Advice from the Masters: Steve Jobs

Apr 2, 2014 | Better Writing

My friend, Bob Sutton, says that Steve Jobs is like a Rorschach Test. People project their own beliefs onto him. That sounds right to me.

But I also know that a quick look around will give you an idea of how Jobs affected our world. As I write this, my iPod is playing music I selected for writing times. My iPhone has a timer that’s keeping track of the time I spend on this post.

Whatever else he was, Steve Jobs was a realist about the challenges of business. That’s the source of my favorite Steve Jobs quote.

“Real artists ship.”

That’s worth remembering whether you’re an artist or a software engineer or a businessperson who’s trying to get a book done. The people who make a difference in the world do things that get out of their head and into the world where they make a difference in other people’s lives. Steve Jobs did that. So can you.

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