Laurene Powell Jobs Quotes

Powerful Laurene Powell Jobs for Daily Growth

About Laurene Powell Jobs

Laurene Powell Jobs, born on November 18, 1963, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was an American philanthropist, businesswoman, and activist who played a significant role in technology and education sectors. She is best known as the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. However, Laurene's life and achievements extend beyond her marriage, making her a notable figure in her own right. Laurene graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in political science and economics. Her passion for activism was ignited during her time there when she became involved with student organizations advocating for civil rights and education equality. This early interest in social justice would continue to shape her life and work. In 1988, Laurene started her career at Merrill Lynch & Co., where she worked in the equity trading department until 1991. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to co-found and serve as CEO of the educational software company, George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF), with a mission to improve K-12 education through technology. In 1995, Laurene met Steve Jobs, who was instrumental in persuading her to sell GLEF and join him in various philanthropic endeavors. After Steve's death in 2011, she became the majority shareholder of the Apple Inc. stock, making her one of the world's richest women. Laurene founded Emerson Collective, a social impact organization focused on education, immigration reform, and environmental sustainability. Through Emerson, she has invested in several innovative companies and initiatives that aim to make a positive difference in society. Quotes like "It's not about how many hours you put in. It's about what you put in the hours," reflect Laurene's dedication to making every moment count in her mission to create a more equitable and sustainable world.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"If you're in a shipwreck and all of the boats have gone, there is no metal left in the wreckage except for one engine pulley shaft - you do not have to stay in that shipwreck."

This quote by Laurene Powell Jobs emphasizes resilience, resourcefulness, and the power of seizing opportunities even in the most challenging situations. The "shipwreck" symbolizes difficult circumstances or obstacles one may face in life. Despite limited resources (the engine pulley shaft being the only metal left), it encourages us not to remain stuck in our troubles, but rather to find a way out by utilizing whatever resources are available, no matter how seemingly insignificant. In essence, it urges us to persevere and seek solutions when faced with adversity.


"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose."

Laurene Powell Jobs' quote encourages mindfulness about one's mortality, suggesting it serves as a powerful antidote against clinging to possessions, relationships, or achievements. By accepting the inevitable end of life, we can free ourselves from fear-based behavior and live more intentionally and authentically, avoiding the trap of accumulating things that ultimately do not matter in the grand scheme of life. This perspective encourages us to focus on experiences, connections, and personal growth instead.


"My favorite things in life don't cost any money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time."

This quote by Laurene Powell Jobs underscores the value of time over material possessions. She suggests that cherished experiences, moments, and relationships are more important than financial wealth because they are irreplaceable, and unlike money, time cannot be regained or reclaimed once it has passed. Essentially, she emphasizes that we should invest our time wisely and appreciate the free, priceless aspects of life.


"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will connect in your future."

This quote highlights the idea that life's events (the "dots") may not seem significant or connected at the time, but in retrospect, they reveal a clearer path or pattern ("connecting the dots"). It encourages us to trust in our journey and to have faith that the seemingly unrelated experiences we encounter will eventually make sense and contribute to our future. Essentially, it reminds us not to worry too much about the immediate direction of our lives, but rather to focus on making the most of each experience as it comes, knowing that everything is part of a larger, often hidden, plan.


"Sometimes when you're in someplace where everything is coming your way, things seem to be in slow motion. Time dilates."

This quote suggests that there are moments in life, often times of great significance or joy, where time seems to slow down. These moments can feel almost surreal, as if the events unfolding before us are happening at a snail's pace, allowing us to savor each moment and fully appreciate their importance. It's as if the fabric of reality has stretched, giving us extra time to take in the beauty and wonder around us. This phenomenon, often referred to as "time dilation," is not just a figment of our imagination; it can also be observed in the realm of physics. However, in this quote, Laurene Powell Jobs speaks metaphorically about the subjective experience of time slowing down during exceptional experiences.


My relationship with money is that it's a tool to be self-sufficient, but it's not something that is a part of who I am.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Money, I Am, Part, Self-Sufficient

Regardless of zip code, talent and IQ are evenly distributed, so we need to make sure that opportunity is evenly distributed, too.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Code, Sure, Zip, Distributed

The beauty of having an LLC in today's world is No. 1, you have the ability to act and react as nimbly as need be to create change, and you have the ability to invest politically, in the for-profit sector and the nonprofit sector simultaneously.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Beauty, Nonprofit, Having, Simultaneously

The way that we are going to solve social problems is by working with multiple different types of investing.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Going, Social, Types, Investing

I much prefer STEAM to STEM. The insertion of the A is arts writ large, and when you learn how to think, that means that you actually need to understand how others have thought before you, how have others made sense of the world.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Think, Means, Prefer, Steam

I came across this circumstance of undocumented students. These are kids who were brought to this country as youngsters, who are raised as Americans and go to American schools, and then when they graduate high school, they have no prospects in front of them because they are undocumented and illegally in the United States.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Country, United, Brought, Circumstance

It's not that our high school system was not designed well, but that it was designed in 1906 when the country was just out of the industrial era. There hasn't been a substantial systemic change the way we do high school since then.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Country, Been, Systemic, Designed

Teachers have told us across the country that what's severely outdated is the teacher at the front of the classroom as the font of knowledge, because as we know, access to knowledge and information is now ubiquitous. So instead, teachers want to help students learn how to think so that they can be lifelong learners.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Country, Access, Ubiquitous, Outdated

It's our privilege to work with College Track students as they chart their course toward a college degree - they bring persistence, creativity, and extraordinary discipline throughout their academic journey.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Work, Journey, College, Persistence

To do what you wanna do, to leave a mark - in a way that you think is important and lasting - that's a life well-lived.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Think, Important, Leave, Mark

I started getting more and more active around immigration reform because this was such a waste of lives, such a waste of potential, such a waste for our country not to have the human capital that we developed - geared toward improving our entire society.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Country, Capital, Developed, Geared

That's why our country is such a beautiful, beautiful experiment: We manifest, we allow freedom if you follow certain rules and if you work really hard. That's at the root of our cherished values.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Work, Country, Allow, Manifest

The innovation and creativity that's so manifest in the rest of society needs to be turned on our school systems.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Innovation, Rest, Needs, Manifest

It's hard when people die, but there's something about when people die suddenly.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Die, Hard, About, Suddenly

As a parent, you have to be good coach and bad coach, and I think in the college-application process, I didn't want to be bad coach. 'This is amazing! I'm so proud of you!' That's the role I wanted with my kids.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Parent, Process, Think, Coach

There is a huge gap between what students want for their future and what their schools are offering.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Future, Gap, Schools, Offering

Broken institutions are an opportunity rather than a time to go home.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Broken, Rather, Institutions, Go Home

Whether someone signs something is not what's important. It's what they do and how they do it that matters.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Important, How, Someone, Signs

How about we agree upon what our common American values are, which is let's make this a true land of opportunity.

- Laurene Powell Jobs

Values, About, Which, Agree

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