Knowing oneself is not so much a question of discovering what is present in one’s self, but rather the creation of who one wants to be.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might and force of habit. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him–and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires.
—J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) American Business Person, Art Collector, Philanthropist
No one has a greater asset for his business than a man’s pride in his work.
—Hosea Ballou (1771–1852) American Universalist Clergyman, Writer
Contrary to what most of us believe, happiness does not simply happen to us. It’s something that we make happen, and it results from doing our best. Feeling fulfilled when we live up to our potentialities is what motivates differentiation and leads to evolution.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.
—Zig Ziglar (b.1926) American Author, Motivational Speaker, Author
When a management team with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is the reputation of the business that remains intact.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor, Businessperson, Philanthropist
If we decide to take this level of business creating ability nationwide, we’ll all be plucking chickens for a living.
—Ross Perot
It is the customer, and the customer alone, who casts the vote that determines how big any company should be…. The regulations laid down by the consuming public are far more potent and far less flexible than any code of law, merely through the exercise of the natural forces of trade.
—Crawford Greenewalt (1902–93) American Engineer
Playing safe is very risky.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Contrary to what most of us believe, happiness does not simply happen to us. It’s something that we make happen, and it results from doing our best. Feeling fulfilled when we live up to our potentialities is what motivates differentiation and leads to evolution.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants, but is miles ahead in results.
—Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919) American Poet, Memoirist, Author
What’s good for the country is good for General Motors, and vice versa.
—Charles E. Wilson (1886–1972) American Businessperson
The meek shall inherit the earth, but not its mineral rights.
—J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) American Business Person, Art Collector, Philanthropist
If your organization requires success before commitment, it will never have either.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
All business proceeds on beliefs, or judgments of probabilities, and not on certainties.
—Charles William Eliot (1834–1926) American Educator, Academic
When a man says that he approves something in principal, it means he hasn’t the slightest intention of putting it in practice.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) Prussian-German Political leader, Nationalist
I understand small business growth. I was one.
—George W. Bush (b.1946) American Head of State, Businessperson
It is difficult, but not impossible, to conduct strictly honest business.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader, Philosopher, Civil Rights Activist
Business is religion, and religion is business. The man who does not make a business of his religion has a religious life of no force, and the man who does not make a religion of his business has a business life of no character.
—Maltbie Davenport Babcock (1858–1901) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Writer
In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor, Businessperson, Philanthropist
The people who think that the power of big business is enormous are mistaken
—Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973) Austrian Economist, Philosopher, Author
Give up control and give it away … The more you give your idea away, the more your company is going to be worth.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business, is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Short Story Writer, Author
In business for yourself, not by yourself.
—Ray Kroc (1902–84) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
The busy have no time for tears.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824)
More business is lost every year through neglect than through any other cause.
—Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890–1995) American Philanthropist, Socialite
Make a decision. It doesn’t have to be a wise decision or a perfect one. Just make one.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
I buy when other people are selling.
—J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) American Business Person, Art Collector, Philanthropist
Goodwill is the one and only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy.
—Marshall Field (1834–1906) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson, Philanthropist
Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.
—Richard Branson (b.1950) British Entrepreneur, Businessperson
If you’re not a risk taker, you should get the hell out of business.
—Ray Kroc (1902–84) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
To succeed in business, to reach the top, an individual must know all it is possible to know about that business.
—J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) American Business Person, Art Collector, Philanthropist
Markets as well as mobs respond to human emotions; markets as well as mobs can be inflamed to their own destruction.
—Owen D. Young (1874–1962) American Businessperson, Lawyer, Diplomat
When you are skinning your customers you should leave some skin on to grow again so that you can skin them again.
—Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971) Russian Head of State, Political leader
Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production, and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to, only so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of the consumer.
—Adam Smith (1723–90) Scottish Philosopher, Economist
Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts.
—Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) South African Political leader, Head of State
It is not the employer who pays the wages. He only handles the money. It is the product that pays the wages.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
Don’t try to be the ‘next’. Instead, try to be the other, the changer, the new.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
The affairs of life embrace a multitude of interests, and he who reasons in any one of them, without consulting the rest, is a visionary unsuited to control the business of the world.
—James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851) American Novelist
Our major obligation is not to mistake slogans for solutions.
—Edward R. Murrow (1908–65) American Journalist, Radio Personality
Blessed is he who talks in circles, for he shall become a big wheel.
—Frank Lane (1896–1981) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
It’s better to make a decision, even the wrong one, than to be in limbo.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
—Ken Blanchard (b.1939) American Author, Management Consultant
You can hype a questionable product for a little while, but you’ll never build an enduring business.
—Victor Kiam (1926–2001) American Entrepreneur
It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor, Businessperson, Philanthropist
Choose your customers. Fire the ones that hurt your ability to deliver the right story to the others.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Dealing with people is probably the biggest problem you face, especially if you are in business. Yes, and that is also true if you are a housewife, architect or engineer.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Author, Motivational Speaker, Public Speaker
The crossroads of trade are the meeting place of ideas, the attrition ground of rival customs and beliefs; diversities beget conflict, comparison, thought; superstitions cancel one another, and reason begins.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Entrepreneur, Business
There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes.
—William Bennett (b.1943) American Politician, Political Theorist, Government Official
The best time to do great customer service is when a customer is upset.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Once you have permission to talk to someone, finding new products or services for them is a smart way to grow.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
In a balanced organization, working towards a common objective, there is success.
—Arthur Helps (1813–75) English Dramatist, Essayist
Competition brings out the best in products and the worst in people.
—David Sarnoff (1891–1971) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
My father said: “You must never try to make all the money that’s in a deal. Let the other fellow make some money too, because if you have a reputation for always making all the money, you won’t have many deals.”
—J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) American Business Person, Art Collector, Philanthropist
The one sure way to conciliate a tiger is to allow oneself to be devoured.
—Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) German Head of State, Politician, Lawyer
Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.
—Victor Kiam (1926–2001) American Entrepreneur
Our business in this world is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Short Story Writer, Author
In modern business it is not the crook who is to be feared most, it is the honest man who doesn’t know what he is doing.
—Owen D. Young (1874–1962) American Businessperson, Lawyer, Diplomat
Entrepreneurship is the last refuge of the trouble making individual.
—Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972) American Playwright, Poet, Novelist
The position you hold and the work you are now doing.
—Nathaniel Parker Willis (1806–67) American Author, Poet, Editor
One way to think about running a successful business is to figure out what the least you can do is, and do that.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Stressing output is the key to improving productivity, while looking to increase activity can result in just the opposite.
—Andrew Grove (b.1936) Hungarian-born American Businessperson, Engineer
Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you’re just a middleman.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Treat employees like partners, and they act like partners.
—Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Humorist, Radio Personality