Idols are for Inspiration, Not Prescription
In the world of technology, few figures are as iconic as Steve Jobs. His approach, style, and the way he embodied these qualities in Apple’s products inspired a generation of entrepreneurs and innovators, myself included.
However, as I’ve grown and observed the industry, I’ve noticed an alarming trend: the rise of Steve Jobs impersonators. These individuals try to replicate Jobs’ style in an attempt to recreate that early Apple magic, but they’re all destined to fail. Why?
Because they aren’t Steve Jobs.
Jobs made decisions based on who he truly was, not to fit a persona. Today’s Apple is different because it embodies Tim Cook, who, as Steve advised, does “what he feels is right.”
This highlights a critical point: idols are meant to inspire us, not be copied verbatim. When we put our heroes on a pedestal and view them as mythical beings, we risk losing sight of the fact they are human, just like us.
Some say you should never meet your heroes, believing the shattered illusion will send you spiraling. But for others, myself included, meeting our idols can be eye-opening.
Seeing them as human makes you realize they’ve had the same insecurities and struggles as you. This realization empowers, showing you too can reach similar heights.
I experienced this firsthand during my first Tesla internship in 2020. Elon was giving a presentation, and we interns, being big fans, arrived early for a front-row view. When he appeared, something clicked. Before I ever saw the man, I had only been introduced to his achievements — sitting in a Model S, seeing the Hyperloop competition, reading about OpenAI’s Dota 2 victory.
But standing just 5 meters away, the otherworldly illusion shattered. I still deeply respected his achievements, but the sense of distance was gone. I realized the difference between us was years of hard work, risk-taking, finding the right people, dedication, and things working out in his favor.
Rather than a supernatural idea, I saw the human behind it, not so different from me. I’m not saying I am or want to be Elon Musk, but enacting change on that level isn’t necessarily impossible.
For some, that’s inspiring enough to try.
However, seeing idols as human is one thing; ignoring their advice is another. Growing up, I loved Paul Graham’s essays on startups, which became my gospel. But as I’ve matured, I’ve started to distance myself from this mindset.
Much like how a basketball coach can advise players on technique and strategy, but it’s ultimately up to the player to make decisions in the heat of the game, the same applies to startups.
Advice is useful for considering different approaches, but it can never fully account for your unique context.
Many in Silicon Valley religiously adhere to certain guidelines, but I don’t think that’s always the right approach. Use advice to inform your thinking, not as a strict rulebook.
You need strong opinions and the conviction to make decisions you believe will bring success, even if it means respectfully disagreeing with a respected investor or mentor. They’re human too and can be wrong. Gathering information from others can help inform your choices, but ultimately, the decisions need to be yours.
This may seem easy on paper but is quite difficult in practice. It means having the conviction to say no to your lead investor, even if they’re Peter Thiel, if you don’t think their advice is right for your company.
Because whether it’s Naval Ravikant, Brian Chesky, or Garry Tan, at the end of the day, they’re humans too. They might be wrong, and you need to decide whether you believe they are or not.
Ultimately, greatness means forging your own path and living with the results of your choices. Trust yourself above others. No matter how accomplished someone is, they don’t always know what’s best for your product, company, brand, or customers in this specific moment.
If you’re right, enjoy the rewards; if you’re wrong, learn from it and let it inform future decisions. All you can do is keep making the best calls you can with the information you have.
That’s what our idols did, and it’s the best we can do too. Idols serve as inspiration, but we must carve our own unique paths to success.
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Thanks for reading,
Daivik Goel
