You can't find returns in investments you haven't made.
Interpretation
Investments require action to yield returns, both financially and personally.
This quote emphasizes the necessity of taking risks and making investments—whether in business, relationships, or personal growth—in order to achieve positive outcomes. It suggests that without putting in the effort or resources, one should not expect to see any results or benefits, highlighting the importance of proactivity in achieving success.
In practice
In a financial seminar to emphasize the importance of investing wisely.
You can talk all you want about having a clear purpose and strategy for your life, but ultimately this means nothing if you are not investing the resources you have in a way that is consistent with your strategy. In the end, a strategy is nothing but good intentions unless it's effectively implemented.
...it's easier to hold to your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 98% of the time.
Disruptive innovations create jobs, efficiency innovations destroy them.
Focus is scary—until you realize that it only means turning your back on markets you could never have anyway. Sharp focus on jobs that customers are trying to get done holds the promise of greatly improving the odds of success in new-product development.
Don't worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped become better people.
Whenever we have thanked these men and women for what they have done for us, without exception they have expressed gratitude for having the chance to help - because they grew as they served.
I think that at the start of a game, you're always playing to win, and then maybe if you're ahead late in the game, you start playing not to lose. The true competitors, though, are the ones who always play to win.
Over a 10-year period, 99 out of 100 new entrepreneurs will fail. Only one will be left standing as others get pushed out of the market or burn out from working so hard. It's really sad.
One is too small a number to achieve greatness.
Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win - essential to success.
The richest people in the world build networks; everyone else is trained to look for work.
Great work requires great and persistent effort for a long time. ... Character has to be established through a thousand stumbles.
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