“Stick with the Dips that are likely to pan out, and quit the Cul-de-Sacs to focus your resources”

“The Cul-de-Sac ( French for "dead end" ) ... is a situation where you work and work and work and nothing much changes”

“The Dip creates scarcity; scarcity creates value”

“The opportunity of a lifetime is to pick yourself. Quit waiting to get picked; quit waiting for someone to give you permission; quit waiting for someone to say you are officially qualified and pick yourself. It doesn’t mean you have to be an entrepreneur or a freelancer, but it does mean you stand up and say, ‘I have something to say. I know how to do something. I’m doing it. If you want me to do it with you, raise your hand.”

“Strategic quitting is the secret of successful organizations”

“The tragedy is that society (your school, your boss, your government, your family) keeps drumming the genius part out. The problem is that our culture has engaged in a Faustian bargain, in which we trade our genius and artistry for apparent stability.”

“The challenge, it turns out, isn’t in perfecting your ability to know when to start and when to stand by. The challenge is getting into the habit of”