"He said, 'From then on, I realized that I was not just abandoned. I was chosen. I was special.' And I think that's the key to understanding Steve Jobs"

This quote by Walter Isaacson speaks to the core of Steve Jobs' character and his success. It implies that Jobs was able to take a negative experience, being abandoned by his birth parents, and turn it into a favorable. He realized that he was not simply abandoned, but picked and unique. This realization offered him the self-confidence and drive to pursue his dreams and end up being the effective innovator he was. It is this understanding of Jobs' character that Isaacson believes is the essential to comprehending him. Jobs had the ability to take a tight spot and use it to propel himself forward. This is a testimony to his strength of character and his ability to turn a negative into a favorable.