Walter Isaacson’s hugely popular biography of Steve Jobs. What is possible if you never stop innovating? Sadly, Jobs was a great motivator but, at times, a really terrible person, especially when it came to family and the way he displayed love. Undoubtedly, he was a genius, and his genius will be felt for generations to come. To get a more global view of the digital revolution, I highly recommend Isaacson’s other work, “The Innovators.”

1. There falls a shadow as T.S. Eliot noted, between the conception and the creation. In the annals of innovation, new ideas are only part of the equation. Execution is just as important.
2. Alex Haley once said the best way to begin a speed is “Let me tell you a story.” Nobody is eager for a lecture, but everybody loves a story. And that was the approach Jobs chose. “Today I want to tell you three stories from my life, “ he began. “That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.”
3. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve encountered to help me make the big decisions in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
4. “Memento Mori” Remember you will die. A reminder of mortality would help the hero keep things in perspective, instill some humility.

Steve Jobs