Jobs's capacity for intense focus was evident throughout his life. It allowed him to block out noise, concentrate on what truly mattered, and channel his energy into achieving his goals.
As his longtime friend and Apple colleague, Bill Atkinson, observed, "Steve had the power to focus like a laser beam, and when it came across you, you basked in the light of his attention." This ability was not merely willpower but seemed ingrained in his nature.
This was especially crucial in technology, where countless ideas and competing priorities clamor for attention. As Jobs himself explained, "Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do. That's true for companies, and it's true for products."
Jobs applied this laser focus to every aspect of his work, including product development, design, and even negotiations. "He could get into a zone, dissecting a problem, that was extraordinary," recalled Tony Fadell, a key member of the iPod development team. "Nothing else existed except that one issue until he had figured it out."
Jobs's intensity fueled a relentless drive for perfection. He was never satisfied with "adequate," famously declaring, "We're not here to make boxes for people to get their jobs done, although we do that well. We're here to make a dent in the universe." This passion for the "insanely great" was infectious and inspired his teams to achieve extraordinary results.
He pushed himself and his employees to their limits, often demanding long hours and intense bursts of focused effort. As Debi Coleman, a member of the original Macintosh team, recalled, "He would shout at a meeting, 'You asshole, you never do anything right!' It was like an hourly occurrence." Yet, she added, "I consider myself the absolute luckiest person in the world to have worked with him."
Jobs believed that this relentless drive for excellence was essential for building great products and a great company. As he explained, "I’ve learned over the years that when you have really good people, you don’t have to baby them. By expecting them to do great things, you can get them to do great things."
This relentless focus enabled Jobs to wield a powerful weapon: the power of "no." He was unafraid to reject countless ideas, projects, and even people, forcing Apple to prioritize and maintain its core identity. As Jobs himself stated, "Focus is about saying no."
At one product strategy session, overwhelmed by the sprawling product line, Jobs famously declared, "Stop! This is crazy." He then proceeded to draw a simple four-squared chart on a whiteboard and announce, "Here's what we need. Our job is to make four great products, one for each quadrant."
This ability to say no extended to external partnerships and licensing deals. When Microsoft founder Bill Gates urged him to license the Macintosh operating system to other computer makers, Jobs refused, believing it would compromise the user experience. He later lamented, "It was the dumbest thing in the world to let companies making crappier hardware use our operating system and cut into our sales."
Jobs's unwavering focus came at a price. His intensity could make him demanding, impatient, and at times even brutal in his treatment of colleagues. He often pushed people beyond their limits, fostering a culture of fear and exhaustion. His binary view of the world—either something was "the best" or it "sucked"—also led to conflicts.
However, those who survived the crucible of working with Jobs often emerged stronger and more creative. They achieved things they never thought possible, driven by both fear and a desire to impress their demanding leader. As Andy Hertzfeld, another veteran of the Macintosh team, observed, "Steve's contributions could have been made without so many stories about him terrorizing folks. But even though Jobs's style could be demoralizing, it could also be oddly inspiring. It infused Apple employees with an abiding passion to create groundbreaking products and a belief that they could accomplish what seemed impossible."
Jobs's unwavering focus, relentless drive, and willingness to say "no" were integral to his success and remain a key part of his legacy. He showed that, in a world of constant distractions and competing priorities, the power to concentrate on what truly matters can lead to extraordinary results. He understood that to create products that would "make a dent in the universe," you had to have the courage to focus intently, relentlessly pursue perfection, and say "no" to everything else.