In my recent article “Instilling Compassionate Prudence“, I had touched upon the theme of giving the extra effort and aspiring to emboss our signature and professional acumen in any kind of work we are engaged in, be it in any realm. This post is kind of an extension of that theme and in a way, augments those frameworks discussed. Quoting from a very old interview with Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011),
“When you grow up you tend to get told the world is the way it is and your life is just to live your life inside the world. Try not to bash into the walls too much. Try to have a nice family, have fun, save a little money. That’s a very limited life.
Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.
Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again”
These changing, influencing and building aspects are truly profound. Be it a job or a project or any sort of endeavor, we are basically streamlined to do any of these on a broader viewpoint in the grand scheme of things.
Steve further notes:
” And the minute that you understand that you know if you push in, something will pop out the other side that you can change, you can mold it. That’s maybe the most important thing is to shake off this erroneous notion that life is there and you’re just going to live in it versus embrace it, change it, improve it, make your mark upon it. Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.”