Steve Jobs on the value of death - Part 6
"Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking."
In reading Steve Jobs thoughts on the reality and principle of death, it's interesting to see the number of times he talks about avoiding traps. In this case, it's the trap of being bound by the "results of other people's thinking."
The idea here may seem obvious, but there are two sides to it. For one, another person's thinking could be limiting in contrast to our own, so we shouldn't sell ourselves or our own ideas short. On the other hand, to not take into consideration other peoples' ideas, is to potentially miss out on a lot as well.
With Jobs, he was very stubborn and adamant here, and could be a pain in the neck to those who could see things beyond him in a specific area. Even when they would tell him the obvious results beforehand, he had to go through the process to be proved wrong. This is definitely a limitation, especially when some of your tech people, who know more than you in some areas communicate it.
Yet, tech people see things from a certain, but limited perspective, and can be easily wrong as well. Many of us have experienced that in business.
Jobs seems to believe and operate in a way that disallows initial input and communication that is contrary to his thoughts and ideas. He must be proven wrong, not just told he's wrong. This seems to stem from his ideas on the value of embracing the fact we'll all die, and the lessons he's learned personally and professionally from that.
Yet in all areas of life, I can relate to Jobs especially in this area. Many people that bring forth their dogma, are themselves really trapped within a very limited, but safe world where they want to shape the world and their surrounding environment in their own images.
I can't stand that attempt and will fight it with a passion. Jobs obviously feels the same way too.
The results of other people's thinking can be important, but it will always have limitations ... none of us really ever arrive.
We can't let anyone else limit us in the sense that we blindly follow theories and ideas which haven't been proven. If we are to be great business leaders, we need to be great listeners and take things in, but at the same time we must filter them through what we see and believe.
Other Steve Jobs Resources:
You've got to find what you love
Steve Jobs, Business Personality
Steve Jobs' Greatest Presentation
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