Apple’s Steve Wozniak “Work alone” inspiration

I recently read the book iWoz from Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple inc. For people not even knowing there was a co-found at Apple (That’s right there’s not only Steve Jobs), well he’s the one who built the first personal computer. He’s not at Apple anymore and he quit a long time ago but his book explains how he managed to build the first personal computer and also is an autobiography.

I must say it was a really good reading and being a young engineer, this really inspired me a lot! I mean the guy built the first computer alone, he knows what engineering is and he’s a really credible figure. I want to point at a really precise part of the book that totally changed my way of thinking and made me realize he was actually right:

If you’re that rare engineer who’s an inventor and also an artist, I’m going to give you some advice that might be hard to take. That advice is: Work alone.
When you’re working for a large, structured company, there’s much less leeway to turn clever ideas into revolutionary new products or product features by yourself (…) You’re going to be best able to design revolutionary products and features if you’re working on your own. Not on a committee. Not on a team. That means you’re probably going to have to do what I did. Do your projects as moonlighting, with limited money and limited resources. But man, it’ll be worth it in the end. (…) When you’re working as your own boss, making decisions about what you’re going to build and how you’re going to go about it, making trade-offs as to features and qualities, it become a part of you.

(…) It’s so easy to doubt yourself, and it’s especially easy to doubt yourself when what you’re working on is at odds with everyone else in the world who thinks they know the right way to do things. Sometimes you can’t prove whether you’re right or wrong. Only time can tell that.

That is just so inspiring. It’s also really true, there’s too many people in this world to tell you what you’re doing will not work and that you’re not doing it the right way. Always remember that in history, the good creative ideas were usually criticized a lot. That’s only because not everyone have a vision and is able to see a potential future where you might see one. They’ll turn you down but if you truly believe in your project, don’t let others ruin your passion, work alone! As Wozniak says, there will be a lot of sleepless nights, but in the end it’ll be worth it and you’ll be there to show what you believed in was right and that you’re taking credit for it. Taking risks is moving forward. If you don’t want to take these risks and are happy with your job/career or what your doing, please don’t be one of those telling others they’re wrong because they might just see something you don’t.

I hope that it’s inspiring you as much as it inspired me when I read it.