The problem with taking offense is that it's really hard to figure out what to do with it after you're done using it. Better to just leave it on the table and walk away. Umbrage untaken quietly disappears.
Seth GodinRead
Not adding value is the same as taking it away.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Contributing positively is essential; failing to do so is equivalent to detracting from overall value.
Seth Godin's quote emphasizes the importance of actively adding value in any endeavor. If one does not contribute positively or enhance a situation, it can be perceived as undermining its worth, thereby equating inactivity with negativity. In various contexts, whether in business, relationships, or personal growth, the absence of value creation is akin to reducing the existing value, highlighting the necessity of engagement and contribution.
Themes
ValueContributionBusinessEngagementNegativity
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting to discuss project contributions.
More from Seth Godin
All quotes →Excellence isn’t about meeting the spec, it’s about setting the spec. It defines what the consumer sees as quality right this minute, and tomorrow, if you’re good, you’ll reset that expectation again
Seth GodinRead
Living with doubt ... is almost always more profitable than living with certainty. _x000D_ People don't like doubt, so they pay money and give up opportunities to avoid it. _x000D_ Entrepreneurshi p is largely about living with doubt. If you need reassurance, you're giving up quite a bit to get it. On the other hand, if you can get in the habit of seeking out uncertainty, you'll have developed a great instinct.
Seth GodinRead
The danger of the Web is that you can go from idea to public announcement in under ten minutes.
Seth GodinRead
Art isn't only a painting. Art is anything that is creative, passionate and personal. Art is the unique work of a human being created to touch another. Art is created to have an impact, to change someone else.
Seth GodinRead
I made a decision to write for my readers, not to try to find more readers for my writing.
Seth GodinRead
Similar quotes
If your startup is only in the development or idea stage, there is almost no better predictor of failure - I mean, utter failure, scorched-earth bankruptcy - than raising too much money in the first round.
Steve JurvetsonRead
I find it fascinating that a lot of business books that do well are from people who've never made any money in business.
Gary VaynerchukRead
In this ever-changing society, the most powerful and enduring brands are built from the heart.
Howard SchultzRead
Rules that may be easy for Wall Street are a death sentence for startups. They are easy to break accidentally and the penalty for noncompliance is severe.
Naval RavikantRead
Most marketers think there's a concept called a product life cycle. Once you realize that the world is organized by jobs that need to be done, you understand that product life cycles don't exist.
Clayton M. ChristensenRead
Poor firms ignore their competitors; average firms copy their competitors; winning firms lead their competitors.
Philip KotlerRead