When I think of the word successful, the first person who comes to mind is Steve Jobs — the man who, in my mind, shaped the modern world of smart devices. The iPhone alone changed everything. Even beyond that, he had this magnetic energy — a “reality distortion field,” people called it — that could make the impossible possible. When he presented a product, the world believed in it.
The image that always sticks with me is the black-and-white portrait from his biography — the one with his fist resting casually under his chin. That was probably the first biography I ever finished. Reading it made me realize how rare it is to find someone with such vision, even if it came with flaws.
Jobs’ list of achievements is long: Apple I/II, Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and even Pixar. Most people would be lucky to create one thing that defines a generation; he helped build several. He left behind a legacy that reshaped industries and habits worldwide.
What I admired most about him was his tenacity — that relentless drive to push past limits. At the same time, I know I wouldn’t have liked working for him. According to his colleagues, he was difficult, even harsh. It’s strange to look up to someone whose leadership style I probably couldn’t tolerate. But I think that makes him more fascinating: his flaws were as much a part of his story as his brilliance.
For Jobs, success wasn’t just a product launch or a billion-dollar milestone. It was his ability to keep creating, influencing, and moving the world forward. Death was the only thing that stopped him. To me, that is both inspiring and tragic.
Compared to him, I’m nowhere close. I start many projects and never finish any of them. But maybe success isn’t about being like Steve Jobs. I like to think that being a better husband and father makes me more successful than he was in ways that matter to me.
When he died, I read his biography and felt motivated, less lazy. For a while, that drive changed how I lived. I should probably reread it again, just to recalibrate.
I still admire him, even knowing he wasn’t perfect. His passion, his presence, his ability to make people believe — all of that still moves me. Every once in a while, I rewatch one of his keynotes on YouTube, not for the nostalgia, but as a reminder of the success he had.
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