Sam Altman > Quotes

“Life is not a dress rehearsal—this is probably it. Make it count. Time is extremely limited and goes by fast. Do what makes you happy and fulfilled—few people get remembered hundreds of years after they die anyway. Don’t do stuff that doesn’t make you happy (this happens most often when other people want you to do something). Don’t spend time trying to maintain relationships with people you don’t like, and cut negative people out of your life. Negativity is really bad. Don’t let yourself make excuses for not doing the things you want to do.”
― Sam Altman

“A successful startup takes a very long time—certainly much longer than most founders think at the outset. You cannot treat it as an all-nighter. You have to eat well, sleep well, and exercise. You have to spend time with your family and friends. You also need to work in an area you’re actually passionate about—nothing else will sustain you for ten years.”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“If you can't figure out what kind of work you like, pay attention to what's easy to concentrate on and gives you energy vs. what makes you tune out and feel tired.”
― Sam Altman

“The missing circuit in my brain, the circuit that would make me care what people think about me, is a real gift. Most people want to be accepted, so they won’t take risks that could make them look crazy—which actually makes them wildly miscalculate risk.”
― Sam Altman

“there are at least a thousand times more people that have good ideas than people who are willing to do the kind of work it takes to turn a great idea into a great company.”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“So all you need is a great idea, a great team, a great product, and great execution. So easy! ;)”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“What I’ve found works best for me personally is a pen-and-paper list for each day with ~3 major tasks and ~30 minor ones, and an annual to-do list of overall goals.)”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“We have noticed the most successful founders are the sort of people who are low-stress to work with because you feel “he or she will get it done, no matter what it is.” Sometimes you can succeed through sheer force of will.”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“Founders that are hard to talk to are almost always bad.”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“By the way, “product” includes all interactions a user has with the company.”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“What makes a great founder? The most important characteristics are ones like unstoppability, determination, formidability, and resourcefulness. Intelligence and passion also rank very highly.”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“one of the greatest skills of a leader is the ability to calm others in a storm”
― Sam Altman

“Let yourself occasionally get a little screwed in exchange for not having to live with your guard up all the time. It’s worth it.”
― Sam Altman

“No matter how successful you are, the haters will never go away.”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook

“don't do the deferred life plan”
― Sam Altman

“If there are ten other companies starting at the same time with the same plan, and it sounds a whole lot like something that already exists, we are skeptical.”
― Sam Altman, Startup Playbook