Sam Altman Quotes

I felt that if there wasn't going to be a good opportunity, then I would just go back to second units which I love, keep working with great directors, keep learning and knowing that the opportunity would come when the time was right.

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.

You can hit the proverbial roof at certain areas in the industry unless you venture out. And I never really set out in my career to stay in one place. I wanted to go out and try new things. Luckily, I've had that opportunity.

I found people I really wanted to work for; I made myself available to do whatever I could with the skills I had; I took some risk, packing up and moving to Chicago; and I looked for the opportunities that fit for me. So I think the biggest advice is to find people you love to work for who you're going to learn from.

You need to be very adaptable to have a long career. If you're not taught by somebody who knows different styles you'll be left by the wayside very quickly.

I'm open to anything, really. I love work.

I'm open to all opportunities.

I've always been about learning. No matter how long I've been in the business or where I've been in a company, I've always wanted to continue to learn.

[Hillary Clinton] is also smart, she talks to people, she hears, and she says, "OK, I need to update, we need some much bigger changes."

There is no normal. What my job was a few years ago was completely different than what it is today. As soon as I have it dialed in, the company changes and the team changes and my role changes as a result. What the company needs is always evolving, and I don't get to choose what I want to do as much as I thought I would be now - which is OK. It keeps me in this position of learning new things and keeping me humble. There is always something I don't know, and I'm comfortable with that.

I would encourage everyone in their first job not to ask themselves, 'Where do I want to be?' but 'What do I want to learn from this?' Use that opportunity to be a sponge.

I've never looked at my career as something that I was striving to get to one position or another. For me, it was one step at a time.

A career is about learning to adapt yourself to the new environment and learning to sink or swim.

Sometimes, guys are in a slump, or you feel like you're not doing anything with the company, and I felt like that for years. But it can all change.

What's needed to be appreciated about Young Zwann is that he is quite receptive to changes, always willing to learn and adapt to new styles. I am sure that given his dedication, he will manage to carve his own space in the music industry.

I love research and being educated. It's a great job being able to step into all kinds of professions and into other people's shoes.

You've had a whole lot of experience, but everything is also radically new at each moment, and you have to bring a kind of childlike second-level innocence to bear upon all situations, if you are going to be of use and you are going to really learn from the situation or the people.

I've been fortunate to meet and work with a lot of really smart people. The thing that strikes me most about them is how they continue to explore and learn every day. I have tried to apply that approach in my modest career as well.

I need to reach out to people who work for small to mid-sized companies, and help them identify and apply their strengths at work.

Keep an open mind; it's the only way new things can get in.

Three Secrets to Success: Be willing to learn new things. Be able to assimilate new information quickly. Be able to get along with and work with other people.

Sometimes, to ensure that a talented individual will work for you, or will stay working with you, you need to be flexible. Money is not always the great motivator here. Talented people want a good salary, of course, but surprisingly often they are more attracted to new opportunities and challenges.

When I look out from my own business career, I tried to learn from some of the best people, regardless of the industry.

Don't be afraid to go for positions, jobs or take on clients just outside of your knowledge base. It's when you're uncomfortable that you learn and grow the most.

If you want to do other things, you have to leave soap operas, otherwise you'll be there forever, which is not bad, you know. Some people have made a great living off of being on soap operas. But if you want to branch out you have to leave early, otherwise you'll never get the shot.