--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lightning bolts went off in my head,”…" description: "\"“Lightning bolts went off in my head,” according to Jobs. “I remember running into the house, crying.”\" — Walter Isaacson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/walter-isaacson-384_lightning_lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-acco_1168277.png" --- # Lightning bolts went off in my head,” according to Jobs… ![“Lightning bolts went off in my head,” according to Jobs. “I remember running into the house, crying.” quote by Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/walter-isaacson-384_lightning_lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-acco_1168277.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/walter-isaacson-384_lightning_lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-acco_1168277.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/walter-isaacson-384_lightning_lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-acco_1168277.png) > ““Lightning bolts went off in my head,” according to Jobs. “I remember running into the house, crying.”” [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sudden, intense mental experience likened to lightning suggests a moment of profound insight or emotional overwhelm. **In simple terms:** Lightning metaphor describes intense mental moments. Key Takeaway Recognize and process intense thoughts. Themes creativity emotion insight Mood introspective dramatic Type narrative reflective When to use this quote - problem solving - artistic inspiration - stress episodes Key Concepts neuroscience psychology Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your mental lightning? - How do you channel intense thoughts? A Different Perspective Intense moments can be destabilizing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning/) [Lightning bolts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning-bolts/) ## Related quotes > [We do hear perhaps too many accolades generally aimed at people like Steve Jobs. We have to remember that there are other classic things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/we-do-hear-perhaps-too-many-accolades-generally-aimed-at-people-like/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [I'd rather be in my house crying than be sitting with someone talking about shoes, y'know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-myers/i-d-rather-be-in-my-house-crying-than-be-sitting-with-someone-talking/) Meg Myers > [“What could I do? I was afraid he'd point at me and say 'Him!,' and then lightning bolts would hit me or something" -Chong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/what-could-i-do-i-was-afraid-he-d-point-at-me-and-say-him-and-then/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“In fact, if you are faced with the prospect of running across an open field in which lightning bolts are going to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fact-if-you-are-faced-with-the-prospect-of-running-across-an-open/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The music was thunder and joy. Lightning bolts of happiness and praise, foot-stomping, dance-shouting, good-feeling singing from the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/the-music-was-thunder-and-joy-lightning-bolts-of-happiness-and-praise/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [Venues are all the same, all feel the same, these generic blank spaces. I like artists like Lightning Bolt-bands that go in and kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/venues-are-all-the-same-all-feel-the-same-these-generic-blank-spaces/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [If God consistently sent lightning bolts in response to bad doctrine, our planet would sparkle nightly like a Christmas tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/if-god-consistently-sent-lightning-bolts-in-response-to-bad-doctrine/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [What I'm looking for in my career, you know? You're looking for those lightning bolts of inspiration where someone says something that sparks an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/what-i-m-looking-for-in-my-career-you-know-you-re-looking-for-those/) [Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/) > [He has the attention span of a lightning bolt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/he-has-the-attention-span-of-a-lightning-bolt/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [That was the real secret of the Tarahumara: they'd never forgotten what it felt like to love running. They remembered that running was mankind's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/that-was-the-real-secret-of-the-tarahumara-they-d-never-forgotten/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [How long has it been since you wrote a story where your real love or your real hatred somehow got onto the paper? When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/how-long-has-it-been-since-you-wrote-a-story-where-your-real-love-or/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Martin Luther King's 1963 'I have a dream' speech was a thrilling milestone in the civil rights movement, so enduring that we tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/martin-luther-king-s-1963-i-have-a-dream-speech-was-a-thrilling/) [Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/) > [What we were trying to do was take the notion of Greek tragedy, of fated and doomed people, and instead of these Olympian gods,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/what-we-were-trying-to-do-was-take-the-notion-of-greek-tragedy-of/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [Loving is a journey with water and with stars, with smothered air and abrupt storms of flour: loving is a clash of lightning-bolts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/loving-is-a-journey-with-water-and-with-stars-with-smothered-air-and/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [“Although we take this for granted, the cancellation of positive and negative charges is quite remarkable, and has been experimentally checked to 1 part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/although-we-take-this-for-granted-the-cancellation-of-positive-and/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) ## More by Walter Isaacson > [“he never finished any of the works he began because, so sublime was his idea of art, he saw faults even in the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/he-never-finished-any-of-the-works-he-began-because-so-sublime-was/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [He had the attitude that he could do anything, and therefore so can you. He put his life in my hands. So that made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/he-had-the-attitude-that-he-could-do-anything-and-therefore-so-can/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [But the point is to get a whole new generation of people and people in general more re-engaged in news, and this has happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/but-the-point-is-to-get-a-whole-new-generation-of-people-and-people/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“There was never a good knife made of bad steel ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/there-was-never-a-good-knife-made-of-bad-steel/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Jobs's intensity was also evident in his ability to focus. He would set priorities, aim his laser attention on them, and filter out distractions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/jobs-s-intensity-was-also-evident-in-his-ability-to-focus-he-would/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Atop the brochure McKenna put a maxim, often attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, that would become the defining precept of Jobs’s design philosophy: “Simplicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/atop-the-brochure-mckenna-put-a-maxim-often-attributed-to-leonardo-da/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“The company began attracting influential new investors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/the-company-began-attracting-influential-new-investors/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“You have to remain critically vigilant.” Question every premise, challenge conventional wisdom, and never accept the truth of something merely because everyone else views…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/you-have-to-remain-critically-vigilant-question-every-premise/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“in 1996, bought NeXT, bringing Jobs back. BILL ATKINSON. Early Apple employee, developed graphics for the Macintosh. CHRISANN BRENNAN. Jobs’s girlfriend at Homestead High,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/in-1996-bought-next-bringing-jobs-back-bill-atkinson-early-apple/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“The last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/the-last-time-there-was-this-much-excitement-about-a-tablet-it-had/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“If you want to live your life in a creative way, as an artist, you have to not look back too much. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/if-you-want-to-live-your-life-in-a-creative-way-as-an-artist-you-have/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“There was a key lesson for innovation: Understand which industries are symbiotic so that you can capitalize on how they will spur each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/there-was-a-key-lesson-for-innovation-understand-which-industries-are/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“CEO Gil Amelio stumbled. Ellison may have been baffled when Jobs insisted that he was not motivated by money, but it was partly true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/ceo-gil-amelio-stumbled-ellison-may-have-been-baffled-when-jobs/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Once a year Jobs took his most valuable employees on a retreat, which he called " The Top 100." They were picked based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/once-a-year-jobs-took-his-most-valuable-employees-on-a-retreat-which/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“An object will display the greatest difference of light and shade when it is seen in the strongest light. . . . But this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/an-object-will-display-the-greatest-difference-of-light-and-shade/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) [Explore all 593 Walter Isaacson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) ## More Lightning quotes > [ “Even when lightning flashes inside them \[clouds\], we say they are only clouds and turn our attention to the next meal, next pain, next… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/even-when-lightning-flashes-inside-them-clouds-we-say-they-are-only/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [I really got struck by lightning when it came to my decision to leave WWE. If I literally think about that day and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-rhodes/i-really-got-struck-by-lightning-when-it-came-to-my-decision-to-leave/) [Cody Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-rhodes/) > [I have been much amused at ye singular phenomena resulting from bringing of a needle into contact with a piece of amber or resin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-have-been-much-amused-at-ye-singular-phenomena-resulting-from/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [There was a wild light in his eyes. "Bring your lightnings, Aes Sedai. I will dance with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/there-was-a-wild-light-in-his-eyes-bring-your-lightnings-aes-sedai-i/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [A mere nothing suffices — and the lightning strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-mere-nothing-suffices-and-the-lightning-strikes/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [We always expect tremendous criticism. It is my role to be the lightning rod ... to attract the attacks against the organization for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-always-expect-tremendous-criticism-it-is-my-role-to-be-the/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [“There was lightning behind Mr. Sayre's eyes, and it was looking for a place to strike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/there-was-lightning-behind-mr-sayre-s-eyes-and-it-was-looking-for-a/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“Attacking a lightning rod doesn't make you lightning..." Regarding Barack Obama”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-rafael-cimino/attacking-a-lightning-rod-doesn-t-make-you-lightning-regarding-barack/) [T. Rafael Cimino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-rafael-cimino/) > [People are saying that Anderson Cooper could be the new Oprah. And then these people are struck by lightning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/people-are-saying-that-anderson-cooper-could-be-the-new-oprah-and/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [If fate is a shape-shifter, then loves is too. It can be, anyway, in its most dangerous form. It´s your best day and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/if-fate-is-a-shape-shifter-then-loves-is-too-it-can-be-anyway-in-its/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Loud o'er my head though awful thunders roll, And vivid lightnings flash from pole to pole, Yet 'tis Thy voice, my God, that bids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/loud-o-er-my-head-though-awful-thunders-roll-and-vivid-lightnings/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [Never insult a mans beard, you either get thunder or lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/never-insult-a-mans-beard-you-either-get-thunder-or-lightning/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [Towers in a modern town are a frill and a survival; they seem like the raised hands of the various churches, afraid of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/towers-in-a-modern-town-are-a-frill-and-a-survival-they-seem-like-the/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [You know, you might not think that Wigglytuff can, like, throw a thunder or lightning-type move at you. But, oh, just you watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bowen-yang/you-know-you-might-not-think-that-wigglytuff-can-like-throw-a-thunder/) [Bowen Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bowen-yang/) [Browse all 937 Lightning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Lightning bolts went off in my head,” according to Jobs. “I remember running into the house, crying.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Isaacson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-according-to-jobs-i-remember/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lightning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-according-to-jobs-i-remember/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/walter-isaacson-384_lightning_lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-acco_1168277.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/walter-isaacson-384_lightning_lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-acco_1168277.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/walter-isaacson-384_lightning_lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-acco_1168277.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Lightning bolts went off in my head,” according to Jobs. “I remember running into the house, crying.” — Walter Isaacson", "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": "Walter Isaacson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Lightning bolts went off in my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-according-to-jobs-i-remember/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/lightning-bolts-went-off-in-my-head-according-to-jobs-i-remember/#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 } } ] } ```