40 in 40: #31

I asked a simple question on Twitter earlier today:

“What will u do in memory of the man who gave u the most powerful device u can hold in your hand? #stevejobs http://gregr.it/u”

It took less than an hour for the first negative comment to come in:

“Probably the same thing I’d do in memory of a man who cancelled 100% of Apple’s philanthropic activities in 1997, and attempted to deny a child his girlfriend bore out of wedlock.”

Now it is true. Steve Jobs did those things.

And he owned up to them. One he later regretted. One he didn’t think was a mistake.

What saddened me was that the person who wrote the comment identifies himself as an orthodox Christian. Jesus taught forgiveness, patience, mercy, and grace.

Lesson #31

Judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Those words come from Jesus brother, James. I imagine he picked this up from his brother.

Steve Jobs was a flawed human being. I’m sure of that.

So am I. So are you.

In the face of his flaws he created amazing products that have blessed my life and many other lives. There’s a pretty good argument that Steve’s accomplishments may have been the greatest act of philanthropy that he could have performed.

When I was a younger man I was pretty judgmental. Until I realized just how weak and flawed I am. Approaching 40 I’m grateful for mercy and grace. I need them.

Keep moving forward,

Greg

p.s. For another great tribute to Steve check The Night the Lighthouse Went Out.

40 in 40: #30

Steve Jobs died a few hours ago.

Steve was an inspiration for me, for my business partner Brody Bond, and for our company, Blue Ocean Ideas.

We almost daily acted on something that was inspired by Steve. Whether it be commitment to excellent design, relentless desire for innovation, or philosophy on how you should or shouldn’t treat employees, clients, and others.

So the lesson today is from Steve himself.

Lesson #30

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. (Steve Jobs, June 2005)

Steve’s words remind of something Jesus said:

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

This is my one and only life. Steve thanks for the reminder. May you find eternal peace.

Keep moving forward,

Greg

40 in 40: #29

I spent much of life in ignorance about myself.

I could tell you what I did, who I was related to, who my friends were. But on many of the deeper issues in life I wasn’t very self aware.

It wasn’t until I was in my middle 30′s and was repeating some of the same negative patterns in life over and over that I realized I had some inside work to do.

Since that time I’ve spent a fair amount of time and some amount of treasure trying to learn more about myself. I’ve taken personality assessment, gift inventories, and strength evaluations.

I’ve sought help from professional counselors both as a younger person and even more recently in this past year. I’ve found that help invaluable.

I’ve also looked for spiritual direction, professional coaching, and business consultants when needed.

Lesson #29

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Obviously this lesson didn’t come from me. Shakespeare wrote that in Hamlet.

And when I first hear “to thine own self be true” it sounds selfish and self-centered. But the older I get the more convinced I am that honesty to self is probably one of the most powerful tools to personal growth available to us.

It reminds me of the airline instructions when you get on a plane: In the event of a sudden loss of air pressure put the oxygen max on yourself first and then help those around you.

Until we take a hard look inside and try to be ruthlessly honest with ourselves, we may not be of much use to those around us.

Keep moving forward,

Greg

40 in 40: #28

When I was around 30 my kids were 9, 6, and 3. I was in the thick of young kid chaos. And I wasn’t sure how things were going for me as a dad.

So I looked for a solution. I asked a mentor, whose kids I thought had turned out terrific, this question:

“Pat, I need help. What were the rules that you used with your kids when they were young?”

First thing Pat said was, “Greg, I think you need to think differently about this. We have principles that guide our family, not rules.”

And then he shared those principles.

That was an invaluable lesson.

Lesson #28

In life, principles trump rules.

When I change my frame from “rule” to “principle” I see things differently.

The world gets a lot bigger. There is freedom. I can be creative.

I can look for solutions that work in my circumstances and in my life. I don’t need to live by arbitrary “rules” but rather by the things that I want to move toward in life.

There is joy in looking at life like that.

Are you striving to obey rules or are you looking for the principles that you want to be guided by?

Keep moving forward,

Greg