Fonts and A Road Less Traveled

It is easy to follow the leader or do things the way they have always been done.  When we take a different path we can experience things that we would have never experienced if we had maintained the status quo.

This is exemplified by Steve Jobs in a powerful story told in a Commencement Speech at Standford University.  Steve tells the story how he dropped out of college, but decided to keep taking some courses.  He didn't drop out because he didn't want to learn.  There were other factors that affected his decision.  He chose to take classes he enjoyed rather than the classes he was previously required to take.  One of the classes he took was calligraphy.  Ten years later when Apple was designing the Macintosh (the "Mac") he decided to incorporate fonts into the design of the Mac.  Microsoft soon followed Apple's lead with the Windows operating system.  Fonts became a norm in operating systems.

If Steve Jobs hadn't taken a road less traveled and dabbled in calligraphy, we might not be using fonts on computers.  At the very least, the introduction of fonts would have come many years later.  For those of you who struggle with fonts in your business - you may have wished Steve Jobs didn't take calligraphy.

You never know how taking a different path will affect your future, but if you never take a road less traveled you are certain to maintain the status quo.