--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To succeed, you also have to know how to…" description: "\"To succeed, you also have to know how to make choices and how to think more broadly.\" — Bill Gates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/bill-gates-137_choices_to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to_1355450.jpg" --- # To succeed, you also have to know how to make choices and… ![“To succeed, you also have to know how to make choices and how to think more broadly.” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/bill-gates-137_choices_to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to_1355450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/bill-gates-137_choices_to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to_1355450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/bill-gates-137_choices_to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to_1355450.jpg) > “To succeed, you also have to know how to make choices and how to think more broadly.” [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success requires both decisive choice‑making and expansive, interdisciplinary thinking. **In simple terms:** Making good choices and thinking broadly lead to achievement. Key Takeaway Cultivate strategic decision‑making and broaden your perspective. Themes decision making strategic thinking learning growth leadership Mood inspired thoughtful ambitious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - investment decisions - solving complex problems - team building - innovation strategy Key Concepts systems thinking opportunity analysis cross‑disciplinary insight Questions to Reflect On - What frameworks help you make tough choices? - How do you expand your thinking beyond your field? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can stall action; balance is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [What's important for me is to give my daughters a well-rounded education and a mixture of people in their lives. They'll make their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/what-s-important-for-me-is-to-give-my-daughters-a-well-rounded/) [Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/) > [We are people in circumstances who make choices that we think are right at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/we-are-people-in-circumstances-who-make-choices-that-we-think-are/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [I believe that you become yourself every single day of your life through your choices and how you think. And that's constantly changing every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-marbles/i-believe-that-you-become-yourself-every-single-day-of-your-life/) [Jenna Marbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-marbles/) > [Life isn't easy, no matter where you are. You'll make choices you think are right, and then suffer for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/life-isn-t-easy-no-matter-where-you-are-you-ll-make-choices-you-think/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Breakthroughs arise when someone can combine many ideas together. Think broadly, not deeply.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-krook/breakthroughs-arise-when-someone-can-combine-many-ideas-together/) Joshua Krook > [If you think broadly about business, population size is a very important factor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borje-ekholm/if-you-think-broadly-about-business-population-size-is-a-very/) [Borje Ekholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borje-ekholm/) > [Learning is a tunnel experience that makes us think more broadly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-deavere-smith/learning-is-a-tunnel-experience-that-makes-us-think-more-broadly/) [Anna Deavere Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-deavere-smith/) > [We never try to think in terms of any competitive product or company. If you do that, you just focus on a certain narrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-iwata/we-never-try-to-think-in-terms-of-any-competitive-product-or-company/) [Satoru Iwata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-iwata/) > [The very quality of books to read and facts to master with which the twentieth-century man is confronted encourages him to think broadly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/the-very-quality-of-books-to-read-and-facts-to-master-with-which-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [In fact, I think more broadly about what an audience requires, but I want an audience to be fascinated by the process of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/in-fact-i-think-more-broadly-about-what-an-audience-requires-but-i/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [People who succeed are those who know how to mobilize all their physical and mental resources on a goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/people-who-succeed-are-those-who-know-how-to-mobilize-all-their/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [You will only succeed if you know that what you are doing is right and you know how to bring out the best in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/you-will-only-succeed-if-you-know-that-what-you-are-doing-is-right/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I don't know what drives me to succeed. I know I want to always do the best I can.I guess I was maybe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-don-t-know-what-drives-me-to-succeed-i-know-i-want-to-always-do-the/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [You do not succeed because you do not know what you want, but because you don't want it intensely enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-crane/you-do-not-succeed-because-you-do-not-know-what-you-want-but-because/) [Frank Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-crane/) > [A determination to succeed is the only way to succeed that I know anything about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/a-determination-to-succeed-is-the-only-way-to-succeed-that-i-know/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) ## More by Bill Gates > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software is more important than hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-is-more-important-than-hardware/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Talking to mothers, always brings it home because they're so anxious to do everything they can for their kids and so tragic for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/talking-to-mothers-always-brings-it-home-because-they-re-so-anxious/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) [Explore all 1,165 Bill Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To succeed, you also have to know how to make choices and how to think more broadly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Gates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to-make-choices-and-how-to-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to-make-choices-and-how-to-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/bill-gates-137_choices_to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to_1355450.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/bill-gates-137_choices_to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to_1355450.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/bill-gates-137_choices_to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to_1355450.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To succeed, you also have to know how to make choices and how to think more broadly.” — Bill Gates", "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": "Bill Gates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To succeed, you also have to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to-make-choices-and-how-to-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/to-succeed-you-also-have-to-know-how-to-make-choices-and-how-to-think/#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 } } ] } ```