Portrait of Steve Jobs
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Steve Jobs on Failure

Embracer of Failure (strong)

TL;DR

Steve Jobs viewed failure as an essential, non-deterring component of the journey toward significant, lasting achievement.

Key Points

  • He stated in 1995 that one must be willing to fail and must not fear failing to get very far in life.

  • Being fired from Apple in 1985 was later viewed as the best thing that could have happened to him, freeing him to start over.

  • He acknowledged product setbacks like the NeXT computer, but these failures were followed by renewed periods of intense creativity after sticking to his principles.

Summary

Steve Jobs positioned failure not as an endpoint but as a crucial catalyst for learning and subsequent success, often citing his own significant setbacks. He recounted being fired from the company he co-founded and endured product failures like the Apple III, stating that being rejected allowed him to enter one of the most creative periods of his life. He felt that the 'heaviness of being successful' was replaced by the 'lightness of being a beginner again,' which was necessary for his subsequent breakthroughs. This mindset suggests that avoiding failure inherently limits potential achievement because one cannot learn from mistakes without first experiencing them.

He strongly advocated for the willingness to fail as a prerequisite for action and progress, emphasizing that those unwilling to risk failure will not advance far. This perspective is linked to his broader philosophy that life is moldable and should be actively shaped rather than passively lived within existing constraints. For Jobs, the distinction between those who achieve and those who merely dream was predicated on the willingness to act and accept the possibility of crashing and burning in pursuit of a goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Steve Jobs viewed failure as an essential element of innovation and success, not something to be feared. He believed that being willing to fail was a prerequisite for taking the necessary risks to achieve significant goals. He often cited his own significant professional setbacks as foundational experiences.

Yes, he strongly implied that an aversion to failure prevents one from progressing very far. He framed his high-profile dismissal from Apple not as an end, but as a necessary liberation that initiated one of his most creative eras. He saw learning from mistakes as the direct path to improvement.

He asserted that if you are afraid of failing, you will not get very far in your endeavors. He saw this fear as a barrier that stops most people from taking action and achieving what they dream of. He encouraged embracing the risk involved in trying to change and improve the world.