Khan:
"One of the powerful things Bill Gates told me is 'Learn to say no.' You don't have to make everyone happy."Moritz:
"Steve Jobs told me that you should never go to a meeting or make a telephone call without having a clear idea of what you're trying to achieve."
Fascinating to read what others consider 'wise council,' isn't it? I suppose people who want to be prettier take beauty tips from Hollywood folks, and those who are into domestic decorations are fans of Martha Stewart. As for me, I'm a fan of wisdom.
Nothing compares to wisdom. We can't all be rich, or beautiful or athletic or powerful; but we can all attain wisdom. It's amazing to me that while wisdom is the most valuable thing in our world, it's also available to everyone who pursues it!
I'm starting this blog today to occasionally post these kinds of things here, and then compare and contrast the wisdom of the world with the wisdom found in the bible. Or at least that's what I'll try to do. Wisdom is attainable, but it's elusive ... one must constantly remain humble and aware of one's own folly in order to continue to learn. As soon as we think we have it figured out, that's the moment when we drop back and become fools again.
So what about the advice of the great Gates & Jobs?
Jesus confirms Gates' advice by his actions. He was confronted by the 'good' religious folks and challenged because he hung around "sinners" instead of the religious people. Jesus' response was simple: "it's not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick." Jesus came to help a specific group, and he didn't care much for the other.
Jobs' advice is taught by the same principle: know your audience and your purpose. Jesus focused on helping people, and so that's where you'd find him. He spent much more time teaching the eager than he did bickering with the 'experts.'
For all of us who want to help people, there's great wisdom in these ideas! We are often tempted to hang out with the rich and powerful so we can get money to support our work, and in so doing, we miss the fact that this is the opposite of what Jesus did. It's also not what Sal Khan did ... he started by helping kids at his own expense, and trusted that angels would come along ... and they did.
Wisdom says: stay focused on your audience and work ... and let the other things go.