Steve Jobs said, “We're here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?” in a 1985 interview with Playboy. He believed people should take big risks to shape the future. These words still inspire many today to make a meaningful impact through their own work.
Synopsis
Steve Jobs’ famous quote, “We're here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”, highlights the importance of making a meaningful difference rather than simply chasing success. The Apple co-founder believed people could shape the future through their work and decisions. His wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, explained that the quote is often misunderstood, arguing that it is about people's ability to change their circumstances and the systems around them.
Steve Jobs used to have a belief that people should do more in their life than to just follow whatever path has been laid out for them. The Apple co-founder said, “We're here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”. These words still inspires people around the world to think about what kind of impact they want to have. But the quote also a deeper meaning than simply encouraging people to dream big.
Jobs discussed the idea in a 1985 interview with Playboy while talking about Apple's work culture. He said it came from his sense that people could take risks, create the future and be part of something important rather than wait for someone else to give them a chance.
The story behind Steve Jobs’ famous words
In the 1985 interview with Playboy magazine, Jobs described the kind of people Apple attracted and the environment in which they worked.
“At Apple, people are putting in 18-hour days. We attract a different type of person — a person who doesn't want to wait five or 10 years to have someone take a giant risk on him or her,” he said, according to Business Insider.
He went on to describe people who wanted to challenge themselves and make a meaningful contribution. Jobs said the company was at the beginning of something significant and that its employees had the opportunity to influence how the future would unfold.
The quote later became associated with Jobs and his approach to do business. An altered version also appeared in the 1999 television film Pirates of Silicon Valley, in which Noah Wyle played Jobs.
Over time, the phrase became a popular source of motivation for people looking to build something of their own or make a difference through their work.
What did Steve Jobs mean by ‘put a dent in the universe’?
The phrase is often understood as a call to leave a lasting legacy. However, Laurene Powell Jobs, his wife and founder of the philanthropic organisation Emerson Collective, offered a more specific interpretation in an interview with The New York Times in 2020.
“People love to quote him, 'Put a dent in the universe,'” she said. “But that's too flippant. It's too cavalier.”
Powell Jobs explained that the idea was not simply about becoming famous or achieving something extraordinary. Instead, she understood it as a belief in people's ability to change the circumstances around them.
“He was thinking of it as, 'We are able, each of us, to manipulate the circumstances,'” she told the newspaper.
How Jobs tried to put the idea into practice
Jobs' career is a good example of how he pursued change through products and businesses. He co-founded Apple with Steve Wozniak, helping bring personal computers to people everywhere. After leaving Apple in 1985, he went on to establish NeXT and acquired a controlling interest in Pixar in 1986.
Pixar later produced Toy Story, the first feature-length film that was made entirely with computer animation. Jobs returned to Apple in the late 1990s and helped revive the company by overseeing products including the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad.
His career was not without setbacks. He was removed from Apple in 1985 before returning more than a decade later. His life story is a reminder that the pursuit of a great goal can include failure, a change of direction and the willingness to start anew.
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