Updated on 12.30.11
Steve Jobs: Samurai Buddha
“(Steve) was a very special person, and he didn’t get to where he was by having people like him all the time. He got to where he was because he had a vision and a purpose. It’s easy to try and please everyone, but he kept to his principles.” -- Carol Bartz, former Yahoo CEO; former colleague and longtime friend of Steve Jobs.
In New York City, a few days after Steve Jobs, passed away, my family and I were staying just a stone's throw from the huge midtown landmark Apple Store. It was a mind-blowing mob scene which didn't seem to let up at any time of day or night. Tributes to Jobs surrounded the front of the store, growing exponentially each day, stretching far beyond the designated perimeter. A semi-circular field of candlelight and brilliant color dominated by hundreds of red roses, green apples and candlelight rendered it a mystical setting. It seemed like we'd happened upon a days-long ceremonious funeral of a beloved Egyptian king or celebrated martyr.
Why all the fanfare about Steve Jobs? I started to wonder.
Of course, like most people, I knew very well who Steve Jobs was...as in the founder of Apple Computer. I knew generalities regarding his views of technology; his obsession with simple, functional design; his career trajectory; management style; something about his wealth. In other words, the more or less "factual" Jobs who's been written about frequently in past years.
But a bigger, existential question began dogging me: What made Steve Jobs...well...Steve Jobs? This sent me digging.
First, Jobs was a Buddhist…sort of. Though often referred to as a “religion”, Buddhism is much more of a philosophy or way of life.
Steve Jobs could not, would not, have been the same man—the consummate innovator, iconoclast, the “Think Different” guy--if it hadn’t been for the Eastern philosophy by which he lived. Not to discount his DNA and upbringing, but from Jobs' early 20s several Buddhist precepts strongly influenced him. These beliefs helped pave the way for his unique success.
Admittedly, it’s tough to think of Jobs as a mellow, Zen kind of guy…i.e. the rotund, smiling Buddha.
That’s because he wasn’t.
Indeed, Jobs was often criticized for his competitive nature; disinterest and sometimes disdain for subordinates and co-workers; his singular focus on product; his refusal to walk lock-step with anything or anyone.
Jobs was more like a Warrior Buddhist...a Samurai Buddhist, if you will.
He was able to cut through the bullshit corporate clutter; was an avowed "rule breaker". His priorities were vastly different from the majority of "successful" business people: He had no use for Six-Sigma stalwarts; corporate-ladder climbers; the culture of excessively wealthy, perk-obsessed CEOs. Simply, Jobs was the real deal personally and professionally.
If you read only one thing related to how Jobs viewed the world and lived his life, you must peruse the awe-inspiring commencement speech he delivered at Stanford University in 2005. Download Transcript of Steve Jobs speech.Stanford.2005
Here's just one paragraph which conveys so much that an entire book could be written on it. Sparing that, I've distilled some inspirational, transcendent pearls set in a broader context.
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become."
1. “Your time is limited."
Guess what? We will not be on this planet forever. Ironically it’s one of few things we can absolutely count on. In fact, some of us may not be around next month, or next year. “Oh, that’s grim, negative thinking,” you might say. Sure, it can be. But as Jobs said, it completely depends on the framing.
In Eastern philosophy, the idea of “death” is seen much more as a positive than in Western culture. It goes along with the Buddhist essential truth of “impermanence” (i.e. nothing in life, including life itself, is permanent). Knowing we have an existential deadline forces us to be much more “in the moment”---moving forward, creating, taking positive action now. It gets us off our “buts”, as they say. (As in, “But I don’t have the time…money…etc”)
Also, it means we can’t waste our precious time on endeavors, jobs and or even people who don't bring us authentic fulfillment and/or joy. What's your passion? Live it...starting now. As Joseph Campbell so wisely advised, “Follow your bliss.”
Not too long ago someone nearing 60 said to me: “You know what I’m going to do once I retire?" He said he was going to finally start listening to opera because he grew up with it and "always loved it.” This both jolted and saddened me. Why wait until retirement? I thought. Why haven’t you been enjoying it since you were a child?
2. "Don’t Live Someone Else’s Life."
This precept often requires tough questions we might not want to face. Have we given up our unique, authentic path or passion in order to fuel someone else’s? Perhaps we’re unhappily working in the family business because it’s “expected” of us. Or we’ve given up our career for our partner’s career. Or we’re cajoled by our own egos, a loved one, or society in general to make more money, to be (or appear to be) more important and "grand poobah-ish" by obtaining some authoritative-sounding title. Yet, we know, at the end of the day, that the role, job, title, etc., is not authentically us.
As the Talking Heads song "Once In a Lifetime" goes:
"And You May Find Yourself Behind The Wheel Of A Large Automobile. And You May Find Yourself In A Beautiful House, With A Beautiful Wife. And you May Ask Yourself --Well...How Did I Get Here?"
Moreover, have we diminished or downplayed our true selves in order to placate the (sometimes insecure) people around us? Wow. That takes some thought. Marianne Williamson says, "Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do."
3." Break Free From Dogma."
What’s dogma, you might ask? Wiki answer: “Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, or a particular group or organization. It is authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted or diverged from, by the practitioners or believers."
There’s a dirty little secret out there: often…actually usually… certain law-making bodies, religions, various political factions seek to control you, not free you. Some even want to turn your mind into robotic mush. They expect you to be among the herd of “sheeple” (i.e. sheep-like people, followers).
Steve Jobs wisely understood what all authentically innovative, creative, successful people know: If you allow any kind of dogma to invade or control your psyche, you cannot be a free, independent thinker. And you will never know the power and truth of your own being.
5. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition.
In other words, ignore others' opinions. This is a biggie...one of the toughest precepts for most people. We all want to fit in, be liked, respected. It's human nature.
But as life experience often shows, it’s the dickhead business exec who told us at 22: “You’ll never make it in this field, kid”….or the jerky professor/teacher/mentor who said, “You just don’t have a gift for music”…or medicine or painting or…you name it. (Thankfully we often find out later that these people were bitter, nasty failures themselves when they doled out such sage advice.)
Here’s a fortune we all need to receive in a cookie at about age 12: In order to be authentically successful in life, ignore others’ opinions. I also like the semi-famous quote, “What you think of me is none of my business.”
By the way, “ignoring others’ opinions” doesn’t mean refusing to listen to someone who’s well-meaning or more experienced or knowledgeable. It doesn't (usually) mean blowing off family or friends' advice. Nor in business does it mean discounting your staff's or team's opinions. Counsel coming from credible, supportive people can be invaluable.
But back to whom we must ignore: the naysayers, idle gossips...the sandcrabs of life. Ironically, the “better” you are—the more gifted or successful—often the more others will strive to tear you down (without even knowing you as an individual.) Albert Einstein said, "Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices (conformity) but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."
How do authentically successful people handle such opposition? They learn to tune out those who seek to derail them. And if they happen to lose their footing temporarily, they invariably get back up...stronger.
Remember in 1985 when Jobs was fired by Apple...his very own company? He said, "It was a very public failure and I even thought about running away from the Valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me. I still loved what I did."
Jobs learned to ignore the schadenfreude murmurings. He refused to spend precious time ruminating about or seeking revenge on those whom, in effect, desired to "ruin" him. Instead, Jobs set out to earnestly learn from his missteps and evolved as a leader. At the same time, he channeled the energy of his negative emotions into his passion. He went on to start neXT, acquired Pixar and amazingly returned to Apple as CEO in 1997. In retrospect, he's said, being fired was the best thing that could have happened to him.
6. Listen to "your own inner voice, heart and intuition."
Your own voice is the most powerful one you’ll ever hear. A much higher intelligence--"the still, small voice"---is within each and every one of us and readily accessible. How to find it? Meditation in its many forms, or rather, a discipline or practice of quietening the "ego" mind, thus allowing a higher consciousness to emerge.
7. "Stay hungry, stay foolish."
Jobs happened upon this jewel in the farewell issue of the "Whole Earth Catalogue" in the mid-70s. He recalls himself back then as "idealistic, overflowing with neat tools and great notions". He lived by "Stay hungry, stay foolish"--remaining idealistic and infinitely creative his entire life.
Jobs wasn't afraid of being "foolish"--i.e., youthful, playful. Recently Jobs' son, Reed, wrote about some favorite memories of his dad. One was lying in bed as his father worked in their home often late into the night, listing to him blast rock music. Jobs loved The Beatles, particularly the song, "Revolution". It's a mojo-infused song you just have to crank up! For me, it has Jobs (and Lennon...another iconoclast) written all over it.
Great innovators, artists, creatives in any realm seem to remain wonderfully childlike in some ways. That doesn't mean they're developmentally immature or non-self-actualized. In fact, just the opposite: they never cease growing. They stay hungry in that they retain a boundless passion and curiosity. They remain intellectually agile, inquisitive. They don't "age" according to society's expections. Indeed, many exhibit an almost mystical ageless quality. They literally embody their unique purpose and passion.
So...Who Was Steve Jobs Really and Why Do We Care?
My take is that the precepts by which Jobs lived reveal a lot about him.
He was by no means an egoless saint. Jobs was utterly human, flawed. Yet his philosophical vision no doubt helped him boldly pursue his passion. It also likely allowed him to transcend typical human thinking, or consciousness, which, in turn, spawned the creation of hugely transformative technology.
In an increasing "check-the-box" society, it seems that living authentically, pursing our unique path or "bliss" is often considered too risky. Yet, deep down, we all yearn to do just that. It's likely why we're immensely inspired and moved by those whom unabashedly and successfully break the mold and persist no matter what. Hence, the astonishing outpouring of tributes to Jobs after his untimely passing at the Apple Store in New York City... and all over the globe.
Simply, for these times in particular, Jobs was and is one of our biggest cultural icons, a hero. He was, and remains, the "Think Different" guy.
