The Ipod Way

Ipod is really hot these days. Apple, the computer company, is now “The Music Company”. The person behind it all, from the very beginning, is Steve Jobs, Apple’s founder and current CEO.

Now, I have a confession to make. I love all of Apple’s products. CareerJoy is a Mac shop – great quality products, easy to use, and boy, do they ever know how to package!

Steve Jobs never finished university. He started a computer company in his garage with a friend (sound familiar?) and launched what became the PC revolution. Despite Apple’s success, however, Bill Gates still won the war.

Steve also started up Pixar (yes, the people who brought us Toy Story and the Incredibles). And more recently, for the Trinity of success, he launched Ipod, which, in four short years, has become a runaway success. Ipod has sold over 22 million, and owns 74% of the market. In addition, Itunes owns 84% of the download market and sells 2 million songs a day at 99 cents a pop. Not a bad business to be in!

About 1 year ago, Steve went to see his doctor, only to discover that he had a pancreatic tumour that was expected to kill him in a matter of months. However, later that same day, doctors discovered they could cut out the tumour - it was in an unusually fortunate spot.

Steve spoke of this experience at Stanford University’s commencement ceremonies this year; "Death is very likely the single best invention in life. All external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving what is truly important." He added that his journey of facing death was the thing that focused his mind and his life; "Always do what you love and never settle."

I think that Steve dealt with this issue, like others in his life, with thoughtfulness and courage. He searched for the lesson in this unbelievable life challenge.

Are you doing what you love? Or are you settling? It is very, very easy to settle, and yet, there always is a cost. For most people, it takes a significant external event to "wake us up out of the stupor of life”.

Hopefully I can encourage you to take the pill before the sickness. Email us at info@careerjoy.com.