--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A question that often comes up at times…" description: "\"A question that often comes up at times of strategic transformation is, should you pursue a highly focused approach, betting everything on one strategi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/andy-grove-8875_approach_a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times_1991719.jpg" --- # A question that often comes up at times of strategic… ![“A question that often comes up at times of strategic transformation is, should you pursue a highly focused approach, betting everything on one strategic goal, or should you hedge? ... Mark Twain hit it on the head when he said, Put all of your eggs in one basket and WATCH THAT BASKET.” quote by Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/andy-grove-8875_approach_a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times_1991719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/andy-grove-8875_approach_a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times_1991719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/andy-grove-8875_approach_a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times_1991719.jpg) > “A question that often comes up at times of strategic transformation is, should you pursue a highly focused approach, betting everything on one strategic goal, or should you hedge? ... Mark Twain hit it on the head when he said, Put all of your eggs in one basket and WATCH THAT BASKET.” [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Weighing the risk of concentrating resources on a single goal versus diversifying to protect against failure. **In simple terms:** Focus vs. diversification trade‑off. Key Takeaway Balance focus with risk management. Themes strategy risk focus diversification Mood cautious analytical Type advisory strategic When to use this quote - product launch - business restructuring - investment decisions - career planning Key Concepts portfolio theory strategic alignment uncertainty Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess the risk of a single‑goal strategy? - What safeguards can you build while staying focused? A Different Perspective Over‑focus can make you vulnerable to unexpected shocks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Betting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betting/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Eggs in one basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eggs-in-one-basket/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Transformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformation/) ## Related quotes > [“Often I’m convinced that I have no idea what they’re on about during the meetings. But without my realising it some part of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vaughan-macaulay/often-i-m-convinced-that-i-have-no-idea-what-they-re-on-about-during/) Tom Vaughan MacAulay > [“the strategic goal was the same: to reach people in an effective, scalable, and data-driven way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-strategic-goal-was-the-same-to-reach-people-in-an-effective/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [One can justify provocative moves if they serve an important strategic goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/one-can-justify-provocative-moves-if-they-serve-an-important/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [...it ought to be possible to establish a coordinated global program to accomplish the strategic goal of completely eliminating the internal combustion engine over,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/it-ought-to-be-possible-to-establish-a-coordinated-global-program-to/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The greatest safety lies in putting all your eggs in one basket and watching the basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-m-loeb/the-greatest-safety-lies-in-putting-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket-and/) [Gerald M. Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-m-loeb/) > [Mr. Wrigley believed in this: Put all your eggs in one basket and watch the basket. They don't do that today. This is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/mr-wrigley-believed-in-this-put-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket-and-watch/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [“Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/put-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket-and-then-watch-that-basket/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Where you really have your eggs in one basket and that breach happens and you know you should go but you're still in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/where-you-really-have-your-eggs-in-one-basket-and-that-breach-happens/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [Put all your eggs in one basket... the handle's going to break. Then all you've got is scrambled eggs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket-the-handle-s-going-to-break-then-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Diversification is something that stock brokers came up with to protect themselves, so they wouldn't get sued for making bad investment choices for clients.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rogers/diversification-is-something-that-stock-brokers-came-up-with-to/) [Jim Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rogers/) > [Concentrate your energy, thought and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged... 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/concentrate-your-energy-thought-and-capital-exclusively-upon-the/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [When you are incubating new ideas, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" is very good advice. But when you are seeking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-moore/when-you-are-incubating-new-ideas-don-t-put-all-your-eggs-in-one/) [Geoffrey Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-moore/) > [To put all of your eggs in one basket is silly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/to-put-all-of-your-eggs-in-one-basket-is-silly/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I have done conferences explaining that cloud is a bad idea. It's putting all your eggs in one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-demon-calce/i-have-done-conferences-explaining-that-cloud-is-a-bad-idea-it-s/) [Michael Demon Calce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-demon-calce/) > [The human race shouldn't have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet. Let's hope we can avoid dropping the basket until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-race-shouldn-t-have-all-its-eggs-in-one-basket-or-on-one/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## More by Andy Grove > [Leaders have to act more quickly today. The pressure comes much faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/leaders-have-to-act-more-quickly-today-the-pressure-comes-much-faster/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [Privacy is one of the biggest problems in this new electronic age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/privacy-is-one-of-the-biggest-problems-in-this-new-electronic-age/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [Whatever success we have had in maintaining our culture has been instrumental in Intel's success in surviving strategic inflection points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/whatever-success-we-have-had-in-maintaining-our-culture-has-been/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [The Internet doesn't change everything. It doesn't change supply and demand. It doesn't magically allow you to build businesses by turning investors' money into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/the-internet-doesn-t-change-everything-it-doesn-t-change-supply-and/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [When a change in how some element of one's business is conducted becomes an order of magnitude larger than what that business is accustomed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/when-a-change-in-how-some-element-of-one-s-business-is-conducted/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [A career in journalism suddenly lost its appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/a-career-in-journalism-suddenly-lost-its-appeal/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [I was glad I liked chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/i-was-glad-i-liked-chemistry/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [Every generation thinks that they invented sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/every-generation-thinks-that-they-invented-sex/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [No problem is so complicated that you cannot make it more complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/no-problem-is-so-complicated-that-you-cannot-make-it-more-complicated/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [Bad companies are destroyed by crisis, Good companies survive them, Great companies are improved by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/bad-companies-are-destroyed-by-crisis-good-companies-survive-them/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [Congress will pass a law restricting public comment on the Internet to individuals who have spent a minimum of one hour actually accomplishing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/congress-will-pass-a-law-restricting-public-comment-on-the-internet/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [Investment decisions and personal decisions don't wait for the picture to be clarified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/investment-decisions-and-personal-decisions-don-t-wait-for-the/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [A corporation is a living organism; it has to continue to shed its skin. Methods have to change. Focus has to change. Values have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/a-corporation-is-a-living-organism-it-has-to-continue-to-shed-its/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [I really don't have much respect for the people who live their lives motivated by an exit strategy existing, being performed. There was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/i-really-don-t-have-much-respect-for-the-people-who-live-their-lives/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [The future is going to take care of itself, like it always has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/the-future-is-going-to-take-care-of-itself-like-it-always-has/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) [Explore all 77 Andy Grove quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [What begins as a Utopian vision, always - always - ends in bloodshed. Because you have to force a utopia on a free people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/what-begins-as-a-utopian-vision-always-always-ends-in-bloodshed/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) [Browse all 3,949 Approach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A question that often comes up at times of strategic transformation is, should you pursue a highly focused approach, betting everything on one strategic goal, or should you hedge? ... Mark Twain hit it on the head when he said, Put all of your eggs in one basket and WATCH THAT BASKET.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andy Grove" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times-of-strategic-transformation/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Approach" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times-of-strategic-transformation/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/andy-grove-8875_approach_a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times_1991719.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/andy-grove-8875_approach_a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times_1991719.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/andy-grove-8875_approach_a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times_1991719.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A question that often comes up at times of strategic transformation is, should you pursue a highly focused…” — Andy Grove", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Andy Grove", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A question that often comes up...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times-of-strategic-transformation/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/a-question-that-often-comes-up-at-times-of-strategic-transformation/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```