Marcom A to Z ─ W for Work

I read Steve Jobs’ obituary this morning. The world should feel a little smaller today ─ less innovative ─ without him. And yet the legacy he built throughout his career, and his life, fills any void that might exist.

The article chronicled his life by milestones, work setbacks, and accomplishments. It got me thinking: We spend a quarter of our life (often more) working. Doing what? A task? Checking a mandatory box defined by someone else? Hopefully not. That’s the prerequisite only if we don’t take it upon ourselves to push boundaries.

Fifty-six years old. A short life. And a career path that may not have been considered conventional along the way (college dropout, commune-living, forced out of a company he founded).

While it feels like Jobs has been a public figure and brand force for my entire life, it wasn’t until the mid-90s that he joined forces with Apple again. In the last fifteen years, he (and his team) transformed how the world interacts, listens to music and consumes technology. More than that, beauty and simplicity now define cold, hard, complex technology.

Some of us live to work. Or we work to live. Regardless of the chosen priority, these lessons from his life make sense:
• Don’t just work to work. Create something bigger.
• Don’t become defined or confined by a setback.
• Inspire by challenging convention.
• Make the most of your time.

So what are you going to accomplish at work today?
If you’re going to spend the time, exceed.

Comments

[Jill Lintonen]

Anna, very well done. Eloquent. Beautifully written and poignant.