Steve Jobs: Vision in Life, Inspiration in Death

Steve Jobs has finally lost his battle with cancer, and lovers of computing and technology will mourn his loss. While there will no doubt be many eulogies and tributes to his achievements, I would like to offer a more spiritual perspective on this inspirational man.

For years we were privileged to see a man who was ahead of his time in vision, in originality and innovation: always taking the lead, while others could only play catch-up. A man who had an unprecedented ability to communicate and inspire others with that vision. A man who knew what we wanted before we did ourselves. Someone who, with his slick and yet informal style, had that special ability to reach the full spectrum of people. A genius? Probably!

However, this is not all that defines the man. In his last year we saw someone who, in the face of the greatest adversity, became even more. Although clearly failing physically, we saw an even brighter light and enthusiasm shining though. We saw dignity, responsibility, courage and a renewed delight in his vision.

How would you define a Spiritual Master? Would you say a Guru or Prophet? In the past perhaps we would have been limited by these concepts. Nowadays, however, the divisions and definitions of the past are blurring as never before. The Master of the 21st century can be from any walk of life. A true Spiritual Master is the person who speaks from the heart, who is connected to something higher than the norm, and who aspires to communicate that energy and joy to the rest of us. They give us a glimpse of something more and illuminate our lives with it. If this is today's definition of a Spiritual Master, then I believe Steve Jobs was exactly that.

Ask yourself, what will you do when you look in the mirror and see the face of death looking back at you. That is the moment when you learn who you truly are. Will you be a victim, locked in your own fear, who relinquishes your power and just diminishes? Will you find courage and dignity to hold your own to the end? Or, will you be one of those rare individuals who discovers even more within themselves. These people see their impending death, and find a renewed strength and clarity. Far from diminishing, they grow and blossom as the end approaches.

The knowledge of your own impending death has a bitter-sweet gift: the sharpest shift in perspective that anyone can ever experience. Immediately, the trivial evaporates, and only the profound remains. At that moment, you see the stark truth of your life's achievements. That is when you know whether anything you have done actually matters.

Can you continue your life's work, giving it that new razor-sharp perspective and making every moment count as never before? Those who can, not only live every second given to them to the full, but do so with such passion for life and with such focus, that we cannot fail to be uplifted by their example. We saw this in Steve Jobs.

Has Steve Jobs changed our lives for the better? On the material level, undoubtedly he has. The first decade of the 21st century has been transformed as a direct result of this man. However, what shines through Steve Jobs' life and work is far more than this. He left a spiritual mark on this planet too, even if he himself was unaware of it. He may not have been Mother Theresa, but still, he lifted us up and inspired us. He enhanced our lives, and he leaves the world a better place.

What on earth would he think of my comments? Would he laugh? Would he dismiss them? I could not possibly say. I just hope he realised how much joy he brought into the world with his vision, his imagination and his infectious enthusiasm: the very best of legacies.

I hope people will be able to say half as much of me.