Steve Jobs paved a powerful path of innovation, excellence, passion, and prosperity. These are my 25 lessons learned from Steve Jobs.

This is a guest post from Neil Senturia on his lessons learned as an entrepreneur. Neil is the current CEO of Blackbird Ventures and the author of I’m There For You, Baby; The Entrepreneur s Guide to the Galaxy.

This is a guest post from Jonathan Figaro on lessons learned in life. Jonathan is the author of the blog, TheDropOutKid.com. If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we each have to figure out the game of life.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Marie Forleo on her lessons learned in life. Marie is a best-selling author, speaker, online-entrepreneur, Nike Athlete and Master Trainer, fitness personality, dancer, and choreographer.

“Humanities greatest advances are not in its discoveries, but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity.” – Bill Gates

Passion, intensity, and tenacity. That’s one way to describe Bill Gates.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income.com. Here’s what I like about Pat — he goes above and beyond and he keeps things real.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Craig Shoemaker on his top 10 lessons learned from comedy.

I figured who better to get some great lessons and perspective on life than from a professional comedian, and Craig happens to be one of my favorite comedians. Why? … because he makes me laugh.

“If you have to be right, you’re doing it wrong.” — Dr. Rick Kirschner

When it comes to people skills, Dr. Rick Kirschner (Dr.K) sets the bar. He’s co-author of the best-selling book, Dealing with People You Can’t Stand: How to Bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst , and for three decades he’s helped advance the field of personal and organizational development.

“It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.” — Johann Schiller

For this Father’s Day, I thought one of the best things I could do is distill some of the lessons I’ve learned from my Dad.

“Peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable.” – John Wooden

John Wooden was a living legend. He was also one of the most successful basketball coaches of all time and he lived a simple life focusing on personal excellence, personal integrity, love, and balance.

“Success is not a destination thing, it’s a daily thing.” – John Maxwell

When I think of leaders and leadership, I think of John Maxwell. He is a speaker and author, and leadership is his super skill. He leads by example but more importantly, he’s created an amazing knowledge base of leadership patterns and practices by way of his books and his speaking engagements

“When the student is ready, the master appears.” — Buddhist Proverb

Mike Kropp has been one of my best mentors at Microsoft. He’s been my mentor for several years, growing my skills and maturing my thinking.

“A mother understands what a child does not say.” — Author Unknown
In the spirit of Mother’s Day, this one’s for Mom. Everything I needed to learn in life, I didn’t learn in kindergarten.  No, I got an earlier start. I learned from Mom. (Besides, in kindergarten, I was way too busy with the arts – finger painting, tasting glue,  drawing hand turkeys, etc.)
The most important thing my Mom taught me is to follow my dreams—in a big way.  Dream big, follow my dreams, and give it all I’ve got.  If …

Whether you find the free prize or not, this post will make you think.

“Kid, you’ll move mountains! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss

When I was a kid, Dr. Seuss was a constant source of inspiration for me. His stories filled my head with endless possibilities.

“Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.” – Vernon Howard

What did you learn last year that surprised you the most? … What did you learn last year that really mattered? To keep track of the distinctions I learn, I keep an insights journal. In my insights journal, I write down my one-liners of “ah-has.” I track anything from quotes that hit home to dots that finally get connected I keep it simple – a tickler list with just enough to jog my memory.

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen … but do you know Davey Stone, George Bailey, Ralphie Parker or Emmet Otter? They’re the stars of some of my favorite holiday classics. Holiday classics are a great source of inspiration and insight. As with any movies, holiday classics are stories with conflict and resolution. Themes range from fitting in to standing out. Some of the best stories are where the villain becomes the hero and defeats their inner demons. Another common theme I see is find your version of happiness.

Part of “standing on the shoulders of giants”, is finding the heroes to learn and model from. Starting with the assumption that “everybody has flaws,” you can choose to focus on people’s super skills and insights. Everybody brings something to the table.

In this post, I’m focusing on Guy Kawasaki. His super skill is making Entrepreneurs more effective. He’s also a master at the business of life. He lives life in a sustainable way, living his mantra of “empower Entrepreneurs,” keeping things real, enjoying the ride, and staying authentic.

Whether you’re a fan or not, there is no doubt that Oprah Winfrey changes lives, starting with her own. As a real life rags-to-riches story and a self-made success, she knows the power of choice, living with courage, and following your dreams. She makes things happen.

My Mom has been a long-time fan of Oprah. I get why. Oprah stands out as authentic. She comes across as somebody who generally wants to use all her power to lift people up and make a better world

I like to learn from everyone around me. One of my most influential mentors has been my manager, John. Here’s a highlight of my lessons learned.