Weekly Download

“Stay hungry, stay foolish.”

Not only did Steve utter words of wisdom, but he breathed them everyday. He was hungry to continue to stay on top. Make the best products and provide the best experiences. He was foolish to think that he could ding the universe. Foolish to think that the iPod was going to be a success. Perhaps more foolish that he had such confidence in the iPad. It didn’t matter. Steve was going to be Steve.

People may never know about what Steve did, but almost everyone will be impacted in some way. When I first bought a mac, I had no idea who Steve Jobs really was, or why he mattered. I thought the computer was cool. Over time, I began to study companies and become more interested with technology and philosophy. Now, I can’t read enough about the visionary that he was. How can I emulate that genius? The answer is not going to fit in a sentence. The hunger that Steve had only augmented his passions and knowledge in the field. Until his last days, he would continue to work with Apple to fulfill his goal of making the world a better place with the products he imagined. Until those last days, Steve continued to learn and grow.

Although he is gone, his legacy will live on. Maybe someday, you’ll be the crazy one.

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There’s a ton on the web that has been said, all of it positive and with impact. Here are some of my favorites:

John Gruber:

I like to think that in the run-up to his final keynote, Steve made time for a long, peaceful walk. Somewhere beautiful, where there are no footpaths and the grass grows thick. Hand-in-hand with his wife and family, the sun warm on their backs, smiles on their faces, love in their hearts, at peace with their fate.

Barack Obama:

The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.

Brian Lam:

I just feel lucky I had the chance to tell a kind man that I was sorry for being an asshole before it was too late.

Walt Mossberg:

He did what a CEO should. He hired and inspired great people; managed for the long term, not the quarter or the short-term stock price; made big bets and took big risks. He insisted on the highest product quality and on building things to delight and empower actual users, not intermediaries like corporate IT directors. As he liked to say, he lived at the intersection of technology and liberal arts.