Steve Jobs built Apple from a garage into a trillion-dollar empire. His words are sharp, short, and built to shake you awake. These short Steve Jobs quotes don’t just inspire — they rewire how you see work, life, and what’s actually possible.
“Focus and simplicity — that’s been one of my mantras.”
“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.”
“People think focus means saying yes. It means saying no.”
“You have to pick carefully.”
“Simple can be harder than complex — but it’s worth it.”
Short Steve Jobs Quotes on Failure and Mistakes
“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes.”
“It is best to admit them quickly.”
“Getting fired from Apple was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.”
“Don’t lose faith.”
Short Steve Jobs Quotes on Work and Passion
steve-jobs-quotes-on-work
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
“If you don’t love it, you’re going to fail.”
“Don’t settle.”
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life.”
“It better be damn good. It better be worth it.”
Short Steve Jobs Quotes on Thinking Differently
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels.”
“Think different.”
“Everything around you was made up by people no smarter than you.”
“You can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things.”
Short Steve Jobs Quotes on Time
“The most precious resource we all have is time.”
“Don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
“For the past 33 years, I looked in the mirror and asked — is today worth it?”
“We don’t get a chance to do that many things.”
“Every one should be really excellent.”
Short Steve Jobs Quotes on Death and Purpose
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever had.”
“You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
“Almost everything falls away in the face of death — leaving only what is truly important.”
“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there.”
Famous Apple and Steve Jobs Quotes Worth Remembering
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward — only looking backward.”
“Trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”
“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
“We made the buttons look so good you’ll want to lick them.”
“If anybody’s going to make our products obsolete, I want it to be us.”
FAQs
What were Steve Jobs’ most famous quotes?
His most celebrated quotes include “Stay hungry, stay foolish,” “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower,” and “Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
What is the 80 20 rule Steve Jobs?
Jobs applied a radical version of it — he focused all energy on the top 20% of ideas that produced 80% of results, and cut everything else without hesitation.
What are famous Apple quotes?
The most iconic is from the “Think Different” campaign: “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes.”
What was Steve Jobs’ last quote?
According to his sister Mona Simpson, his final words were “OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW.” — spoken just before he passed away on October 5, 2011.
Conclusion
Short Steve Jobs quotes carry more truth per word than most books ever will. Pick one that hits hardest, put it somewhere you see it daily, and let it do what Jobs always intended — push you to stop settling and start building something that actually matters.
