在最初的幾個(gè)月里，我真是不知道該做些什么。我把從前的創(chuàng)業(yè)激情給丟了,我覺(jué)得自己讓與我一同創(chuàng)業(yè)的人都很沮喪。我和DavidPack和BobNoyce見(jiàn)面，并試圖向他們道歉。我把事情弄得糟糕透頂了。但是我漸漸發(fā)現(xiàn)了曙光,我仍然喜愛(ài)我從事的這些東西。蘋(píng)果公司發(fā)生的這些事情絲毫的沒(méi)有改變這些,一點(diǎn)也沒(méi)有。我被驅(qū)逐了,但是我仍然鐘愛(ài)它。所以我決定從頭再來(lái)。

    《新聞周刊》，1985年9月29日斯坦福畢業(yè)典禮演講，2005年6月

    Iwasn’tawarethatAppleownedme,youknow.Idon’tthinktheydo.IthinkthatIownme.Andformenottobeabletopracticemycrafteveragaininmylifeseemsodd.We'renotgoingtotakeanytechnology,anyproprietaryideasoutofApple.We’rewillingtoputthatinwriting.It’sthelaw,anyway.Thereisnothing,bytheway,thatsaysApplecan’tcompetewithUSiftheythinkwhatwe'redoingissuchagreatidea.It'shardtothinkthata$2billioncompanywith4,300+peoplecouldn’tcompetewithsixpeopleinbluejeans.Ididn'tseeitthen,butitturnedoutthatgettingfiredfromApplewasthebestthingthatcouldhaveeverhappenedtome.Theheavinessofbeingsuccessfulwasreplacedbythelightnessofbeingabeginneragain,lesssureabouteverything.Itfreedmetoenteroneofthemostcreativeperiodsofmylife.

    WhatI’mbestatdoingisfindingagroupoftalentedpeopleandmakingthingswiththem.Irespectthe#小說(shuō)directionthatAppleisgoingin.butformepersonally,youknow,Iwanttomakethings,andifthere’snoplaceformetomakethingsthere,thenI’lldowhatIdidtwicebefore,I’llmakemyownplace.

    Newsweek,September30,1985StanfordCommencementSpeech,June2005Newsweek,1985

    （蘋(píng)果管理層對(duì)我?guī)ьI(lǐng)留六名員工去研發(fā)NeXT一事頗有怨言，對(duì)此，我說(shuō)道：）我不認(rèn)為我是屬于蘋(píng)果的，我也不認(rèn)為他們（六名員工）是屬于蘋(píng)果的，我就是我自己的。對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)，手藝無(wú)處施展才是邪門的事兒。蘋(píng)果公司不會(huì)把任何技術(shù)、任何一個(gè)專有想法拒之門外。我希望可以把這句話寫(xiě)下來(lái)，這是原則。如果他們覺(jué)得我們正在實(shí)現(xiàn)的是一個(gè)偉大的創(chuàng)意，蘋(píng)果公司當(dāng)然可以和我們來(lái)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。很難想象，堂堂一個(gè)擁有20億美金資產(chǎn)和超過(guò)4300名員工的大公司會(huì)斗不過(guò)六個(gè)穿著牛仔褲的人。