8 Ways Apple Can Teach Us How To Live

This is a little article that came to be while reading about Apple’s iPhone 5 launch and it caused me to ponder how this company, who have grown so big and successful, are able to overcome the problems they face.

I realised that they share many traits with the rest of us. They have insecurities, successes, failures, ambitions and do their best to stay ahead of the competition.

So below are 8 ways that Apple can teach us how to live.

1. When life get a little boring, re brand yourself

When Apple re hired Steve Jobs they were very much in a transitional phase yet by the late 90’s they have resurfaced as a major player in the electronics market. Their success in recent years and their iconic ‘I’ brand has a lot to do with Jobs’ influence.

We can go through our life on autopilot, counting down the days until something exciting may happen and generally letting life pass us by. One of the best things you can do is to jump out of your comfort zone as soon as possible. Don’t be too afraid of challenging yourself to be a better person and live a better life.

2. Learn to diversify who you are and what you do

Initially Apple produced home computers and then branched out into the mp3 world before conquering the mobile phone and then the tablet markets. In-between all of these niches, they developed software to tie all their products together.

We all have some aspect of our lives that we are proud of, something that defines who we are and we use to validate ourselves as having some level of importance. It is unhealthy to base our entire identity on one area, and it is recommended that we branch out. We can do this by having more hobbies, different social groups, different methods of income etc. The more diverse and balanced our lives, the healthier our minds will be.

3. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer

You would think that two rival companies would never work together yet Apple and Microsoft have teamed up in the past. Considering the Mac and PC’s are in direct competition, this ‘frenemy’ partnership has always been intriguing.

Is there someone you know that you don’t get on particularly well with yet they have some part to play in your life, maybe your boss for example? Instead of alienating this person, try to forge a relationship and keep yourself in their good books. People are generally more willing to prove a point to those who they perceive to have a negative opinion about them.

4. If your life is good, don’t rock the boat too much

Apple has a reputation as being a company that innovates and pushes the boat out with regards to new technology and concepts. Yet when on to a good thing, complacency can set in. The old saying that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it being particularly true here. The trouble is that when faced with the competition of Samsung, they appeared to play it safe and thus created a new phone that is frankly, pretty underwhelming.

This one should be all about common sense. If you are happy and content with your world then be careful when deciding your future plans. There is a fine line between playing it safe and challenging yourself but generally over time those who stay still eventually fall backwards. Calculated risks are the key to improving your life and we should never shy away from striving to be better.

5. It’s all about how well you present yourself

There is no doubt that the Apple brand is as iconic as any company on earth. The glossy all-white imaging and brilliant use of the letter ‘I’ in front of everything they produce puts it into the same category as the Nike swish and McDonald’s Golden Arch symbols.

I believe that we should always attempt to present our best self. By this I mean that the way we dress, our grooming habits, our diet and the way we act around others is a major factor in how the world perceives us. You wouldn’t trust someone who looked disheveled and unhealthy so keep this in mind when leaving the house each day.

6. Believe in yourself, you’re worth more than that

Is there a reason why Apple products cost a premium? Well yes there is, and it isn’t necessarily because of quality either. It is because they spend more money on advertising and marketing than most other companies in their niche. You have to recoup that outlay somehow, and installing the belief that they are a premium product will cause people to spend spend spend.

You can’t expect other people to like you if you refuse to like yourself. You don’t have to be the most confident person in the world but what is important is that you at least accept who you are and that you live your life with passion and purpose.

7. Not everyone is going to like you, but that’s okay

Is there another company that divides opinion quite like these guys? You either love them or hate them it seems and we all know people who belong in each category.

It is human nature to want to be liked and accepted in society but to be honest there is nobody who is universally loved. The more successful you are the more people are going to dislike you but that is fine as it just shows that you are doing something right. As long as you have a strong core of family and friends, that is all you ever need.

8. Admit your mistakes and carry on

The teething problems behind the launch of the iPhone 5 have been well documented. Their new maps app has been all over the news in recent days. In a surprising move, the company realised their mistake and Chief executive Tim Cook publicly apologised and actually recommended users to download other apps instead.

Face it, nobody is perfect. We all mess up from time to time and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. There is an old saying; ‘the man who didn’t make a mistake, didn’t make anything’.