--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most companies don't die because they are…" description: "\"Most companies don't die because they are wrong; they die because they don't commit themselves. They fritter away their momentum and their valuable res..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0c/andy-grove-8875_attempting_most-companies-don-t-die-because-they-ar_1465675.jpg" --- # Most companies don't die because they are wrong; they die… ![“Most companies don't die because they are wrong; they die because they don't commit themselves. They fritter away their momentum and their valuable resources while attempting to make a decision. The greatest danger is standing still.” quote by Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0c/andy-grove-8875_attempting_most-companies-don-t-die-because-they-ar_1465675.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0c/andy-grove-8875_attempting_most-companies-don-t-die-because-they-ar_1465675.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0c/andy-grove-8875_attempting_most-companies-don-t-die-because-they-ar_1465675.jpg) > “Most companies don't die because they are wrong; they die because they don't commit themselves. They fritter away their momentum and their valuable resources while attempting to make a decision. The greatest danger is standing still.” [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. Companies fail when they lack commitment and lose momentum, not merely when they are wrong. **In simple terms:** Commitment drives success more than being right. Key Takeaway Maintain focus and allocate resources decisively. Themes business strategy commitment momentum decision making leadership Mood determined pragmatic urgent Type business motivational When to use this quote - startup growth - corporate turnarounds - product development - team alignment Key Concepts organizational focus resource allocation risk management Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms ensure commitment without rigidity? - How can teams balance speed and deliberation? A Different Perspective Overcommitment can lead to reckless decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Momentum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/momentum/) ## Related quotes > [“if you're wrong, you will die. But most companies don't die because they are wrong; most die because they don't commit themselves. They fritter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-s-grove/if-you-re-wrong-you-will-die-but-most-companies-don-t-die-because/) [Andrew S. Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-s-grove/) > [“I would rather be right and die than be wrong and kill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-lisle/i-would-rather-be-right-and-die-than-be-wrong-and-kill/) [Holly Lisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-lisle/) > [you can die of the wrong thought as quick as of a bullet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-jacobs/you-can-die-of-the-wrong-thought-as-quick-as-of-a-bullet/) Helen Jacobs > [“We all die at the wrong time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-santo/we-all-die-at-the-wrong-time/) [DON SANTO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-santo/) > [“If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/if-you-poison-us-do-we-not-die-and-if-you-wrong-us-shall-we-not/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [We all live under the same sky, We all will live, We all will die, There is no wrong, There is no right, The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis/we-all-live-under-the-same-sky-we-all-will-live-we-all-will-die-there/) [Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis/) > [Those record companies don't know what's happening at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-blackmore/those-record-companies-don-t-know-what-s-happening-at-all/) [Ritchie Blackmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-blackmore/) > [Spend a lot of time talking to customers face to face. You'd be amazed how many companies don't listen to their customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-perot/spend-a-lot-of-time-talking-to-customers-face-to-face-you-d-be-amazed/) [Ross Perot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-perot/) > [The advantage for Nintendo is that we always try to do things that other companies don't try to do. That is something that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-iwata/the-advantage-for-nintendo-is-that-we-always-try-to-do-things-that/) [Satoru Iwata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-iwata/) > [Money don't rule me, record companies don't rule me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/link-wray/money-don-t-rule-me-record-companies-don-t-rule-me/) [Link Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/link-wray/) > [Most companies don't have the luxury of focusing exclusively on innovation. They have to innovate while stamping out zillions of widgets or processing billions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/most-companies-don-t-have-the-luxury-of-focusing-exclusively-on/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Companies don't give job security. Only satisfied customers do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/companies-don-t-give-job-security-only-satisfied-customers-do/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [Companies don't innovate, people do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-cooke/companies-don-t-innovate-people-do/) [Phil Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-cooke/) > [Companies don't succeed, people do. Companies don't fail, people do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabil-n-jamal/companies-don-t-succeed-people-do-companies-don-t-fail-people-do/) [Nabil N Jamal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabil-n-jamal/) > [Most big companies don't like you very much, except hotels, airlines and Microsoft, which don't like you at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/most-big-companies-don-t-like-you-very-much-except-hotels-airlines/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) ## 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 Attempting quotes > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [In terms of style, too, I think I've been working with a somewhat limited -- although intentionally limited -- set of tools. So I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/in-terms-of-style-too-i-think-i-ve-been-working-with-a-somewhat/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [Lobbying' is the activity of attempting to influence legislation by privately influencing the legislators. 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She sat down opposite him and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm so insensitive,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/daphne-he-said-with-controlled-gentleness-what-is-wrong-she-sat-down/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [I'm a dreamer and continue to dream of what can and will be, "Expecting great things from God, Attempting great things for God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/i-m-a-dreamer-and-continue-to-dream-of-what-can-and-will-be-expecting/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) > [I swear you’re a woman. (Devyn) I would respond to that, but I don’t want to distract you while you’re attempting to drive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-swear-you-re-a-woman-devyn-i-would-respond-to-that-but-i-don-t-want/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [To approach a city, or even a city neighborhood, as if it were a larger architectural problem, capable of being given order by converting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/to-approach-a-city-or-even-a-city-neighborhood-as-if-it-were-a-larger/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [I have told you of the Spaniard who always put on his spectacles when about to eat cherries, that they might look bigger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southey/i-have-told-you-of-the-spaniard-who-always-put-on-his-spectacles-when/) [Robert Southey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southey/) > [The danger to which the success of revolutions is most exposed, is that of attempting them before the principles on which they proceed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-danger-to-which-the-success-of-revolutions-is-most-exposed-is/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“failure is not an outcome, but involves a lack of trying—not stretching yourself far enough out of your comfort zone and attempting to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-wiseman/failure-is-not-an-outcome-but-involves-a-lack-of-trying-not/) [Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-wiseman/) > [It is strange to reflect how much energy is thrown away in attempting to know the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barber-lightfoot/it-is-strange-to-reflect-how-much-energy-is-thrown-away-in-attempting/) [Joseph Barber Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barber-lightfoot/) > [I am not attempting to preserve culture, or record actual events or stories. Instead I bow my head in gratitude to those storytellers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-am-not-attempting-to-preserve-culture-or-record-actual-events-or/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) Browse all 513 Attempting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most companies don't die because they are wrong; they die because they don't commit themselves. They fritter away their momentum and their valuable resources while attempting to make a decision. 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