Like many others I was shocked by the news of Steve Job’s passing away when I woke up this morning. Sure, the writing has been on the wall for quite some time and his publicized resignation more or less paved way for what is to come, but that doesn’t make the news any easier to swallow when it strikes.
The world as we know it will never be the same. For many years to come, people will still be discovering how much they have truly lost, and occasionally pondering how Steve would have done things differently if he is still around.
Most people weigh upon his contributions by the products he helped to create, his innovative visions or business acumens. Those are impressive, but I’m more touched by the more human side of the man. His relentlessness in pursuing true greatness. The drive to create works of wonder that are in harmony with nature, people, the world. His refusal to be let down by the status quo. His eagerness to shine among the flock. And the sense of proudness and satisfaction when he sees people appreciating his work. To that end, this mentality is no different than that of a fourth grader at school striving hard to win the praises of parents and teachers.
Some people singled that out as a fault in Jobs’ character. That his biological parents put him up for adoption created a vacuum in his heart he spent a lifetime trying to reconcile. In my opinion, that aspect was a gift rather than a fault. It was probably one of the greatest source of strength in Steve’s life, and as a result the single most important aspiring quality contributing to the high levels of standard carried forward to most of Apple’s products.
If only could more people in the world retain this child-like innocence and act upon it in everything they do, the human race would benefit from more amazing breakthroughs than an array of new laptops and mobile phones every year. That, would be the greatest legacy that Steve Jobs could have left behind.
http://www.corgitoergosum.net/2011/10/06/the-legacy-of-steve-jobs/
Troy Simon 