Don’t Let the Noise of Others’ Opinions Drown Out Your Own Inner Voice

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“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” – Steve Jobs

Steven Paul Jobs (1955 – 2011) was an American businessman best known as the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc., Pixar Animation Studios, and NeXT Inc. In the 1970’s, he and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak pioneered the microcomputer revolution. He is renowned in business and technology for his creativity and passion for perfection in the industry of personal computers, phones, tablet computing, digital publishing, animates movies, and music.

Growing up in the Silicon Valley, a neighbourhood of engineers working on electronics, Jobs developed an interest in the field and became deeply involved at a young age. Consequently, relating with boys his age was difficult as he preferred hanging out with like-minded people who were engineers in the neighbourhood. He was seen as an odd loner who had trouble functioning in a traditional classroom and tended to rebel against authority.

Because of his adoptive father’s leniency towards him, he was never rebuked for his rebellious character, nor was he talked into being social with people his age. This freedom to be just who he is may have had encouraged his stubbornness and persistence, which worked to his advantage as a businessman and developer. Eventually, he found opportunities to broaden his horizons and met with people who made a huge impact to his future.

From childhood to his last days, Jobs followed his heart and intuition in reaching higher goals and working around numerous obstacles in the business world. Early on, he already knew what he wanted and stuck to it.