I recently finished watching Alex Gibney’s 2015 film Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine. The tagline for the movie is “Bold. Brilliant. Brutal.” The movie was informative and I learned one key piece of information about Jobs:  he was relentless. Whether creating, selling, or handling professional and personal relationships, Jobs possessed an intensity that drove him to never stop pushing the limits. The film also noted that his relationships with the people around him suffered at times due to his approach.

That Jobs never relented in the face of adversity is a reminder to the rest of us that hard work and persistence can pay off. Coupled with a strong vision and a passion for his work, he was a force of nature. As I talk to people in various stages of life or professional success, I hear stories of what could have been or missed opportunities. I think this is something that all of us could strive for in our lives. I try to be consistently good and always making progress rather than working to achieve perfection. Having the confidence to make the first step is critical. If the first step doesn’t work out, try again and keep experimenting until you find something that works for you.