What better way to learn from the experiences of one of the most successful entrepreneurs that ever lived?
Late Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs shared a piece of advice that distinguishes those who achieve their dreams from those who merely dream about them.
In a candid interview conducted by the Santa Clara Valley Historical Association in 1994, which has resurfaced on the Silicon Valley Historical Association’s YouTube channel, Jobs spoke about the topic of failure.
"I've never found anybody that didn't want to help me if I asked them for help," Jobs said.
Advert
He shared a story where, at the age of 12, he cold-called Hewlett-Packard (HP)'s co-founder Bill Hewlett to ask for some leftover electronic parts.
To his surprise, Hewlett answered the call himself.
"I'm Steve Jobs, I'm 12 years old, a student in high school and I want to build a frequency counter," he told Hewlett. "And I was wondering if you had any spare parts?"
Although Hewlett found the situation amusing, he ended up giving Jobs the parts and even offered him a summer job at HP, working 'on the assembly line putting nuts and bolts together on frequency counters.'
Now that he’s in a higher position, Jobs aims to repay that kindness by being 'responsive' and 'paying back the debt of gratitude.'
The late entrepreneur also explained that he's never found anyone 'who said no or hung up the phone' when he's called them.
However, the issue with most people is the fear of reaching out, he said.
Jobs explained: "Most people never pick up the phone. Most people never ask and that's what sometimes separates the people that do things and the people that just dream about them."
When it comes to succeeding in business, Jobs stated: "You gotta act. And you've got to be willing to fail. You got to be willing to crash and burn."
He concluded: "If you're afraid of failing, you won't get very far."
These words come from a man who, in 1985, was ousted from the very company he co-founded due to a power struggle with Apple’s board of directors.
Nonetheless, viewers have been praising Jobs for his wise insights.
"Genius as always," the first user replied.
""if you're afraid of failing then you won't get very far" such a powerful statement, and very, very true. R.I.P Steve Jobs," wrote another.
"This is unbelievably accurate. I have gotten so many opportunities (most of them in fact) but literally asking," said another noting their own experience.