---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not the tools that you have faith in…"
description: "\"It's not the tools that you have faith in - tools are just tools. They work, or they don't work. It's people you have faith in or not. Yeah, sure, I'm ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/steve-jobs-307_faith_it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-i_1366044.jpg"
---

#  It's not the tools that you have faith in - tools are just…

![“It's not the tools that you have faith in - tools are just tools. They work, or they don't work. It's people you have faith in or not. Yeah, sure, I'm still optimistic I mean, I get pessimistic sometimes but not for long.” quote by Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/steve-jobs-307_faith_it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-i_1366044.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/steve-jobs-307_faith_it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-i_1366044.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/steve-jobs-307_faith_it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-i_1366044.jpg)

> “It's not the tools that you have faith in - tools are just tools. They work, or they don't work. It's people you have faith in or not. Yeah, sure, I'm still optimistic I mean, I get pessimistic sometimes but not for long.”

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Faith should be placed in people, not tools; tools are neutral, but people’s vision and perseverance determine success.

**In simple terms:** Believe in people, not just gadgets.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize people over technology.

Themes

faith technology optimism leadership

Mood

inspirational reflective

Type

motivational leadership

When to use this quote

- team building
- product development
- career planning

Key Concepts

human agency tool neutrality resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you trust the people behind a product?
- How do you balance optimism with realistic expectations?

A Different Perspective

Tools can fail; people can also falter.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pessimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

## Related quotes

> [We all have negative days, but that doesn't mean we are pessimistic. We all do stupid things, but that doesn't mean we are stupid.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-stirling/we-all-have-negative-days-but-that-doesn-t-mean-we-are-pessimistic-we/)

[Lindsey Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-stirling/)

> [I'm from Minnesota. I'm optimistic. I mean, that's just who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-m-from-minnesota-i-m-optimistic-i-mean-that-s-just-who-i-am/)

[Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/)

> [As individuals, people are inherently good. I have a somewhat more pessimistic view of people in groups. And I remain extremely concerned when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/as-individuals-people-are-inherently-good-i-have-a-somewhat-more/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [ Have faith to keep all the commandments of God, knowing that they are given to bless His children and bring them joy. \[You\] will… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/have-faith-to-keep-all-the-commandments-of-god-knowing-that-they-are/)

[Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/)

> [I tend to be very pessimistic and not let myself enjoy things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/i-tend-to-be-very-pessimistic-and-not-let-myself-enjoy-things/)

[Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/)

> [“The emergence of pessimistic philosophies is by no means a sign of great and terrible misery. The emergence of pessimistic philosophies is by no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-emergence-of-pessimistic-philosophies-is-by-no-means-a-sign-of/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [“We are not merely more weary because of yesterday, we are other, no longer what we were before the calamity of yesterday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/we-are-not-merely-more-weary-because-of-yesterday-we-are-other-no/)

[Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/)

> [I'm not pessimistic about people in general, but only about the way they live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-general-but-only-about-the-way/)

[Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/)

> [It is a nonsense to me when people come along and tell me not to be pessimistic; or that culture has always been going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/it-is-a-nonsense-to-me-when-people-come-along-and-tell-me-not-to-be/)

[Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/)

> [Pessimistic visions about almost anything always strike the public as more erudite than optimistic ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-a-schumpeter/pessimistic-visions-about-almost-anything-always-strike-the-public-as/)

[Joseph A. Schumpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-a-schumpeter/)

> [“Listen to what you tell yourself about your life situation. If you find it's pessimistic or negative, ask yourself, "What's another way of thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-a-robinson/listen-to-what-you-tell-yourself-about-your-life-situation-if-you/)

[Lynn A. Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-a-robinson/)

> [That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/that-human-life-must-be-some-kind-of-mistake-is-sufficiently-proved/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [I try not to be either optimistic or pessimistic. I try not to think about outcomes on that scale. My job, it seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-try-not-to-be-either-optimistic-or-pessimistic-i-try-not-to-think/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [I realize more and more how instinctively pessimistic I am of all human kindness -- since I am always so bowled over by it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-powell/i-realize-more-and-more-how-instinctively-pessimistic-i-am-of-all/)

[Dawn Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-powell/)

> [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

## More by Steve Jobs

> [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [I admire Mark Zuckerberg... for not selling out, for wanting to make a company. I admire that a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-admire-mark-zuckerberg-for-not-selling-out-for-wanting-to-make-a/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [If you want to hire great people and have them stay, you have to be run by ideas, not hierarchy. The best ideas have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-you-want-to-hire-great-people-and-have-them-stay-you-have-to-be/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/everything-around-you-that-you-call-life-was-made-up-by-people-that/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [“Innovation is not about saying yes to everything. It's about saying NO to all but the most crucial features.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/innovation-is-not-about-saying-yes-to-everything-it-s-about-saying-no/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [When you first start off trying to solve a problem, the first solutions you come up with are very complex, and most people stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/when-you-first-start-off-trying-to-solve-a-problem-the-first/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [I'm not dismissing the value of higher education; I'm simply saying it comes at the expense of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-m-not-dismissing-the-value-of-higher-education-i-m-simply-saying-it/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [“To YoYo Ma: "You playing is the best argument I've ever heard for the existence of God, because I don't really believe a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/to-yoyo-ma-you-playing-is-the-best-argument-i-ve-ever-heard-for-the/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [The most important thing is a person. A person who incites your curiosity and feeds your curiosity; and machines cannot do that in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-most-important-thing-is-a-person-a-person-who-incites-your/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [The tragedy is that Dell didn't win it - we lost it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-tragedy-is-that-dell-didn-t-win-it-we-lost-it/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [“I think great artists and great engineers are similar, in that they both have a desire to express themselves. In fact some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-think-great-artists-and-great-engineers-are-similar-in-that-they/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It's rare that you see an artist in his 30s or 40s able to really contribute something amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-rare-that-you-see-an-artist-in-his-30s-or-40s-able-to-really/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [We're going to be able to ask our computers to monitor things for us, and when certain conditions happen, are triggered, the computers will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/we-re-going-to-be-able-to-ask-our-computers-to-monitor-things-for-us/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

[Explore all 695 Steve Jobs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

## More Faith quotes

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/)

[St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/)

> [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/)

[Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/)

> [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/)

Riffat Hassan

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

> [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/)

Matt Morris (1

> [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/)

[Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/)

> [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/)

[Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/)

> [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/)

[Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/)

[Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's not the tools that you have faith in - tools are just tools. They work, or they don't work. It's people you have faith in or not. Yeah, sure, I'm still optimistic I mean, I get pessimistic sometimes but not for long.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Steve Jobs"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-in-tools-are-just-tools-they/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Faith"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-in-tools-are-just-tools-they/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/steve-jobs-307_faith_it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-i_1366044.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/steve-jobs-307_faith_it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-i_1366044.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/steve-jobs-307_faith_it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-i_1366044.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's not the tools that you have faith in - tools are just tools. They work, or they don't work. It's people…” — Steve Jobs",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Steve Jobs",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's not the tools that you...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-in-tools-are-just-tools-they/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-not-the-tools-that-you-have-faith-in-tools-are-just-tools-they/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
