Never Settle! Secrets of an Innovator

"Your time is limited," Jobs counseled the Stanford graduates. "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." That sense of urgency has pervaded the entrepreneur's life. "Make a dent in the universe," Jobs used to urge his Apple teams. While that goad may exaggerate the impact a business can have, Apple has indisputably changed modern technology. The company's powerful yet simple and elegantly designed products have seamlessly integrated into our daily lives. Whether you are cropping a digital photograph or creating an invitation in Helvetica font, the Apple fingerprint is all over your computer, even if you don't own an iBook.

Jobs is tightlipped about what his next big product will be. One thing is certain: There will be another industry-changing innovation under Jobs's direction. This is a man, after all, who has made a life out of reaching for the next big idea—and the next.

Alexandra Starr writes from London for national magazines on education, culture, and immigration.