standards.
Nevertheless, he encourages us to continue to aim for the highest level of quality, both in our personal and professional lives.
You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.
Steve Jobs
This quote highlights the importance of innovation and taking risks in business. Simply asking customers what they want and then trying to fulfill those needs may not always lead to success, as by the time you deliver a product, their wants and needs may have already evolved. Instead, it’s important to anticipate future needs and come up with new, innovative solutions that may not exist yet.
People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.
Steve Jobs
This quote emphasizes the importance of focus and prioritization. Many people believe that being focused means saying yes to every opportunity that comes their way, but in reality, it means saying no to everything that doesn’t align with your priorities.
To be truly focused, you have to carefully select the ideas and opportunities that will move you closer to your goals and let go of everything else. This requires discipline and the ability to make tough choices, but ultimately, it can lead to greater success and fulfillment.
We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise, why else even be here?
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs believed in the power of making a significant impact on the world. He believed that each one of us has the potential to leave a mark and change the world in our own way. Jobs encouraged people to think big, to have ambitious goals, and to work towards making a difference. He wanted people to recognize that they have a purpose in life and that they should strive to fulfill it.
The smallest company in the world can look as large as the largest company on the web.
Steve Jobs
With the advent of the internet, it has become easier for small companies to compete with large corporations. Steve Jobs recognized this fact and emphasized the importance of branding and marketing. He believed that a well-designed website could make a small company look as professional as a large corporation. He encouraged entrepreneurs to leverage the power of the internet to reach their customers and grow their businesses.
Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs believed in creating products that were not only beautiful but also functional and user-friendly. He believed that quality was more important than quantity and that creating one great product was better than creating multiple average ones. He encouraged his team to focus on creating products that were simple, elegant, and easy to use.
My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs recognized the value of time and believed that it was the most precious resource we had. He encouraged people to spend their time wisely and to focus on the things that truly mattered. He believed that material possessions were not the key to happiness and that true fulfillment came from pursuing one’s passions and making a difference in the world.
Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs believed that innovation was essential for success, but he also recognized that it was not always a smooth process. He acknowledged that making mistakes was part of the innovation process and encouraged his team to embrace failure as a learning opportunity. He emphasized the importance of quickly acknowledging mistakes and moving on to improve other innovations.
I’m as proud of many of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs believed that innovation was not just about creating new things but also about saying no to ideas that didn’t align with the company’s vision. He encouraged his team to focus on the most important ideas and to say no to distractions that could derail them from their goals. He believed that innovation was about making difficult choices and staying true to one’s vision.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.
Steve Jobs
We spend a significant portion of our lives working, so it’s important to find work that we enjoy and feel passionate about. Steve Jobs believed that doing great work was the key to being truly satisfied in life. To do great work, we must love what we do. If you haven’t found your passion yet, keep looking. Don’t settle for a job you don’t love just because it pays the bills. Keep searching until you find work that brings you joy and fulfillment. When you find it, you’ll know it, and your work will only get better with time, just like any great relationship.
Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs knew the value of teamwork in business. While he was often seen as the face of Apple, he recognized that it was the combined efforts of a team that made the company successful. One person can never accomplish great things by themselves. It takes a team of talented individuals working together to achieve great things. Collaboration, communication, and trust are essential ingredients for a successful team. When everyone works towards a common goal, great things can be achieved.
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.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs believed that making a positive impact on the world was more important than accumulating wealth. He didn’t want to be remembered as the richest man in the cemetery. Instead, he wanted to leave a legacy of innovation and creativity that would benefit generations to come. Doing something wonderful, something that changes people’s lives for the better, is what mattered most to him. Money and possessions may bring temporary happiness, but making a difference in the world brings true fulfillment.
Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.
Steve Jobs
Despite being a technology pioneer, Steve Jobs believed that technology was not the most important thing. Instead, he had faith in people and their ability to use technology to do great things. He believed that people are inherently good and smart and that if given the right tools, they can accomplish amazing things. Jobs understood that technology is only a tool, and it’s up to us to use it for good.
If you’re gonna make connections which are innovative… you have to not have the same bag of experiences as everyone else does.
Steve Jobs
Innovation requires thinking outside the box and looking at problems from a different perspective. Steve Jobs believed that to make innovative connections, you have to have a diverse set of experiences. You can’t think creatively if you’re stuck in the same routine, doing the same things every day. To innovate, you need to be exposed to new ideas, people, and experiences. By stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying new things, you can gain the insights and perspectives needed to make innovative connections.
Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works.
Steve Jobs
This quote emphasizes the importance of design in creating products and experiences that not only look good but also function well.
Design is more than just aesthetics or visual appeal; it’s about creating a solution that solves a problem and provides a great user experience. A well-designed product is intuitive and easy to use, making it effortless for users to accomplish their tasks. The design also involves understanding the user’s needs and desires, which allows designers to create products that truly resonate with them.
Moreover, good design is crucial to building a brand. A brand’s design elements, such as logos and packaging, can instantly communicate the company’s values and message. These elements can also help differentiate the brand from competitors, making it more memorable and recognizable to customers.
Ultimately, design plays a significant role in creating successful products and businesses. It’s not just about making something look pretty; it’s about creating something that works well, solves a problem, and resonates with customers.
Let’s go invent tomorrow rather than worrying about what happened yesterday.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was a firm believer in focusing on the future rather than dwelling on the past. He believed that we should always be looking ahead and working to create a better tomorrow, rather than getting bogged down by what has already happened.
Instead of worrying about past failures or mistakes, Jobs encouraged people to focus on what they could do to make a difference in the future. This mindset helped him to constantly innovate and create new products that changed the world.
Don’t wait! Do something when you are young, when you have nothing to lose, and keep that in mind.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs often encouraged young people to take risks and pursue their passions. He believed that youth was a time to take chances and explore new ideas without the burden of too many responsibilities.
Jobs recognized that taking risks could lead to failure, but he also knew that it was a necessary part of the process. He believed that the experiences gained from failure would ultimately lead to success.
I think the things you regret in life are the things you didn’t do.
Steve Jobs
For Steve Jobs, living a fulfilling life meant taking risks and following his dreams. He believed that it was better to try and fail than to never try at all. In his view, the greatest regrets in life were often the result of missed opportunities and unfulfilled ambitions.
Jobs encouraged people to take action and pursue their dreams, even if it meant stepping outside of their comfort zones. He believed that it was better to take a chance and fail than to never try at all.
You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
Steve Jobs
This quote highlights Steve Jobs’ belief in the power of hindsight. He recognized that it was often difficult to see how individual experiences would fit together in the grand scheme of things. However, Jobs believed that by trusting in the journey and having faith in the future, everything would eventually make sense.
He encouraged people to follow their instincts and trust in themselves, even when they couldn’t see the end result. Jobs believed that this approach had helped him to achieve his own success and that it could help others as well.
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.
Steve Jobs
For Steve Jobs, recognizing the finite nature of life was a powerful motivator. He believed that acknowledging the inevitability of death could help people take risks and pursue their dreams without fear of failure or rejection.
By embracing the idea that we have nothing to lose, Jobs believed that people could tap into their true passions and live their lives to the fullest. He encouraged people to follow their hearts and do what they truly loved, rather than conforming to societal expectations or chasing external rewards.
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
Steve Jobs
This quote is from an iconic Apple commercial that celebrated the power of innovation and creativity. Steve Jobs believed that the people who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world are the ones who actually do. If you want to make a difference, you need to be willing to think outside the box and challenge the status quo.
I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.
Steve Jobs
This quote emphasizes the importance of determination and persistence in achieving success. Jobs believed that success is not just about having a good idea or being talented; it also requires the willingness to keep going even when faced with obstacles and setbacks.
Perseverance means pushing through challenges and failures and learning from them instead of giving up. It’s the ability to stay committed to a goal even when the going gets tough. Jobs himself faced many obstacles and setbacks throughout his career, but he never gave up on his vision and continued to pursue his goals with unwavering determination.
This quote serves as a reminder that success is not achieved overnight and that perseverance is a key ingredient in the recipe for success. It encourages us to keep pushing forward despite the challenges we may face and to never give up on our dreams and aspirations.
About Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was a visionary and an entrepreneur who changed the world. Through his work at Apple, Pixar, and NeXT, he revolutionized the way we use technology and brought us some of the most innovative products of our time.
He was also known for his inspiring quotes, which continue to motivate and inspire people to this day. In this blog post, we have taken a closer look at 25 of the most famous Steve Jobs’ quotes and explored what they can teach us about success, innovation, and changing the world.
Conclusion
Steve Jobs’ legacy lives on through his quotes, which continue to inspire us to push the boundaries of what’s possible, pursue our dreams with passion and dedication, and never settle for mediocrity.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a creative professional, or just someone who wants to live a fulfilling life, Steve Jobs’ quotes can provide you with the motivation and inspiration you need to achieve your goals and make a difference in the world. So, take these quotes to heart and let them guide you on your journey toward success and fulfillment.
We have also curated more inspirational and life quotes by many other famous personalities. Do not miss them!
