You may have seen before those lists of quotes from so-and-so that get linked to or forwarded around.

Recently I got sent a bunch of quotes by Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO. Some of them I really liked and I wanted to share them here.

Unfortunately, I cannot say whether a: these are all verbatim or b: whether they are actually quotes from Steve Jobs at all. I can tell you the “…in the face of death” quote rings true because I’ve watched the commencement speech where he says the same thing. As for the rest of them, they feel right so hopefully they are all real quotes.

“Almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” – Steve Jobs

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” – Steve Jobs

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.” – Steve Jobs

“You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.” – Steve Jobs

“I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.” – Steve Jobs in Business Week