---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They have an absolute willingness to…"
description: "\"“They have an absolute willingness to torch the landscape around them to emerge the winner.”\" — Brad Stone"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/brad-stone-2853_number-one_they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-tor_1306584.jpg"
---

#  They have an absolute willingness to torch the landscape…

![“They have an absolute willingness to torch the landscape around them to emerge the winner.” quote by Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/brad-stone-2853_number-one_they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-tor_1306584.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/brad-stone-2853_number-one_they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-tor_1306584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/brad-stone-2853_number-one_they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-tor_1306584.jpg)

> ““They have an absolute willingness to torch the landscape around them to emerge the winner.””

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Some individuals will destroy surrounding competition to secure victory.

**In simple terms:** Winning may involve harming others.

Key Takeaway

Question ethical limits.

Themes

competition ethics ambition

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

ethical analytical

When to use this quote

- corporate takeovers
- political campaigns
- sports rivalries
- market domination

Key Concepts

business strategy Moral philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- Is the cost worth the win?
- What alternatives exist?

A Different Perspective

Such tactics can backfire socially.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Absolute Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-willingness-4308440/) [Emerge Winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emerge-winner-4308442/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Number-one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/number-one-134080/) [Torch Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torch-landscape-4308443/) [Willingness Torch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness-torch-4308441/) [Winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winner/)

## Related quotes

> [“In some cases, you can tell how somebody is being treated by their own boss from the way they are treating someone to whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/in-some-cases-you-can-tell-how-somebody-is-being-treated-by-their-own/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [“Do what no one else can do and you will become what no one else can become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/do-what-no-one-else-can-do-and-you-will-become-what-no-one-else-can/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [“It's safer being below the top 3. No pressure. Being in the top three is risky, thrilling, and fun, and you keep looking over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-santo/it-s-safer-being-below-the-top-3-no-pressure-being-in-the-top-three/)

[DON SANTO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-santo/)

> [“This is an everyday question and you must take note of it always. When you wake up, it should be among your number one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/this-is-an-everyday-question-and-you-must-take-note-of-it-always-when/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [“Wisdom is the ability to make wise decisions and pursue them. The bible said "wisdom is the principal thing". This means it's the number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/wisdom-is-the-ability-to-make-wise-decisions-and-pursue-them-the/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [“Strive to be more than number one—strive to be the greatest number one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/strive-to-be-more-than-number-one-strive-to-be-the-greatest-number-one/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [I go out to the top as a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teady/i-go-out-to-the-top-as-a-winner/)

[$Teady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teady/)

> [Little things make the difference. Everyone is well prepared in the big things, but only the winners perfect the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/little-things-make-the-difference-everyone-is-well-prepared-in-the/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [Winners are born, Champions are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-falcon-scott/winners-are-born-champions-are-made/)

[Robert Falcon Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-falcon-scott/)

> [Patience UR A WINNER and I jus wanted to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/patience-ur-a-winner-and-i-jus-wanted-to-say/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Every day, I want to be a winner. I want to train my best; I want to work my best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-rahul/every-day-i-want-to-be-a-winner-i-want-to-train-my-best-i-want-to/)

[K. L. Rahul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-rahul/)

> [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/)

[Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/)

> [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/)

[Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

## More by Brad Stone

> [“There was little science to Amazon’s earliest distribution methods. The company held no inventory itself at first. When a customer bought a book, Amazon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/there-was-little-science-to-amazon-s-earliest-distribution-methods/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“They agreed on five core values and wrote them down on a whiteboard in a conference room: customer obsession, frugality, bias for action, ownership,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/they-agreed-on-five-core-values-and-wrote-them-down-on-a-whiteboard/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“In a world where consumers had limited choice, you needed to compete for locations,” says Ross, who went on to cofound eCommera, a British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/in-a-world-where-consumers-had-limited-choice-you-needed-to-compete/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“The first week after the official launch, they took $12,000 in orders and shipped $846 worth of books, according to Eric Dillon, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/the-first-week-after-the-official-launch-they-took-12-000-in-orders/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“Look, you should wake up worried, terrified every morning,” he told his employees. “But don’t be worried about our competitors because they ' re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/look-you-should-wake-up-worried-terrified-every-morning-he-told-his/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“point of view is worth 80 IQ points”—a”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/point-of-view-is-worth-80-iq-points-a/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“Amazon may be the most beguiling company that ever existed, and it is just getting started. It is both missionary and mercenary, and throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/amazon-may-be-the-most-beguiling-company-that-ever-existed-and-it-is/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [We see Google experimenting in so many places outside of its core search and advertising business, whether that's bringing broadband Internet to the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/we-see-google-experimenting-in-so-many-places-outside-of-its-core/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“The production philosophy pioneered by Toyota calls for a focus on those activities that create value for the customer and the systematic eradication of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/the-production-philosophy-pioneered-by-toyota-calls-for-a-focus-on/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“Apple’s founder reportedly fired employees in the elevator and screamed at underperforming executives. Perhaps there is something endemic in the fast-paced technology business that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/apple-s-founder-reportedly-fired-employees-in-the-elevator-and/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“Just as Clayton Christensen had predicted in The Innovator’s Dilemma, technological innovation caused wrenching pain to the company and the broader industry”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/just-as-clayton-christensen-had-predicted-in-the-innovator-s-dilemma/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“Eric Benson took about two weeks to construct a preliminary version that grouped together customers who had similar purchasing histories and then found books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/eric-benson-took-about-two-weeks-to-construct-a-preliminary-version/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [There's a new set of transformative technologies such as machine learning, AI, and virtual reality that will spawn another set of big tech franchises.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/there-s-a-new-set-of-transformative-technologies-such-as-machine/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“the people closest to problems were usually in the best position to solve them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/the-people-closest-to-problems-were-usually-in-the-best-position-to/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [“Bezos is a fan of e-mail newsletters such as VSL.com, a daily assortment of cultural tidbits from the Web, and Cool Tools, a compendium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/bezos-is-a-fan-of-e-mail-newsletters-such-as-vsl-com-a-daily/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

[Explore all 141 Brad Stone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

## More Fire quotes

> [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/)

[Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/)

[Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/)

> [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/)

[St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/)

> [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/)

[Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/)

> [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/)

[William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/)

> [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Carrying that lumber the forty meters from the forest had left his knuckles blistered, his underarms sopping, but now a few hours of flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/carrying-that-lumber-the-forty-meters-from-the-forest-had-left-his/)

[Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/)

> [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/)

[Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/)

> [AHHHHHH! Goyle has set the bloody place on fire! -Ron Weasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ahhhhhh-goyle-has-set-the-bloody-place-on-fire-ron-weasley/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 8,652 Fire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“They have an absolute willingness to torch the landscape around them to emerge the winner.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brad Stone"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-torch-the-landscape-around-them/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fire"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-torch-the-landscape-around-them/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/brad-stone-2853_number-one_they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-tor_1306584.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/brad-stone-2853_number-one_they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-tor_1306584.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/brad-stone-2853_number-one_they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-tor_1306584.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“They have an absolute willingness to torch the landscape around them to emerge the winner.” — Brad Stone",
                "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": "Brad Stone",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“They have an absolute willingness to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-torch-the-landscape-around-them/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/they-have-an-absolute-willingness-to-torch-the-landscape-around-them/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
