His name is Ron Wayne… the forgotten co-founder of Apple.

Steve Jobs brought Ron into Apple to handle the much-needed administrative side of the business. Jobs was a visionary, but he lacked the organizational skills required to run a company in its early days. Ron, experienced and practical, stepped in — and owned 10% of Apple. Today, that stake would be worth over $290 billion.

But there was a problem: Ron didn’t trust Steve.

Ron was in his 40s. Steve was in his early 20s — young, driven, and in Ron’s eyes, reckless. Concerned that Jobs might lead them into financial chaos and personal liability, Ron walked away just days after Apple was founded. He sold his 10% stake for $800.

That was in 1976.

Now, 49 years later, Ron is 90 years old, living modestly with a net worth of around $400,000. Meanwhile, his former partners — Jobs and Wozniak — became tech icons and billionaires. Apple is worth more than $2.9 trillion today.

Ron has openly admitted: his biggest regret was quitting out of fear.

The lesson?

Don’t give up too soon. Play the long game. A short-term mindset can cost you more than money — it can cost you legacy.

When LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman was asked what he’d do with $1 billion in one year, he said:

“Nothing. I don’t play one-year games — I play long term. Give me at least 10 years.”

The difference between you and the person you admire isn’t luck — it’s perspective.

While you’re quitting when things look bleak, they’re doubling down.