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If Steve Jobs is losing his battle with cancer, then we should all let him know now how much we appreciate him.

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Steve Jobs’ is to be praised for his devotion to his ideas, stubborn pursuit of executing on his vision, and executing on it with excellence.

Lest we forget, Jobs in the 1980s and ‘90s was seen to be locked in a great rivalry with Microsoft’s Bill Gates. Jobs was fired from Apple in 1985. Herein lies a lesson for advisors.

By 1990, everyone knew Gates was the big winner in the computing industry. It seemed as though Gates had the last laugh.

However, by 2005 it became clear that Jobs was still cranking out ideas. After Gates’ success had peaked and was winding down, Jobs’ biggest achievements were still ahead of him.

The lesson is that successful people—even once-in-a-hundred-year captains of industry like Steve Jobs— suffer setbacks.

Entrepreneurs don’t always have a path that goes only straight up. And while life is too short, it is also, in some ways, long.  Jobs took years longer than Gates to fully make his mark (and he's not done yet).

If you have suffered a rough couple of years because of the challenging economy, remember the example set by Steve Jobs. Stick to what you believe in. If you know you have a good idea and are willing to work hard to execute on it, you can succeed.

Bad times are actually a good time to prospect for new clients. Investors are more unsure than ever and need guidance. Tough times, then, are no excuse for not improving your situation.

And the economy won’t be bad forever.

You may not achieve the influence or financial success of Steve Jobs, but pursuing your ideas can be just as rewarding to you.   

Steve Jobs singlehandedly disrupted, redesigned, and reinvented huge swaths of American industry. Jobs revolutionized the way we play music, use cell phones and work computers, and he created a consumer cult with religious devotion to Apple products.
 

Steve Jobs will be remembered for generations not just for being the right guy at the right time, but as a great inventor. The world is a better place because Steve Jobs was in it. He made progress.

Comments (6)

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Andy, thank you for this. Steve Jobs is appreciated, and thank you for reminding all of us that life is a journey, but not always a straight line.

janettylerjohnson , August 25, 2011

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Wow, Andy, you are some motivational guru! When can I buy the book? Good post.

vguettlein , August 25, 2011

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Right on the money Andy. Steve Jobs is the greatest tech genius of our time. He has made our lives better while challenging his competitors to do likewise. I will be sending him healing energy every day in hopes that he has a lot more time to share his gifts with the world.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , August 25, 2011

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VGuettlein: Sorry, no book coming. BTW, in fairness to Bill Gates, his charitable giving ensures he, too, will live on for generations.

agluck , August 25, 2011

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Yeah, ya gotta certainly respect how Bill changed the world, because he certainly did.

vguettlein , August 25, 2011

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Andy, since no book is coming, I guess I'll have to keep reading Seth Godin's blog. This post was certainly of that caliber, though - so again, big time kudos.

vguettlein , August 25, 2011

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