Quote of the Day by Steve Jobs: ‘If you're gonna make connections which are innovative,you have to not have the same bag of experiences as everyone else does'
Steve Jobs (1955-2011) was an American entrepreneur, inventor, and business magnate best known as the co-founder of Apple. Jobs played a key role in revolutionising personal computing, smartphones, digital music, and animation.
- Jul 28, 2026,
- Updated Jul 28, 2026 7:30 AM IST
"If you're gonna make connections which are innovative... you have to not have the same bag of experiences as everyone else does.” A timeless quote by Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple.
Steve Jobs meant that true creativity comes from collecting unique, diverse life experiences rather than following a standard path. When you see the world differently, you can connect unrelated ideas to build original solutions.
Who was Steve Jobs?
Steve Jobs (1955-2011) was an American entrepreneur, inventor, and business magnate best known as the co-founder of Apple. Widely regarded as one of the greatest innovators in technology history, Jobs played a key role in revolutionising personal computing, smartphones, digital music, and animation.
Under his leadership, Apple introduced iconic products such as the iPhone, iPad, iPod, and MacBook, transforming the company into one of the world’s most valuable brands.
Apart from Apple, Jobs also acquired and transformed Pixar Animation Studios, which later became a major force in the global animation industry.
When was this quote said by Steve Jobs?
Steve Jobs said this in 1982 while accepting the "Golden Plate" award from the Academy of Achievement in Washington, D.C..
At the time, he was a 26-year-old tech leader addressing a crowd of high-achieving young students. He used the moment to explain that the secret to winning awards and standing out from the crowd is intentionally pursuing an expansive, diverse range of human experiences.
What does this quote mean?
True creativity relies on gathering a wide variety of unusual life experiences. When you follow the exact same path, read the same books, and learn the same skills as everyone else, your brain will naturally produce the same predictable ideas. Steve Jobs believed that innovation happens when you step outside your comfort zone to collect diverse, unrelated inputs.
When faced with a problem, your brain can then link these unexpected "dots" together to create something completely original and groundbreaking that others simply cannot see.
"If you're gonna make connections which are innovative... you have to not have the same bag of experiences as everyone else does.” A timeless quote by Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple.
Steve Jobs meant that true creativity comes from collecting unique, diverse life experiences rather than following a standard path. When you see the world differently, you can connect unrelated ideas to build original solutions.
Who was Steve Jobs?
Steve Jobs (1955-2011) was an American entrepreneur, inventor, and business magnate best known as the co-founder of Apple. Widely regarded as one of the greatest innovators in technology history, Jobs played a key role in revolutionising personal computing, smartphones, digital music, and animation.
Under his leadership, Apple introduced iconic products such as the iPhone, iPad, iPod, and MacBook, transforming the company into one of the world’s most valuable brands.
Apart from Apple, Jobs also acquired and transformed Pixar Animation Studios, which later became a major force in the global animation industry.
When was this quote said by Steve Jobs?
Steve Jobs said this in 1982 while accepting the "Golden Plate" award from the Academy of Achievement in Washington, D.C..
At the time, he was a 26-year-old tech leader addressing a crowd of high-achieving young students. He used the moment to explain that the secret to winning awards and standing out from the crowd is intentionally pursuing an expansive, diverse range of human experiences.
What does this quote mean?
True creativity relies on gathering a wide variety of unusual life experiences. When you follow the exact same path, read the same books, and learn the same skills as everyone else, your brain will naturally produce the same predictable ideas. Steve Jobs believed that innovation happens when you step outside your comfort zone to collect diverse, unrelated inputs.
When faced with a problem, your brain can then link these unexpected "dots" together to create something completely original and groundbreaking that others simply cannot see.