Yesterday, the world lost one of its most creative, innovative, and inspirational figures of the digital age.

The reactions to Steve’s legacy are as divisive as the brand and platform he helped to create. Instead of tarnishing this post with commentary on those reactions, I wanted to instead offer some of my favorite Steve Job’s quotes.

Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me. [The Wall Street Journal, May 25, 1993]

You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. [Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle. [Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. [via]

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because 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. … Stay hungry. Stay foolish. [Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]

I was never a student of Steve Job’s life, but I’m aware of and I appreciate a lot of his creative contributions and how he inspired a lot of people, all around the world in his brief 56 years on this Earth. We should all hope to do half as much in twice the time.

I took some time yesterday to start making images for my iPhone app. Junior was a bit under the weather, so I brought my gear upstairs in to the living room so he could sit on the couch and watch Elmo while I worked. Of course, as soon as I was set up, he was off the couch and inspecting the equipment and making a few adjustments. He was especially “helpful” when I ran downstairs to grab some extra batteries. I came back upstairs to find the apple I was going to photograph missing a few bites…

What was going to be a shoot of various objects turned in to a wonderful learning experience. It was interesting as I placed new objects on the table to photograph to see how many of these objects that Junior already had the word for, and how curious he was to learn the words for those objects that he did not know. Seeing his constant desire to understand and to make sense of the world around him always sparks the same in me.

I wish I knew what instilled in me my lifelong desire to learn so that I could pass it on to my son. If it’s genetic, I’m hoping that those genes made it through the random gene machine, although I think our odds are pretty good because my wife has some of those same traits. If it’s not genetic, I’m hoping that I can figure out what my family did for me so that I can do the same for him. Or maybe it will be enough for him to see my love of learning in order to pick up some of those habits, too.

Before he was born, I gave the standard answer when I was asked what I wanted for my child. “I want him to be healthy, happy, and to live a long life”, I would say. And while I will always wish for those things for him, my answer now includes a wish for him to always be curious about the world around him, and seek answers and understanding each and every day.

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but the lifelong attempt to acquire it. ~Albert Einstein

For most athletes, winning the title in their chosen sport is the ultimate goal. The years of sacrifice, the toll placed on their body from constant training, all becomes worth it when you get to wear the belt or raise the cup. In some sports, title shots are solely based on records. The teams with the most wins get in to the playoffs. Players advance in tournaments and in the playoffs by beating other teams. In the world of mixed martial arts, however, title shots are often a product of politics and matchmaking more than the actual record of wins and losses.

Earlier this year, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Georges St-Pierre defeated his latest challenger, Jake Shields, to retain the UFC welterweight title. Around the same time, the parent company of the UFC purchased the #2 mixed martial arts organization, StrikeForce. When looking around for GSP’s next opponent, the fans started clamoring for a match between GSP and the then StrikeForce welterweight champion Nick Diaz. The last few GSP fights were “boring” and went all 5 rounds, and the fans were sure Diaz was the man to step up, challenge GSP, and actually have a shot at taking his title.

Suffice it to say that because of other preexisting obligations between StrikeForce and its partners, a lot of dealing had to be done to make the match happen. In addition to being a StrikeForce champion, Diaz was set to undertake a boxing career, as well. But the UFC folks jumped through the hoops they need to in order to give the fans what they wanted, and the deal was done. Diaz vacated his title in StrikeForce for a shot at the UFC title, which to most MMA fans represents the pinnacle organization with the elite athletes in the MMA world. A StrikeForce title is great, but a UFC title is the ultimate prize. After an earlier sordid stint in the UFC years before, Diaz was back, and getting that title shot.

Or so it seemed.

Earlier this week, Dana White, President of the UFC, announced that Nick Diaz was pulled from his title fight against GSP. It turns out that Diaz wasn’t showing up for pre-fight obligations…press conferences and the like. While White said that he felt Diaz couldn’t handle the pressure of such a major event. That might be partially true, but I feel that it is more likely that Diaz feels entitled to this opportunity instead of being grateful for it. In StrikeForce, se’s defended his title a few times, and both maintained a “bad boy” persona, which embarrassingly showcased itself in a post-fight brawl in the ring that included Diaz, his brother, and another teammate, going at it against another MMA fighter he was being interviewed inside the ring. And now, the fans were calling for him to fight GSP. The fans wanted him. The UFC needed him. He was in charge, and he could do whatever he wanted, including not following through with his pre-fight commitments. After all, the UFC didn’t have a choice. If they wanted to give the fans what they wanted, they would have to bend to his demands.

Except the UFC did have a choice. History shows that no matter what, the UFC always hold the upper hand. So Diaz was out and, instead, they set up another fighter to take the title shot. That fighter, Carlos Condit, had to call Dana back when he heard the news. He was so overcome with emotion, he started crying and called back 15 minutes later when he was able to compose himself.

I’m pretty sure that Condit is going to be grateful for this opportunity, because he knows he may never have another shot at the title. I’m pretty sure Condit is going to show up for all the press conferences. I’m pretty sure he will represent himself and the UFC with the utmost respect and class. I’m pretty sure he’s going to present as much of a challenge to GSP and Diaz would have. But in the end, I feel like the better person is getting the shot. It’s nice to see humility and gratitude rewarded and cockiness and egotism punished.

Let’s hope it starts a trend.