Success. It’s the thing we chase, dream about, post hashtags for, and occasionally confuse with shiny things and fancy job titles. But Steve Jobs had a way of cutting through all that noise.
His view of success wasn’t built on buzzwords or boardrooms — it was raw, unapologetic, and usually delivered with a raised eyebrow. This collection of Steve Jobs quotes about success delivers more than just inspiration.
It’s full of funny, witty, and straight-up sarcastic lines that will have you laughing, thinking, and maybe closing a few tabs of distraction.
Defining Success (Steve Jobs Style)
- “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life… and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.”
- “Success is about making something that you’re proud of — not something that just sells.”
- “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me.”
- “We don’t get a chance to do that many things, so every one should be really excellent.”
- “You’ve got to find what you love.”
- “It’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the Navy.”
- “You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.”
- “Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.”
- “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
- “Success means saying no to a thousand things.”
On Passion and Obsession
- “People with passion can change the world.”
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
- “I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did.”
- “Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
- “Without passion, any success is hollow.”
- “Obsession gets a bad rap. But it also gets results.”
- “If you’re not passionate, you’ll quit when it gets hard.”
- “Find what sets your soul on fire, then pour gasoline on it.”
- “If it doesn’t wake you up in the morning, it won’t keep you going at night.”
- “Passion makes the work feel less like work.”
On Risk, Failure, and Learning
- “I’m not afraid to fail — I’m afraid of not trying.”
- “Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.”
- “I didn’t see it then, but getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have happened to me.”
- “Failure frees you to think differently.”
- “If you live each day like it’s your last, one day you’ll be right.”
- “Risk is part of the formula. Without it, you’re just playing safe.”
- “Success often comes disguised as total disaster — at first.”
- “The biggest lessons come dressed as failures.”
- “Sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.”
- “Your mistakes shape you more than your wins ever could.”
On Focus and Simplicity
- “Simple can be harder than complex.”
- “Focus means saying no to the hundred other good ideas.”
- “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.”
- “I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.”
- “Simplicity isn’t just a design principle. It’s a success strategy.”
- “It takes courage to cut out the clutter.”
- “Every ‘no’ creates space for the one great ‘yes.’”
- “Do fewer things, better.”
- “If it doesn’t add value, it’s a distraction.”
- “Success is clarity in a world obsessed with complexity.”
On Leadership and Teams
- “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.”
- “My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to make them better.”
- “Hire smart people and get out of their way.”
- “A small team of A+ players can run circles around a giant team of B and C players.”
- “Leadership isn’t about being liked. It’s about being effective.”
- “A great team beats a great idea every time.”
- “Push people — it means you believe in them.”
- “You don’t hire people to tell them what to do. You hire them so they can tell you what to do.”
- “Success is amplified by the people you surround yourself with.”
- “The team is the product.”
On Creativity and Innovation
- “Creativity is just connecting things.”
- “Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have.”
- “Design is not just what it looks like. Design is how it works.”
- “Real artists ship.”
- “When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty — because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something.”
- “Don’t be a copy. Be a category of one.”
- “Customers don’t always know what they want until you show it to them.”
- “Good design is invisible.”
- “Creativity means rejecting the obvious.”
- “Think different — or stay average.”
On Motivation and Mindset
- “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
- “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
- “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”
- “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
- “Most people never pick up the phone and call. That’s what separates the doers from the dreamers.”
- “Live each day like it might be your last — because one day it will be.”
- “Success is a mindset long before it becomes a result.”
- “Don’t be afraid to think big. Be afraid of thinking small.”
- “You weren’t born to blend in.”
- “Be the one who raises the bar — not just meets it.”
On Impact and Legacy
- “We’re here to put a dent in the universe.”
- “The only thing that matters is how you touch people’s lives.”
- “I want to make something wonderful and important — something meaningful.”
- “If you’re going to do something, do it insanely great.”
- “Legacy isn’t what you leave behind. It’s what you build into others.”
- “I want people to remember Apple, not for profits, but for impact.”
- “What we’re doing will ripple through time.”
- “Your work is your signature — sign it boldly.”
- “Don’t just leave something behind — change something.”
- “Success is how deeply you show up for your purpose.”
On Sarcasm, Humor, and Bold Honesty
- “Microsoft just has no taste.”
- “I’d rather gamble on our vision than make a ‘me-too’ product.”
- “People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint.”
- “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It’s best to admit them fast.”
- “If you act like you know everything, you’ll never learn anything.”
- “Most people don’t even pick up the phone. Start there.”
- “I’m not dismissing the value of higher education. I’m just saying it’s no substitute for experience.”
- “Some people see innovation. Others see risk. I see opportunity.”
- “You want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?”
- “Think different — because the world’s default setting is average.”
Conclusion
Steve Jobs had an uncanny ability to turn the complex pursuit of success into something sharp, profound, and just a little bit edgy. These Steve Jobs quotes about success do more than inspire — they challenge you to push boundaries, ditch comfort, and rethink what winning actually looks like.
Whether you’re building a business, chasing a dream, or trying to survive another Monday, let these quotes remind you: great work comes from great thinking — and even greater doing.
Which quote nailed your mindset? Which one made you laugh a little too hard? Share your favorite in the comments, tag a fellow dreamer, or bookmark this page for the days when mediocrity tries to sneak in. Think bold. Work harder. And whatever you do — don’t settle.