Nassim Nicholas Taleb Quotes

Most people want to become movie stars and I just want to be in the business. I already was a star. If I get the part of a lifetime and it blows up, then that's wonderful. But if the acting doesn't work, fine. I'll just be a producer. And if the producing doesn't work, fine. I've got a lot of other stuff.

Most tech companies do one trick and die. If you can do two or three or four, that's where wealth gets created.

For me, I just never put all my eggs in one basket, so to speak. I know that music and acting now are things that I want to do for the rest of my life. But, if suddenly that was to stop, I'd actually be okay. It's not the be all, end all of my life. I know who I am, outside of this, and I think that's a really big thing to have.

I would never suggest anyone to stay at a company more than six or seven years. We grow as individuals and the world is moving so fast. Typically, I'll always sell a piece of each of my companies along the way.

I'm always trying to do as many different things as I can, just so when one is not doing so hot, maybe the other is still there.

I'm constantly thinking about what I'll do next. I never count on music being a career of longevity. I mean, longevity is key, and I hope that it lasts, but you just don't know, because it's not in your hands, you don't make the decision.

You can't get married to any one particular plan. That is the biggest lesson I learned at PayPal.

I've been allowed to grow over the past twenty years. I've managed to avoid being trapped in one moment of my career and for that, I'm very thankful.

If I've done anything intentional about my career, is that I really have not - I've chosen to try to do as many different types of things as possible. That's really what I like to do.

We aren't going to let our first investment be the best.

I just feel that no matter what comes in a career - and mine has been all over the map - you must stay at the table, pick up the cards you're dealt and play them.

'Warm Bodies' was a more long-term thing; I had to write the script, who knew if it was every really going to happen, if I'd find the right actors, and so on, so I grabbed '50/50' because I just fell in love with it.

So yes, I do want to try and keep things going if I can. I have a few things brewing... And if it doesn't happen, I did buy an ice cream van a while ago. So I always have that to fall back on.

I think one of the things that saved me is that I never put all my eggs in one basket.

I guess there are people who are like, 'Here's one thing, and I'm gonna do it,' but I can't. I don't have the capacity to have that singular focus. I need to try to get a lot of things going 'cause you never know what's gonna hit.

Career diversification ain't a bad thing.

It's important to get well-rounded right off the bat. A lot of experienced dancers can get pigeonholed into one thing. I've been hired for a lot of different gigs simply because I can do a lot of different things with different levels of dancers. And it's sad to me that some dancers don't do more.

I did some feature work, then tried TV. I was always very aware that the only power that you have is the power of options. If the film industry dries up, then you focus on the TV or the books. For me, it was always about what story do I want to tell next?

The whole point of the game is not to stick with one thing, because when that one thing ends, then what are you going to do? For me, I have movies, '106 & Park,' music, and other things to fall back on.

Over the years, I have worked professionally as a musician, photographer, and writer. I've been able to earn my living in other ways, but I always knew I'd come back to acting.

The future is always coming up with surprises for us, and the best way to insulate yourself from these surprises is to diversify.

On a career level, I always advise people to look ahead and be open to changes in direction. That job that seems so good now can easily turn into a nightmare if you do not see the possible corners it can land you in.

Your career is not going to go the way you planned. It is impossible at the age of 23 to pick the right industry, the right company, and you can visualize what you're going to be doing in your 40s, 50s, and 60s, but chances are that it's going to be something quite different. So remain open to opportunities and change.

The main thing is to have strings to your bow. You get your badges, you see where life is, and then you see what things come your way, if any.

It's always good to have different plans.