Hello friends, today I’m taking you to California, to a small town in Silicon Valley, where a young boy named Steve spent his teenage years.
One day, his father asked him to help repaint the fence surrounding their house. Steve wasn’t very enthusiastic about the job, which he found uninteresting, but decided to give him a hand.
Eager to finish as quickly as possible, he decided to focus only on the fences at the front of the house, believing that the most important thing was to beautify the parts of the fence visible from the street.
For his part, his father decided to carefully and thoughtfully paint the sections of the fence behind the house, which surprised young Steve: “But why are you wasting your time painting a fence that no one will ever notice?“
His father wisely replied: “It doesn’t matter if passersby don’t see it; I know it’s there. And what matters is not just what’s visible, but how you do it. When you embark on a project, you carry it out with care and see it through to the end.“
This lesson had a profound impact on Steve Jobs, and much later, he incorporated it into his vision for Apple. He understood that quality is a comprehensive approach that should not be limited to essential or visible elements. No detail should be overlooked to achieve excellence.
Thus, to the surprise of his team, Steve Jobs insisted that the electronic components of the first Apple computers, even though invisible to users, be as rigorously designed and aesthetically pleasing as the rest of the device.
So, the next time you tackle a task, big or small, think about the importance of doing it with care… You should be proud of it. Just like Steve Jobs, your rigor and attention to detail will be the keys to your success…
I’ll see you soon for more inspiring stories from around the world.
March 2025 podcast produced by Francaisdanslemonde.fr: Radios and podcasts for French speakers preparing for or experiencing international mobility. Free mobile app available for Android and Apple, search for “FRANCAIS DANS LE MONDE” (French in the World).
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