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Living Like Steve Jobs: How to Make Every Day Count

Writer's picture: Startup BellStartup Bell

Steve Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple, was known not just for his groundbreaking innovations but also for his unique philosophy on life. One of his most famous pieces of advice is: Live each day as if it will be your last, and one day you’ll certainly be right.”


Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs

This article dives into Jobs’ mindset, exploring how his approach to life, work, and legacy can inspire us to live more intentionally and create meaningful impact.


The Power of Living Each Day as Your Last

Steve Jobs’ mantra—“Live each day as if it will be your last”—is more than just a motivational quote. It’s a call to action to focus on what truly matters.


Jobs explains: “You never know when you’re going to go, but you know you are going to go pretty soon. If you’re going to leave anything behind, it’s going to be your kids, a few friends, and your work.”


This perspective shifts the focus from trivial worries to the things that truly define our legacy: our relationships, our contributions, and the impact we make on the world.


What Really Matters: Kids, Friends, and Work

For Jobs, life boiled down to three key areas:


1. Your Kids

Our children are our most enduring legacy. Jobs believed in nurturing relationships with family and ensuring that the values we instill in them outlive us.

2. A Few Friends

True friendships are rare and precious. Jobs emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with people who inspire, challenge, and support you.

3. Your Work

Jobs’ work wasn’t just a job—it was his passion. He believed in creating things that mattered, things that would outlast him and continue to impact the world.


The Freedom of Letting Go of Responsibilities

Interestingly, Jobs also talked about the importance of occasionally pretending you have no responsibilities.


“I try to remember the last day when I didn’t have anything to do and I had nothing to do the following day that I had to do. I had no responsibilities, and it was, you know, decades ago. So I have to pretend when I want to feel that way.”


This mindset isn’t about shirking duties—it’s about finding moments of freedom and creativity. By letting go of the weight of responsibilities, even temporarily, we can recharge and approach life with fresh energy.


The Responsibility to Create Great Things

While Jobs enjoyed moments of freedom, he also believed in the responsibility to create.

“I think you have a responsibility to do really good stuff and get it out there for people to use and let them build on the shoulders of it and keep making better stuff.”


For Jobs, creating wasn’t just about personal satisfaction—it was about contributing to the greater good. His work at Apple, from the Macintosh to the iPhone, wasn’t just about making money; it was about changing the way people live, work, and connect.


Real-World Examples of Living with Purpose

Jobs’ philosophy isn’t just theoretical—it’s been lived out by countless individuals who’ve made a lasting impact.


Example 1: Elon Musk

Like Jobs, Elon Musk lives with a sense of urgency and purpose. Whether it’s revolutionizing electric cars with Tesla or aiming to colonize Mars with SpaceX, Musk’s work is driven by a desire to solve big problems and leave a lasting legacy.


Example 2: Malala Yousafzai

Malala, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, has dedicated her life to advocating for girls’ education. Despite facing life-threatening challenges, she lives each day with purpose, knowing her work will outlast her.


Example 3: J.K. Rowling

Before becoming one of the world’s most successful authors, Rowling was a single mother struggling to make ends meet. She wrote the first Harry Potter book with the mindset of creating something meaningful, not just for herself but for millions of readers worldwide.


How to Live Like Steve Jobs

Inspired by Jobs’ philosophy? Here’s how you can apply his principles to your own life:


1. Focus on What Truly Matters

Identify the people and projects that mean the most to you. Invest your time and energy in them.

2. Embrace Freedom and Creativity

Take breaks from your responsibilities to recharge and explore new ideas. Sometimes, the best inspiration comes when you let go.

3. Create with Purpose

Whether it’s through your work, art, or community service, strive to create things that add value to the world.

4. Build a Legacy

Think about how you want to be remembered. What impact do you want to leave behind? Let that guide your actions.


The Bigger Picture: A Life Well Lived

Steve Jobs’ approach to life reminds us that our time is limited, but our potential is limitless. By living each day with intention, focusing on what truly matters, and creating things that outlast us, we can build a life of purpose and impact.


As Jobs famously said, “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” In other words, never stop seeking, never stop creating, and never stop living as if today were your last.


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