If you have 1 hour to spare, you may want to take a look at this excellent TV interview with Steve Jobs:
Steve Jobs. The Lost Interview
1) Life is a series of chance encounters.
Where would Steve Jobs be if he had not met Steve Wozniak?
Can you name a person who made a difference in your life? If it was planned, then you are very Machiavelli... Remember to remind me to keep a distance from you.
2) Opportunity by stumbling along
How did Steve Jobs discover the potential of assembled Apple 1?
There's no Vision, Mission Statement, Goals, Business Plans right?
It was pretty much like: Crash got sound.
When you were travelling overseas, have you ever thought this new product or shop you discovered will do well in Singapore?
It's just a thought, and you soon forget it when you get back. Months later, you discover this same product or shop being introduced in Singapore by another Singaporean!!! What were your thoughts there and then?
Thinking about it is not enough right?
3) Business is not rocket science
OK, those of you with vested interests (spent years studying at business schools) may disagree.
If entrepreneurs have to know "business" before they start their enterprises, who will start anything?
Perhaps its precisely entrepreneurs have no concept of what cannot be done?
You can never have too many theories and parrots telling you how it could not be done without a proper business plan (and these are the same people who worked for others). Wink.
4) Marketing/Sales People versus Product People
You figure this one out yourself. I'm doing navel gazing now.
And I'm not complaining!
5) Process versus Content
Am I more process or content?
Back to navel gazing. See? I have to struggle with the real me and what I want others to see in me too!
6) Your work is shit!
I think by now you understand why I like to banter with and poke at readers.
When we grind rocks together, we get beautiful polished stones!
Be aware if all you get are compliments and "I so agree with you" comments, you are either being surrounded by sycophants, or you are one big bully and everyone is terrified to disagree with you!
7) Many other gems
I've been talking too much already!
What interesting titbits or learning lessons have your drawn from this interview?
Hi SMOL
ReplyDeleteI once heard that there are lots of idea spread around where we are capable of doing that but having to use that idea and implement them into the action step is a totally different phenomenon.
Think is not enough, think and action are what makes an entrepreneurs an entrepreneur.
B,
DeleteThat's the biggest difference between a entrepreneurs and us who work for others.
Diving into the big unknown.
Once entrepreneurs discover they are not drowning, they can either acquire the knowledge themselves or hire specialists.
We know it ourselves. At water coolers, we talk big big. At actual company meetings when management ask for proposals, you could hear a pin drop.
LOL!
Lol
DeleteSMOL : Thanks for sharing the gem, will go and listen to it after work. Agreed that life is a series of encounter... 人生是体验，不是考验！ ;-)
ReplyDeleteRichard,
DeleteSteve Jobs is a very interesting case study.
Most would admire him from afar, few would relish working under him.
I can't imagine how I would crumble if Steve had shouted in my face in front of everyone: "Jared, your work is shit!"
Hahahaha.. Maybe you can answer "that's exactly meant for u!" And then pack your stuff and go ;-)
DeleteRichard,
DeleteI belong to the cheerleading school.
However, I must acknowledge there's a role for "tough love" to bring out the best in us.
There was a time during my youth I operated under "I'll show you" as my motivation...
Thankfully, I was able to walk away from this "negative motivation"; there's a price to be paid to our souls despite the "success" of proving others wrong.
Now I let star dust fall on me. If it misses, my bad; I moved.
Wah, sounded a bit like 看破红尘，领悟了! But I am sure it is a good move towards Nirvana ;-)
DeleteThinking of that girl, lady, woman or 查某 is not enough.
ReplyDeleteSame same?
CW,
DeleteYou got me!
That girl (now woman) I am thinking of is the wife of someone else...
I cannot go beyond thinking about her :(
That right!
DeleteThere are times we are safer to stop at Thinking about it is enough.
Be safe!
LOL!
This comment by Desmond at "The Finance" is too good to be left in solitary confinement there:
ReplyDeleteDesmond says
November 10, 2014 at 3:51 pm
a controversial post to my thoughts indeed.
Thinking is the hardest work and that is why few engaged in it ,says Henry Ford. Could he be right or wrong ? Afterall, in modern days, there are many “gurus” out there teaching courses, seminars ,workshops, etc on “behaviour”, “performance” and “actions” more so than thinking……….
In science of being rich, Bob talks about paradigm shift as the fundamental driver of change , not the outward behavioral patterns that many are led/misled to. One of Steve’s quote was to encourage us to do what we truly love and listen to our inner voice and having the courage to follow it. The later part seems to be diminishing in a billion dollar tuition industry where fear, tunnel-vision perception cloud the creativity of many students. Like sheeps, they merely followed, few having the courage to ask :why? Even PM Lee hints that this country relies too much on tuition.
A man that looks on glass
On it may stay his eye
Or if he pleaseth, through it pass
And then the heaven espie – George Herbert
Steve’s words – somehow we already know what you truly want to become…………may we look through the glass and create a more wonderful world for the betterment of humanity.
Desmond,
DeleteVery ang moh pai!
I’ll switch to BBC in deference to a learned man, a thinking man like your good self.
“Man invented work to avoid having to think” – Hercule Poirot, Death on the Nile.
Agreed that thinking is hard.
There are dreamers, and there are people who make their dreams come true.
Dreamers think a prince riding on a white horse will come and make their dreams come true.
Those who make their dreams real just roll-up their sleeves and trousers and let their hands and feet get dirty.