Question 1: Luck
I think that Steve Job’s career was largely impacted by luck since, given his interest in typography which it later proved useful in building Mac computers, no one would have to know how it would have turned out later. He personally posits that one has to trust that the dots will eventually connect in addition to the assertion that luck made him find what he loved at a young age. On the other hand, Oprah’s career was largely impacted by luck since without any training on journalism, she was employed not only in radio stations but also in a television station. Further, it was sheer luck that she was put on a talk show by her employer who did not want to fire her and pay the contractual fee of $25,000 but this was to lead her to her career at that early age.
Question 2: Networks
Much of Steve Job’s career was not impacted largely by his networks but his re-connection with Apple when they brought his newly built Next can be attributed to the fact that his network helped him. Oprah’s career, on the other hand, was largely impacted by her networks since her radio career exposed her to her later television employers.
Question 3: Passion for work ‘fit’
I fully agree and subscribe to the thoughts of both Oprah and Jobs that one’s passion/feel in one’s work. This is because passion drives one’s performance and career development. Even in the face of indecision, failure, or being fired, with passion, one is able to make the best decisions, make a comeback and as well know where to pick up. Passion is essentially what makes a person’s career and determines what one will achieve from that career.
Question 4: Appealing aspects
What strikes me most about Job’s career and experience is that with passion in something, one never goes wrong. Despite the challenges that Job’s experienced, he never gave up his passion for computers. The most appealing aspect about Oprah for me is her trust in the instincts in whatever she does. It enabled her to know when to leave her first television show amid offers of bigger salaries, to understand that picking up a fight with her boss at her job in Chicago was detrimental to her career and that she was destined for a greater career. Her instinctual emotions are what makes her make the best decisions.