To Infinity and Beyond

“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
- Steve Jobs

Since the early predawn hours today I have written and then rewritten the words for today’s Victory Letter. All the while, through various cups of coffee, a shower and nibbling on some sort of semblance of breakfast I kept hearing the words to Elton John’s song “Roy Rogers” ringing in my ears and in my heart.

It’s not always easy to put into words issues close to the heart, which it seems that I have had to do way too much of as of late. Last week when the news came of the death of Steve Jobs my heart actually felt like it stopped beating as I stared at the incredulous words on the face of, what else, my iPhone. My sister, Robi, broke the news to me via text saying, “I know you don’t watch the news so in case you did not hear Steve Jobs died today ;( What a visionary.”

Those words are now imprinted into my brain as one of those, “never forget where you were moments” in life. One of those moments that take your breath away – and sadly, not in a good way.

Steve Jobs as I have shared many times over the years in this letter was and will forever more be my entrepreneurial hero. I have not cried when too many public figures have died – but I have shed many a tear over Steve’s passing. He was the heart of Apple and his shoes will be big to fill. He was like a family member whose work has been a part of my world for over 25 years. While I didn’t know him personally it sure felt like I did.

The work that Steve did during his first tenure at Apple was epic – however – the work he did at Apple in the last 14 years is what so many CEO’s in this country need to do – that includes you and me as CEO’s of our small businesses and our lives. Give 175% each and every day, as we love our work that becomes our play. Isn’t it amazing that Steve loved his work so much that he didn’t give it up until late August? I knew then that his exit would be happening much sooner than later. Who would have thought it would be in only 39 short days!

What Steve has taught us is the last thing any of us can afford to do is become complacent. Though the idea has crossed my mind a time or two in the last five days through the weariness of yet another loss in my life.

Perhaps that is why Elton’s words to Roy Rogers are coming into my head – and perhaps I should share with you as well now. So let’s sing it together. In the words below. Click on the Video link below – but come right back while the song is playing -

Sometimes you dream, sometimes it seems
There’s nothing there at all
You just seem older than yesterday
And you’re waiting for tomorrow to call
You draw to the curtains and one thing’s for certain
You’re cozy in your little room
The carpet’s all paid for, God bless the TV
Let’s go shoot a hole in the moon

Oh, and Roy Rogers is riding tonight
Returning to our silver screens
Comic book characters never grow old
Evergreen heroes whose stories were told
Oh the great sequin cowboy who sings of the plains
Of roundups and rustlers and home on the range

Turn on the T.V., shut out the lights
Roy Rogers is riding tonight

Nine o’clock mornings, five o’clock evenings
I’d liven the pace if I could
Oh I’d rather have ham in my sandwich than cheese
But complaining wouldn’t do any good
Lay back in my armchair, close eyes and think clear
I can hear hoof beats ahead

Roy and Trigger have just hit the hilltop
While the wife and the kids are in bed

Roy Rogers is riding tonight . . .

While I have much more to share I will keep it to a minimum this morning. I do believe that the need to postpone my talk on the Master Mind Principle of Cooperation last week was part of a plan – because now with this change of thought process my talk will change quite a bit because there are a variety of ways to think of the essence of Cooperation and Steve indeed had ways that was all his own.

To some he was known as a pompous, egotiscal jerk – because he never let an idea go to the wayside that he was committed to making happen.

Because of it, I believe, he moved mountains and created a billion dollar organization whose products have revolutionized how we actually think! He didn’t listen to Wall Street and yet he has become their poster child for a CEO who managed to shoot right past the naysayer’s. I am excited about the words I want to share with you on this week’s call live via your telephone. Hope you can join me Wednesday morning. You can Register Here.

I have also been having this thought while writing this morning of Steve meeting up in the past five days with another one of my entrepreneurial heroes, Walt Disney. Can you just imagine (key word) the wonderful mischief those two could get into together? I love the thought of that combustion of Imagineering.

On the front page of our Victory Circles Website, in homage to Steve for a short time we are sharing a free download of an interview I did with Jay Elliot back in July discussing his book, The Steve Jobs Way. The interview is packed with a lot of insights about Steve from a man who was his “left-hand” man for many, many years at Apple. I invite you to download and take a listen now or when you find yourself starting to get complacent in your work and in your life.

So in the tune to Roy Rogers – “Turn up your ipod and shut of the lights Steve Jobs is riding tonight!

Here’s to heroes who become legends and to each of us for taking our power to change what we can in the world by making this day count!

On a shelf here in my office sits an original Buzz Light Year doll. To me, Buzz (who came to life because of Steve) is the epiphany of Steve – he always believed he could do more than others believed he could. And he did it even when others said it could not be done.

I raise my portable device to you Steve as I say the words – To Infinity and Beyond Steve! This planet will never be the same because of you!

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