11 Gems of Wisdom from Steve Jobs

I especially like #8 and #9:

#8. In most people’s vocabularies, design means veneer. It’s interior decorating. It’s the fabric of the curtains and the sofa. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a human-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service.

#9. Almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

See all 11 of his gems here at Life Beyond Code.

Oh yeah, there’s one more quote of his that I’ve always liked, and I think it reflects an approach that has defined Steve’s and Apple’s success:

Why join the navy if you can be a pirate?