There's no difference between a pessimist who says, "Oh it's hopeless, so don't bother doing anything." and an optimist who says, "Don't bother doing anything, it's going to turn out fine anyways. Either way, nothing happens."
Yvon ChouinardRead
I wanted to distance myself from those pasty faced corpses in suits I saw in airline magazine ads. If I was going to become a businessman, I was going to do it on my own terms.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the desire to pursue success authentically, rather than conforming to societal expectations.
Yvon Chouinard's quote reflects a strong sense of individuality and rebellion against conventional business norms. He emphasizes the importance of forging one's own path and not being boxed in by the stereotypical image of businesspeople, represented by 'pasty faced corpses in suits.' This attitude highlights the significance of authenticity and self-definition in achieving true success in business and life.
Themes
AuthenticityBusinessSuccessIndividualityRebellion
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech to inspire students striving for their goals in their own way.
More from Yvon Chouinard
All quotes →I think risk is important. I don't care if it's a great financial risk or a physical risk. You only get out of something what you put into it and the fact that you are willing to risk something means that you are going to get a lot more out of it.
Yvon ChouinardRead
The solution may be for a lot of the world's problems is to turn around and take a forward step. You can't just keep trying to make a flawed system work.
Yvon ChouinardRead
We're a part of nature. As we destroy nature, we destroy ourselves. It's a selfish thing to want to protect nature.
Yvon ChouinardRead
Evil doesn’t have to be an overt act; it can be merely the absence of good. If you have the ability, the resources, and the opportunity to do good and you do nothing, that can be evil.
Yvon ChouinardRead
The future of Yosemite climbing lies not in Yosemite, but in using the new techniques in the great granite ranges of the world.
Yvon ChouinardRead
Similar quotes
I would prefer to grow with the team inside Nintendo rather than taking anyone from outside. It would be a joy for me if someone who was working with me became a big success.
Shigeru MiyamotoRead
Millionaires don't have astrologers, billionaires do.
J. P. MorganRead
In business, the earning of profit is something more than an incident of success. It is an essential condition of success. It is an essential condition of success because the continued absence of profit itself spells failure.
Louis D. BrandeisRead
If you look at most successful startups, they're run by people in their mid to late forties, who've gone through the trenches multiple times and had multiple failures, so they understand.
Tony FadellRead
I don't think there's too many Aboriginal people out there who are successful that don't want to help make gains for our people.
Adam GoodesRead
You know my dad pushed me to believe that I was going to be the best. I just never thought of life without tennis, even looking forward.
Andre AgassiRead