Today I woke up to a world that is a little different than it was yesterday. Collectively, we have experienced a loss. The loss is not tragic on a scale like so many things we see in the news—no, compared to those it is a small, quiet loss. But the loss is real.
I am a Microsoft guy when it comes to computers and an Android guy when it comes to phones and tablets, though I have to admit that I love my iPod Touch. I tell myself, and others when the opportunity arises, that I make this choice because of the developer tools and options that are available for my chosen platforms. In order to develop for Apple products, you have to have a Mac.
Many of my colleagues and friends like to joke with me about my love affair with Microsoft, often sending me articles praising some recent win by Apple. My brother-in-law is a Mac guy and takes special pains to rub it in when Apple accomplishes something noteworthy. They all seem to think I see Apple as a personal adversary.
Not so. I have admired Steve Jobs for a very long time. He has been a giant in the industry, an unrivaled visionary, and an inspiration to entrepreneurs. His competitors are what they are today largely because of his influence.
Steve Jobs brought the master craftsman’s mindset to the process of creating hardware and software. Although he was eccentric, he refused to create anything that wasn’t great. In a world where businesses regularly insist on cutting corners and doing things just good enough—in order to keep costs down, Steve Jobs showed us that reaching higher could really pay off—and by doing so, he lifted us all. The story of Pixar, in which Steve Jobs also played an essential role, is one of my greatest sources of professional inspiration.
I have no doubt that in his new, smaller circle of influence, Steve Jobs will continue to be an inspiration. Perhaps, if each of us made the choice to pursue excellence within our circles of influence the way Steve Jobs has, collectively we could lift our world just a little bit too.
I know Steve Jobs has just moved on to other things, but he will be missed.
