Being True to Yourself

I just watched a documentary about Apple and Steve Jobs.

I'm a big Apple fan - I like it's simplicity, it's functionality, it's effortlessness and it's streamlined design. It's iconic, it makes a statement and it's constantly reinventing itself, but staying true to itself.

Steve Jobs was essentially a hippy. He lived simply, he didn't believe in possessions, he in fact wasn't controlled by money... he was a man who believed in himself and how he could change the world. And that he did. He had people working for him who had the same philosophies, but had their own roles in Apple - designer, accountant, marketer, researcher, secretary, who ever they were, Steve employed people who were true to themselves and their common philosophy to change the world.

No doubt, he was proud of his achievements, and when he died, I'm sure he felt that he succeeded in his personal conquest to change the world, which would have allowed him to rest in peace. But his story is a truly inspirational to everyone... be true to yourself and you will succeed.

He had an advertising campaign in the mid 80s when he launched the Apple II. It simply said 'be different.' It highlighted those we all know as being he crazies in this world - Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Steve Biko, John Lennon, etc... all those who stood for what they believed in and made a statement about who they were and how they could change the world. They were his visionaries. They were his heroes.

Steve treated his employees as his family. As his true employees treated him. He would call them at 2am in the morning if he had a sudden brainwave for a new idea, he had staff come to his side at home when things were unbearable for him. It was part of his philosophy. It what was true to himself.

And I guess that's what's so humbling about him. He didn't care what people thought of him, he only cared about how he could change the world. And to do that, he did it in a demanding, yet passionate and loving community.

So I guess what I'm saying, is that Steve Jobs is a true role model in how we can be true to ourselves. Don't be bullied by people who preach their views - stick up for your own views. Have your own views! So many people don't have any opinions on certain ideologies, social cultures, religion, politics, their favourite foods, music, sports... they just go along for the ride. But having a view makes you passionate about something, and being passionate is what makes you 'you.'

I had a chat with a lady today about God. She was a born again Christian (self confessed) and told me that they only way you can have peace in your heart is if you give it to Jesus (and God). She was telling me that we need to go to church to have a sense of community, and that we must read and understand the Bible to fully feel the benefit of giving ourselves to God. She tried to convince me by asking me where do I go (where does my soul go) after I die if I don't believe in God? She tried to tell me that my soul goes to God. But for me, I believe that my soul goes to the next body that needs me. My life lessons from this life will benefit a new body... reincarnation at it's best!  But I also questioned her faith in the Bible... saying that if it is written by Jesus and his disciplines 2000 years ago, and the printing press was only invented in the 17th century, then there was a lot of hand-written Bibles with human error in them, that could have transcribed the Bible unintentionally without the true meaning of what Jesus and his disciplines had originally said. She argued that the Bible only talks about love... but that for me is doubtful. There are some harsh realities in the Bible, commandments that essentially some things are unforgivable and crucifiable. But we are allowed to agree to disagree.

For me, I listen to all sides of the argument before forming my opinion. Sometimes I get swayed, because I want to believe in that person and what they stand for, but I know I have to stand up for my own opinions too, and stop being a wallflower. It's building the courage, and we might be considered crazy for making a stand and telling the world (God forbid blogging is a forum for stating your opinion), but once we have the courage, the voice and the vision, we too can change the world... well at least our own world, just by being true to ourselves.