5 Key Takeaways
- Steve Jobs wrote a deeply personal email to himself a year before his death, reflecting on his dependence on others.
- He acknowledged that he did not create the food he eats, the language he speaks, or the technology he uses.
- Jobs expressed gratitude for the invisible network of human effort—past and present—that sustains modern life.
- The email contrasts with the image of Jobs as a self-made genius, emphasizing his reliance on humanity.
- The message is now publicly available through the Steve Jobs Archive, preserving his legacy.
Steve Jobs’ Last Email to Himself: A Simple Reminder of How Much We Rely on Others
When we think of Steve Jobs, we picture the genius behind Apple, the man who changed the way we use technology. But just a year before he passed away, Jobs wrote a deeply personal email to himself that shows a very different side of him—one that’s humble and full of gratitude.
This email, which was never meant for the public, has now been shared by the Steve Jobs Archive, a project started by his wife Laurene Powell Jobs, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and designer Jony Ive to keep his legacy alive.
So, what did Jobs write to himself? On September 2, 2010, using his iPad, he reflected on how much of his life depended on the work and kindness of others. He admitted that he didn’t grow most of the food he ate, didn’t make his own clothes, and didn’t invent the language he spoke. Even the music that moved him, the technology he worked with, and the freedoms he enjoyed were all created by other people.
Here’s a part of what he wrote:
“I grow little of the food I eat, and of the little I do grow I did not breed or perfect the seeds. I do not make any of my own clothing. I speak a language I did not invent or refine. I did not discover the mathematics I use. I am protected by freedoms and laws I did not conceive of or legislate, and do not enforce or adjudicate. I am moved by music I did not create myself. When I needed medical attention, I was helpless to help myself survive. I did not invent the transistor, the microprocessor, object oriented programming, or most of the technology I work with.”
He ended the email with a powerful line:
“I love and admire my species, living and dead, and am totally dependent on them for my life and well being.”
This message is a beautiful reminder that no matter how successful or independent we become, we all rely on the efforts of countless people—past and present. Jobs, often seen as a self-made innovator, recognized that his achievements were only possible because of the work of others.
In a world that often celebrates individual success, Steve Jobs’ last email is a humble meditation on gratitude. It encourages us to appreciate the invisible network of people who make our lives possible every day.