Unlike the posts you’ll find elsewhere by those who had personal acquaintance with Steve Jobs, my only knowledge of him is through his role as the incredible mind and human being behind Apple. Even if you think he did what others might have done, perhaps could have done or even should have done, no one else actually did. That makes all the difference in the world.
I can best sum it up by quoting from an earlier post:
Have You Noticed the Doers?
If you’ve been here more than once, you may have noticed a similarity in many stories, a large percentage are about someone taking action, they get an idea and rather than debate the issue endlessly, they try doing it. Drawing a new design, building a new motorcycle or modifying an existing bike, if it works for them, they accomplish their goal. They answer the “What if†questions with action. They are doers, the folks who think and do, the ones who accomplish something.I like doers, I have a lot of respect for anyone who puts in the time and effort to create something and then puts it out there for the world to see, especially since there are so many talkers and critics. Talk is cheap and criticism is free so there tends to be a lot of it. Talkers outnumber doers about 1000 to 1, or more, it’s why I have to work so hard to find the doers, they’re spread a little thin but finding them is worth the time and effort.
Doers don’t always get it right, they often make mistakes but rarely make excuses. What is done may be imperfect, but that’s how progress comes about, each attempt reveals where improvement is called for, but, like a magnet, each attempt attracts talkers and critics who are already perfect, because mistakes only happen when you do something, critics never risk it, they’re unwilling to test themselves in the world of action.
A doer takes action, building a motorcycle in his shop to test and improve his ideas, a talker imagines a perfect motorcycle in his mind and stops there.
Doers are more positive, if something doesn’t work, something else might. Talkers and critics are negative, they always knew it wouldn’t work and will be sure to tell you so.
Doers see the progress they made and feel good about it, critics point out how far from perfection the project is and point out every shortcoming.
Doers are always learning, talkers and critics already know everything.
Doers are more interesting
Doers know they aren’t perfect, they see their own mistakes every day so they let their work speak for itself and it sometimes says a lot about them. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear the passion for thinking, learning, trying and doing, they have an honest and hard won pride in their work, but they seldom shout about it.Doers know you can’t please everyone, but they move ahead anyway and that’s why they’re so interesting, you never know what they’ll do next. There’s no guarantee of success and knowing they may fall short, the challenge makes it worthwhile. But don’t ever confuse falling short with failure, failure is not trying.
You don’t have to like their work and if you believe you can do better, start today, doers enjoy seeing others try, the world is always waiting for excellent work, the more the better. …
We don’t need people waiting for someone to solve their problems, waiting for conditions to improve, waiting for the right moment to do something, … we need more doers to solve their own problems, improve their own conditions and take advantage of this current moment to do something because it’s the only moment you get, this one and the next one and the one after that. They’re all the same, until you make them different!
So, what are you doing today?
Rest in Peace, Steve
Mike T. says
Well said.
GuitarSlinger says
And for those in any doubt as to the validity of a M/C site posting a tribute to Steve Jobs let me remnind you that if it were not for Mr Jobs and his company Apple , we most likely wouldn’t be enjoying places like the Kneeslider today
As to any criticisms that may be aimed at Mr Jobs , as well as mention of his faults , which were many , allow me to paraphrase a quote from the Character Mal from the show Firefly ; JaynesTown ;
” Seems to me any man thats had a statue or a plaque made in his honor had a bit of the SOB in him ”
As well as a good axiom to live by ;
” Never meet your heros . We’re all _____ holes to some extent ”
RIP Mr Jobs . Your presence will be missed , but your legacy and accomplishments will live on
Doug says
Good to know that a mind like Steve Jobs had was at times rejuvenated by the joys of motorcycling.
Thank you and rest in peace.
Rex Marsee says
I like your attitude!
B*A*M*F says
@ Doug:
Well said.
anthrosciguy says
Having heard plenty over the years from people who worked with him, Jobs had more than a bit of SOB in him, and he screwed up big-time in some things, but he kept plugging away and did some terrific stuff too. He was smart enough to learn from his mistakes (as well as being egotistical enough to blame customers for not holding their phones the way he did. 🙂
At his worst he was entertaining. At his best he moved things along in a big way, providing not just products but a spur to rival companies. For instance, although Linux provided some competition for Microsoft, does anyone think that the latest Windows OSes would be as good as they are if Jobs hadn’t been pushing Apple forward?
Hawk says
Paul, reading your “quoting from an earlier post” I’ve moved to make the comparison to you for the creation of the Kneeslider. I think many of us who enjoy the articles and editorials fail to reflect on the creative mind behind this site.
Certainly there is a vast difference in the monetary rewards between Steve Jobs and the rest of us, but we can all enjoy the benefits of what creative minds have given us.
I was delighted to read the tribute paid to Steve Jobs by Bill Gates. That’s class ….
Steve says
“Doers are always learning, talkers and critics already know everything.”
My favorite from the above.
Thank You Mr. Jobs…
MARK 5 says
Well said.
Stan says
“we most likely wouldn’t be enjoying places like the Kneeslider today”
I wasn’t aware that he invented the internet.
… I wouldn’t have even known who he is if he hadn’t died. …
akaacount says
Did you use a mouse to click on the submit button? Because one could argue that his team invented that.
FREEMAN says
Just because someone happens to incorporate pre-existing technology into a great product doesn’t mean they invented said pre-existing technology.
bblix says
Ford didn’t invent the assembly line, does that mitigate his impact in implementing it? No.
Jobs didn’t invent the tablet computer (they’ve been around for 15 or more years), he just made people CARE about the tablet computer.
FREEMAN says
The key point I was making was in response to whether someone actually invented something. Please do not confuse that with anything else.
Besides, what you’re saying with that last phrase is not only ambiguous, it has nothing to do with who invented something and deserves proper credit. I would also state that what you’re saying is immoral. One could say that the first tablets got people to CARE about improving them. You could say that about anything. It has nothing to do with who INVENTED them and deserves to be labeled as the inventor.
Jimbo says
@Stan:
Pretty much everything Apple is today comes from NeXT, the company Jobs started alone when he left Apple the first time. The Mach kernel, OS X? All of it is NeXTSTEP. The most revolutionary UNIX in the world back in 1988, when Linux was still just a twinkle in Torvalds eye. It contained an unprecedented objective-c development environment praised for its ease, which was later used by Berners Lee to code the worlds first Webserver, hosted on his awesome NeXT workstation at CERN. Think about the implications of that little chestnut for a minute…
Jobs didn’t just ‘remarket’ Apple, he started it again from scratch. He presided over a 9000% growth in it’s stock value. Fair enough if you think that’s all from bullshit slideshows and pretty cases and have no respect for him as a person, but history would indicate otherwise.
He may not have invented the internet, but you can be damn sure that he was instrumental in its invention and guy like him pretty much started silicon valley!
RIP Jobs, I hope you are remembered for more than just the pretty trinkets 🙂
Leo Speedwagon says
On average motorcyclists constitute a higher percentage of doers than most other categories.
It takes effort to put on your gear and go somewhere.
Motorcyclists are risk takers – we don’t carry a spare so there is always the danger we may be stranded with a flat tire.
There is more cameraderie – we look out for each other.
Bikers are just cooler than most people.
Not everyone can be a doer like Mr Jobs, he was one in a billion.
Doesn’t mean he was perfect – just ride behind someone busy talking on their iPhone…
FREEMAN says
Well said.
The only thing I hate about Apple is their overboard, crazy fans. Way too many don’t give proper credit where credit’s due. But that’s neither here nor there.
I don’t know for sure but I believe I heard he died from cancer or complications of. It’s a shame. I, myself, am a cancer survivor (clean since August so far) and hate to see anyone (family included) suffer from it.
WMW says
Paul, I agree with Hawk, very well stated.
Victor says
Unfortunately he died.
Unfortunately, Doers are few: Whenever recognized, they and their work, should be protected by a sort of WWF, the WD(oers)F.
GT Mike says
Godspeed Steve,What inspiring notes,Stop talking about your dreams and build them.Whatever the outcome.Damn the critics!
John Findlay says
The most inspiring speech I have every heard, this will move and motivate you like nothing before.
Be hungry Stay foolish !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXnChrXCsyM