Steve Jobs Quotes

What you decide not to do is probably more important that what you decide to do.

What you don't do is as important as what you do.

One must say no to some opportunities to open the possibilities of others.

Learn how to separate the majors and the minors. A lot of people don't do well simply because they major in minor things.

It's not only a matter of when to do things, but whether or not to do them at all.

I'm as proud of many of the things we haven't done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things.

It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide on what to do.

Discipline enables you to think first and act second.

Choosing one path means abandoning others - if you try to follow every possible path you will end up following none.

Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.

Strategy is choice. Strategy means saying no to certain kinds of things.

You have to commit to the what, before the how shows up.

Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.

I think I've realized that when you are aiming to create a real body of work, you are as much defined by the things you don't do as by the things you do.

Learn to say 'no' to the good so you can say 'yes' to the best.

And it comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don't get on the wrong track or try to do too much. We're always thinking about new markets we could enter, but it's only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that are really important.

Choice of attention - to pay attention to this and ignore that - is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases, a man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences, whatever they may be.

In business, staying focused requires that you turn most opportunities down.

You can only bite off so much, so you gotta know what you want to do.

The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.

Decisiveness is the best way to get things done.

You get to choose to do what's important.

I've said no to a lot of things I'd like to have done. My agent has never seen anything like it.

I think it's just as important what you say no to as what you say yes to.

I make a habit of asking myself, 'Is there purpose to this meeting or conversation? Do I want to build a relationship with this person or company? Is there purpose behind this meeting that aligns with my life and business strategy?' If the answer is 'No,' then I pass every time.