In Memoriam: Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

Why has Steve Jobs' demise taken on the dimension of a personal loss to many?

The reason for it may be because through his technological vision - from the Apple I to the iMac, the Ipod, the Iphone and the Ipad - he became a part of our lives. Through all these products..:

1. He allowed us a tactile appreciation of breakthrough design, not just a feast for the eyes, but a memorable encounter of a product, from selection in meticulously planned Apple stores, to the opening of that boxed product ~ the packaging of which was within Jobs' purview to ensure as every bit an experience as the product itself.
2. He gave us a richer experience of music through his Ipods. The quality of the music was clear, we can select all the songs we want, and through it construct the soundtrack for our lives as we go about living it.
3. He made us celebrate life with photos and videos, and he knew we only want our memory of those events captured in photo and video in the best quality possible, and he gave us the tools so we can play with them, from iPhoto, to the iMovies.

In a way, his obsessive preoccupation to detail, to merging 'technology with the liberal arts', to coming up with a masterpiece always -- in a way, it reflects the great reverence Steve Jobs had for man. He believed with an abundance of passion that mankind deserves nothing less than excellence and nothing short of perfection. This philosophy he very much showed in his business, and very well echoed in his own life. Many find precious comfort and clarity in the words he left us, his life's lessons that we will all ponder upon as his instructions for living:

Death as Life's best Invention
“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true."

Love What You Do, Do What You Love
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

Connecting the Dots
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Follow Your Heart
“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.”

Through his results and his example, we have been inspired and showed a way to the top.
Thank you, Steve Jobs.

Your Passion Project and the World

First off, what is a Passion Project?

Simply put, it is an undertaking, venture or endeavor that is very personal to you in the sense that it springs from, or honors your passion. It is a personal project, meaning that you yourself jump-started it, but it could also be a task, work, or responsibility given to you or which you volunteered for or maybe just landed on your lap, but which so happens to be aligned with your passion.

A 'passion' is, of course, something that fires your belly, something that inspires you, moves you, excites you - like a cause, or a hobby, or an inclination. And you may get into it for no other reason than to 'scratch an itch', or because 'it is who you are', because 'it comes naturally' like a talent, and also maybe because, like Mt. Everest, 'it is there.'

Here are some examples of people admired for having pursued their passion projects, and for that reason, became very successful. Steve Wozniak who, along with Steve Jobs, founded Apple Computers, was a passionate engineer. He was a creator. He built the first Apple computer by himself, while it took his buddy Steve Jobs' marketing instincts to turn it into something people will want to buy. Both of them, the two Steves, combined their strengths and passions to build what Apple Computers is today. It was their Passion Project.

Read The Pixar Touch, and you'll be awed at, and have a tremendous sense of respect for the brains behind Pixar. They were Ed Catmull, John Lasseter, and yes, Steve Jobs too. But Steve Jobs came later; he was part of the Pixar triumvirate because he believed in the project enough to have funded it in the beginning. But Pixar was truly and originally the passion projects of Ed Carmull (a brilliant computer scientist) and John Lasseter (a prolific animator and master story-teller). Both had a passion for animation and a grand vision for computer generated (CG) animation. Together, they brought traditional hand-drawn animation into the 21st century by developing the hardware and software necessary to make CG animation possible. The result: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, Cars, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and boy-can't-we-wait-what-they-next-have-instore!

Clockwise (from top left): The Passion Project; Mt. Everest; Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II;
John Lasseter; Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

There are so many people in our history who are so closely associated with their passion projects that it defines who they are and the life they have lived. You know it is their passion project without them saying it (or knowing it) with the hours and years they have devoted to it, with the amazing success and reknown they've had with it.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta we know had devoted a good length of her life to the service of the poorest of the poor. Pope John Paul II had been a tireless and an inspiring head of the Catholic Church. We honor them with veneration, and by putting them on the road to sainthood. There are artists (Lea Salonga, Ryan Cayabyab, Michael Jackson), world leaders (Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Aung-san Suu-kyi), thinkers (Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin) and many more - names we will always remember for what they have done for us, for the world.

Their greatest gift is showing us the way: that when you make your passions your mission in life - your 'passion project' - you may get famous, you may get rich, you may become ultra-successful. That is a great benefit to you. But what of your benefit to the world?

The world is enriched, blessed, and changed for the better.



Book Recommendations:
The Pixar Touch (Vintage)
Mother Teresa's Secret Fire: The Encounter That Changed Her Life
The Wisdom of John Paul II: The Pope on Life's Most Vital Questions
The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration

The Phenomenon that is Steve Jobs: Secrets to Apple's Success

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish. Those were Steve Jobs borrowed words with which he admonished the graduates of Stanford University in 2005. In that speech, Jobs related his life story, the seemingly incongruent events in his life that had armed him with the experiences that he would later use to bring success to the companies that he founded: Apple Computers and Pixar.

Steve Jobs addresses the 2005 graduates of Stanford University

In the last 3 weeks, I've been able to read 3 books that analyzed the genius that was Steve Jobs. These books are:

Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs
Inside Steve's Brain
The Macintosh Way

If one were curious about Steve Jobs and especially as to how he was able to make Apple one of the greatest tech companies of all time, these are the books to read (among several). They tell of the kind of man he is: very temperamental, a perfectionist, and an obssessive. But even if these characteristics seem like flaws, they are perhaps part of what allowed him to make happen his unique vision for every product that he and Apple churned out. Surely those characteristics are the very antidote to mediocrity and no-can-do atttitude that Steve Jobs has been known to despise.

7 Secrets to Steve Jobs' Success:

1. Simplicity
In every product that they designed, Apple and Steve Jobs was always after simplicity. Simplicity may sound too easy, but there is actually complexity in simplicity as Jobs and his team found out. It is harder to keep things simple, than to make them complex. Because he had taken pains to make things simple, the world noticed it and they are rewarded for it. Just think of the very first Ipod: elegant, simple, and a true winner.

2. Customer Experience
Apple does not do any user studies or focused group discussions to see what kind of products they should come up with or to determine how well their products will be embraced by the market. Steve Jobs is his own focused group, and if he doesn't like something, it doesn't get made. What Steve Jobs always keeps in mind is the customer experience. He treats himself like a customer, and he ensures that the customer will have the best experience with their products.

3. Design
Design was key to Apple's success - from the Mac to the Ipod, then Iphone and Ipad. The design had to be simple, sleek yet state of the art. It had to be out of the box, it had to be unique, it had to stand out. It is for this reason that Steve Jobs kept with him talented designers who helped him realize his vision for his Apple products. Design wasn't just about aesthetics; it was every bit tied with designing for simplicity and superb customer experiences.

Steve Jobs and his Apple toys

4. Marketing
Steve Jobs believes in marketing. He makes every effort to get the best marketing people and to conduct excellent marketing events - like the Mac World where he launches his latest products. He knows full well that a good product is no good if it does not sell that's why he does not neglect this aspect. He is every bit demanding in both the product development as well as in getting those products to their desired consumers.

5. Teamwork
Even while Steve Jobs is notorious for his temper, he was able to maintain around him excellent people working as a team. The concensus is that while many fear getting Jobs' ire, they also deeply respect and admire the man for his brilliance. People try to get out of Steve Jobs way, and on the other hand, they want to make sure he is made happy with their work output. Steve Jobs has an eye for talent, and he assembles a team of great people to help him realize his vision. He knows that and has applied it both in his twin jewels: Apple and Pixar.

6. Passion
Steve Jobs is very passionate about his beliefs. When he has in his mind an idea for a product, he becomes resolute in making it happen. His passion could be said to show up in his temper, his attention to detail, his perfectionism, his commitment to excellence. His life had always been about pursuing is passion, and the work that he does at Apple is definitely one of his. He values passion in both himself and the people around him. One of the reasons he was persuaded to invest in Pixar was that he saw the passion of the people there, esp. of Ed Catmull whose vision was to make the first full-length computer-animated movie. Jobs was sold to both Catmull's vision and passion.

7. Innovation
The reason Apple has carved a name for itself and has set itself apart from Microsoft and all other technology companies is that they innovate. They do not create better versions of what someone else has already made; they create new things that no one has done before; or they do things exceptionally well that they jump light-years ahead of their competitors. It is through innovation that Apple was able to conquer the music industry: from being the #1 music player (Ipod) to the #1 music retailer (via iTunes) to the #1 technology store (the iStore). He redefines industries and creates whole new products entirely.

When you come to think of it, these 7 Secrets to Steve Jobs' Success are things we have already heard of before. You'll probably find it prescribed in any good business/self-help book. There is little surprise there.

What is important to remember though is that while none of these is new, it is the faithful application that Steve Jobs made of these principles that really separated him and Apple (and Pixar) from the rest. That IS what's new - the commitment to excellence no matter what, whatever it takes. 

Like his 'Think Different' campaign, Steve Jobs is indeed the 'crazy one' who dared think he could change the world - and as we can know now, he definitely did.

Apple's "Think Different" Campaign: Steve Jobs' brainchild.

It speaks as much about him as his very own aspirations for Apple.

Book Recommendations:
Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs
Inside Steve's Brain
The Macintosh Way

Please LIKE to get a FREE IPad... OR read for more details..

If Facebook and Apple will have their way, I might get jailed for this post (OK, not really.) But good thing it's just a hook to get you to read (and learn from) this post (hehe), because, my friends, Facebook has actually banned the use of the Like buttons for campaigns and Apple has prohibited the use of the Ipad as giveaways for contests. Read on.

Facebook bans use of 'Like' functionality of Facebook for Promotions

Yes, they did. Recenly, Facebook updated its Promotions Guidelines page to in so many words say that they now prohibit the use of the 'Like' functionality by companies in their promotions. The policy states that the 'Like' functionality (and other Facebook functionalities) may not be used, as follows:

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You must not use Facebook features or functionality as a promotion’s registration or entry mechanism. For example, the act of liking a Page or checking in to a Place cannot automatically register or enter a promotion participant.

You must not condition registration or entry upon the user taking any action using any Facebook features or functionality other than liking a Page, checking in to a Place, or connecting to your app. For example, you must not condition registration or entry upon the user liking a Wall post, or commenting or uploading a photo on a Wall.

You must not use Facebook features or functionality, such as the Like button, as a voting mechanism for a promotion.
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My thoughts? I do not see the wisdom in this prohibition. I agree that the proliferation of such promotions asking for 'Likes' can be irritating, but I do not think it merits the prohibition. The fact that people and companies have taken to using the Like functionality is proof that the Like feature provides some value to them. It is after all quite easy to use.

If there was no benefit to using the Like functionality, be it for the company (does not really build the kind of fans they need) or the users (it's irritating to have to Like fan pages just because of a campaign) - then I think campaigns like that will die on its own. Already, I think people are growing weary of such campaigns, so to make the prohibition now is an overkill.

But wisdom aside, I think the reason is more economics for Facebook. They need to make their Facebook apps earn, maybe it's not taking off as much as they'd like, and so the need to keep the people/companies off their Like buttons. The policy actually encourages the use of apps to launch campaigns. Facebook is also reportedly gearing up for an IPO in 2012, so this effort to monetize their features is an attempt to further up their valuation which some estimates say is as high as $100B. Un-be-liev-able!

I think instead of prohibiting the use of Like buttons for campaigns, Facebook should focus instead on creating great amazing apps that will naturally attract people and companies to bring their campaigns there until they find it more worth their while that they leave the Facebook 'Like' buttons alone.

On a lighter note, the guidelines that Facebook issued is silent on any repercussions or penalties should the guidelines not be heeded. Although it will be safe to assume that Facebook can shutdown a fan page or account that may be found to be violating the policy, the same way they shut down errant profiles/users that have been flagged by other users.

Apple bans promotions giving free Ipads

Apple now prohibits any companies or individuals from giving away free Ipads, including Iphones and Ipods, as giveaways or prizes in contests or campaigns of any kind. For any exemptions, the campaign or promotions must first be submitted for review to Apple. The reason for the stringent measures apparently comes from the theory that their brands are Apple's most valued properties, as such they need to protect the integrity of their use. Here are some of the terms and conditions that Apple has laid out:

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• iPad, iPhone and the iPhone Gift Card may not be used in third-party promotions.
• iPod touch is only allowed to be used in special circumstances and requires a minimum purchase of 250 units.
• You may NOT use the Myriad Set font on or in connection with web sites, products, packaging, manuals, or promotional/advertising materials.
• The use of "free" as a modifier in any Apple product reference in a prominent manner (headlines, call- outs, etc.) is prohibited.
• You must submit all marketing materials related to the promotion of Apple products to Apple for review.
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While initially, this smacks of killjoy, there is actually some good to it. For one, since the Ipad was released, computer, email and social media viruses have proliferated because they preyed on people's lust over the Apple gadget that were supposedly being given away for free. Taking a cue from the Love virus, these viruses feed on people's desire for the must-have gadget of the season (like love is the must-have emotion of all time) and many have fallen victim. To officially proclaim that Ipads may no longer be given away in any campaigns, it gives the contests/campaigns promising Ipads diminished credence.

However, there are still a lot of other companies who just simply know that everybody wants an Ipad and as such have thought it the most effective enticement in their campaigns, and are offering it in valid campaigns. The free Ipad campaigns have been very effective as I noticed that fan pages of certain companies offering the deals have grown in numbers - even I had fallen for one or two of them (I mean, you'll never know when you'll get lucky, right?) Surely we still all want to get our Ipads for free, but with Apple's prohibition, these campaigns have also died down.

On the one hand, Apple is letting go of millions of dollars worth of free advertising for its Ipad et al. with the prohibition of such campaigns; how can they do something so silly? Steve Jobs of all people who loves a good marketing should have surely seen that benefit.

What I can only wager is that apart from the viruses, one of the pitfalls of the free Ipad campaigns (which are too many and which may be valid) is that consumers, instead of actually buying the Ipads, just rely on the contests instead of buying the Ipads themselves. The other pitfall is that with the campaigns, Apple has seen the wanton use of Apple trademarks which may not be consistent with Apple's branding policies. It is Apple's way of protecting their branding.

In any case, not everyone is happy with the prohibition, with others saying that if you have already bought an Ipad (meaning it is already your property), how can anyone take away your right to also give it away? Others say it is Steve Jobs characteristic control-freak tendencies showing up.

Whatever the case, the prohibition seems actually more counterintuitive to the interests of Apple, so they must know what they are doing. We trust that, as always, Steve Jobs knows what he's doing. Until then, we're gonna have to buy our own Ipads.



Book Recommendations:
By Ben Mezrich: The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal
The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience
The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success

Necessary Endings: Rizal, Divorce and Apple

Endings are a part of the process of life - be it in business and relationships. That's what the book Necessary Endings is all about.

By Author Dr. Henry Cloud

While reading the book, my mind was in parallel running thoughts or memories of situations - be it in my life, business or in history- where to put something to a close had become necessary. Such events always come, and always not too obvious. Often our vision is blinded by emotions, by fear, by attachment, by disbelief. It is always after the fact when the clarity of their wisdom becomes more apparent. While the subject of endings seems innocuous enough, or hardly the subject matter fit for a full-fledged book - one will be thankful that author Dr. Henry Cloud had the reflectiveness to think it worthy of a treatise.

According to Dr. Cloud, endings are as much a part of life as beginnings are. And it's precisely so that beginnings could happen that we should allow for certain things to end. To resist to end things that are not working - is to be stuck.

Rizal and Necessary Endings
It being our national hero's 150th birthday, I remembered Jose Rizal, and how through his writings, he had advocated the end to Spanish rule in the Philippines. He believed in the Filipinos' capacity for self-determination; and while even then there were still no 'Filipinos' - still no real Filipino nation to speak of - Rizal knew that given the opportunity, we will find our own identity and make a great nation for ourselves. Of course, the Spanish, stinged by Rizal's novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, wanted to put an end to Rizal - literally. To them, that was necessary, to silence the growing clamor for independence among Filipinos, and to continue the Spanish reign in the country, starting with the pesky but undoubtedly brilliant Rizal.

Rizal's execution in Bagumbayan

Rizal was shot in Bagumbayan by the Spanish in December 30, 1896. To the Spanish, Rizal's death was the fitting, deserved and necessary ending. To the Filipinos, it was only the start to the necessary and inevitable demise of Spanish rule.

The ability to spot necessary endings is a skill to be learned; an important one because it determines the velocity of our personal, professional and national growth. It determines how fast we move from one bad relationship to the better relationship (personal and professional), from one bad business to the business that actually makes it worth your while, from one bad product to the product that conquers the world.

Apple, Steve Jobs and Saying NO
In the world of Apple and Steve Jobs, the ability to say no to one product is one of their key success secrets. Steve Jobs is a genius of a man, but before the world even got to see the first Ipod, Iphone or Ipad, they have had several iterations of the same product, and they had learned to let go of versions even at so late in the game, even at a cost of millions, in order to move in another direction which they feel is the worthy path to take. That the Ipod, Iphone or Ipad have experienced tremendous success is an argument to the worthiness of the process that Apple and Steve Jobs have taken.

Steve Jobs and his Apple toys

Divorce and Happy Endings
With divorce cropping up in the national psyche as another divisive issue, and reading Necessary Endings, I am further provided an argument for why divorce must be legalized. Coming from the paradigm of 'endings and beginnings as a part of life', truly marriages must also not be immune from that fact of life. Bad marriages must have a way out; bad relationships must be given a chance to end and start fresh. It is not about being pessimistic about relationships, it is about being humane, and being realistic. Undoubtedly, some people, however much they claim to love each other, are better off apart than together. Everybody deserves a happy ending, and if it takes letting go of bad choices, then we who are capable of choice must have the freedom to make it.

When we desire a different outcome - in our life, career, relationships, and business - we must learn to let go of the things and circumstances that generated the undesirable situation in the first place. The letting go, the letting it end, the MAKING it end - are necessary to the change we desire, to the new beginnings we look forward to.

“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.”
 (Richard Bach; Author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull)

Recommended Books:
Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward
Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)
El Filibusterismo: Subversion: A Sequel to Noli Me Tangere
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah