“If you’re gonna make connections which are innovative… you have to not have the same bag of experiences as everyone else does.”
- February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011
- American
- Entrepreneur, businessman, industrial designer
- He brought to the world revolutionary products that combined technology and design at a high level, such as the personal computer Macintosh, iPhone, and iPad, and also revolutionized the music industry with the iPod, iTunes, and iTunes Store.
Quote
“If you’re gonna make connections which are innovative… you have to not have the same bag of experiences as everyone else does.”
Explanation
In this quote, Steve Jobs emphasizes that innovation arises from the ability to make unique connections between ideas, experiences, and knowledge. To do so, one must diverge from the mainstream—in other words, you cannot simply rely on the same experiences and perspectives that everyone else has. Innovation often happens when individuals can draw from diverse, unexpected experiences and see patterns that others may not notice. Jobs believed that by stepping outside conventional thinking and accumulating a variety of unique experiences, you can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the table.
Jobs himself was known for drawing inspiration from fields outside of technology, such as art, calligraphy, and design, which helped Apple create products that were not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and intuitive to use. His belief in the importance of having a diverse range of experiences reflects the idea that creativity often comes from combining seemingly unrelated ideas to create something entirely new.
In the modern world, this quote remains highly relevant in the context of creative industries, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving. It encourages people to broaden their experiences and perspectives, as innovation often thrives when we move beyond the traditional or expected ways of thinking. Whether in technology, art, or business, the ability to make innovative connections comes from being open to new experiences and exploring ideas outside of the norm.
