As we continue to mourn the loss of one of the great visionaries of our time, it’s helpful to take a look at and receive inspiration from the life and career of Steve Jobs. His is unarguably a story of success and achievement that embodies the beliefs of Henry David Thoreau, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.”

Steve Jobs dropped out of college with its rigid structures and course requirements and in so doing opened himself up to new ideas and opportunities. Dropping out gave him the opportunity to drop in on classes that interested and inspired him, classes that helped contribute to the man he became and the products he created.

His is an inspiring story of someone who followed his own direction and in so doing, not only achieved his own American Dream, enabled others to do so as well. Just think of the number of jobs he created, not only at Apple itself, but also for people touched by the multi-billion dollar company, from application developers to artists and musicians “to infinity and beyond.”

What’s the lesson here? I talk to clients everyday, some of whom worry because they’ve taken unconventional career paths.  They’re seeking reassurance because their career did not go from point A to point B to point C.

Well, that’s OK, sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t. It’s important to remember that we’re all individuals with different directions and different drummers. Some people can jump from point A to point H while others don’t get the point at all. A circuitous career path may lead to more creative thought, different marketable skill sets and a more well-rounded individual.

You can take comfort in the fact that there is more than one way to do something and if there were only one road to the top there might be too much congestion and gridlock for anyone to reach it.

~Linda