Steve Jobs was a controversial figure throughout his life, but few can argue with his impact and success. Whatever your ambitions, his approach to work can help you find your own path to the top. Here’s some of what he believed:

• Find your passion. Jobs once offered this advice to would-be entrepreneurs in search of something to focus on: “I’d get a job as a busboy or something until I figured out what I was really passionate about.”
• Make connections. Known chiefly for his achievements in technology, Jobs also studied calligraphy and traveled to India and Japan in search of ideas, broadening his thinking and stretching his mind.
• Learn to say no. Don’t overextend yourself. One of Jobs’ first acts when returning to Apple in 1977 was to streamline its product line, cutting it from 350 products to just 10 so the best people could use their talents on only the most promising projects.
• Sell the dream. Jobs didn’t sell computers; he sold what the computers could do—how they could make people’s lives better. Keep this in mind when telling customers why they should do business with you.
• Apple’s product announcements were legendary for their theatricality and for Jobs’ talents as a showman. He stuck to his core message while educating and entertaining the public.