By now, everywhere you look on the internet, you will find news about the passing of Steve Jobs after his long battle with cancer. I thought I would jot down a few thoughts and business lessons I have learned from his life.

Friends/Family are Important

Even if you are working in your dream job doing exactly what you want to be doing with your life, your work will always be there, but your family and friends may not always be there. If you remember the first time Steve Jobs got sick, he actually left Apple. Why? Because he thought he couldn’t do the job anymore? No. He left because he wanted to spend his time with friends and family. He remembered what was important and it didn’t matter that his work was actually changing the way we as a generation interact with technology.

Your Team is what Makes You

Apple, as a company, has for a long time had an excellent reputation of taking care of their employees. Why did they build an entire campus surrounding their offices? Because Steve Jobs realized that by surrounding himself with good team members will help the company grow faster, better, and farther. So by taking care of the team members, he ensured that the team members stuck with the team. There is a saying that if you want to go fast, go alone. But Steve Jobs understood that in order to go farther, you need to go together. Steve Jobs understood that his team is what made him who he became.

Do what you love and do it passionately

Life and work isn’t just about making money. We should do things because we love what what we do. Steve Jobs used to say, “you aren’t going to live forever, so enjoy your life while you can.” He loved what he did so much that for a while his salary was simply $1/year. Why is this important? Because if you love what you do, you will work harder to make what you do succeed.

It’s because of this do what you love and do it passionately that I actually joined the fire department. I had no idea I would enjoy the opportunity to be there for others. I’m passionate about going on duty and teaching and training others the skills that can help save someones life. Today, I can say that I wish no harm would fall upon anyone, but if that bad day happens, I want to be the one to be there to help you through that difficult time.

Focus on what needs to be focused on

There are so many things an entrepreneur/business owner COULD do, but learning how to focus on specific areas is the homerun ball. Steve Jobs showed that if you focused your energies on a core product and helped it grow, that success would result from such focus. Steve Jobs built homerun products rather than playing small ball and going for the constant bunt or single to just try and get on base.

There’s nothing wrong with thinking big

Steve Jobs actually set out to change the way we interact with technology. Let me say that again… He SET OUT to change the way we interact with technology. That is a lofty goal, something that the high school guidance counselor would probably have told him to reign in his dreams and strive for something “achievable”. But Steve Jobs wanted to changes things by striving after the end goal by solving problems. And by solving problems and making it easier for us to interact with technology, he not only changed the way we interact with technology, he truly changed the world.
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So to Steve Jobs, I thank you for focusing on the important things like family, friends, your team. And because of that dedication and passion you truly did…