---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Your goal at the outset is to extract and…"
description: "\"“Your goal at the outset is to extract and observe as much information as possible. Which, by the way, is one of the reasons that really smart people o..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/chris-voss-5746_goals_your-goal-at-the-outset-is-to-extract-an_1126628.jpg"
---

#  Your goal at the outset is to extract and observe as much…

![“Your goal at the outset is to extract and observe as much information as possible. Which, by the way, is one of the reasons that really smart people often have trouble being negotiators—they’re so smart they think they don’t have anything to discover.” quote by Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/chris-voss-5746_goals_your-goal-at-the-outset-is-to-extract-an_1126628.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/chris-voss-5746_goals_your-goal-at-the-outset-is-to-extract-an_1126628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/chris-voss-5746_goals_your-goal-at-the-outset-is-to-extract-an_1126628.jpg)

> ““Your goal at the outset is to extract and observe as much information as possible. Which, by the way, is one of the reasons that really smart people often have trouble being negotiators—they’re so smart they think they don’t have anything to discover.””

[Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/)

## About This Quote

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

Smart negotiators may overlook new information because they assume they already know everything.

**In simple terms:** Even experts can miss data.

Key Takeaway

Stay curious and ask questions.

Themes

negotiation learning humility

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- business deals
- legal settlements
- daily conversations

Key Concepts

cognitive bias information gathering

Questions to Reflect On

- What assumptions are you making?
- How can you uncover hidden information?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence can hinder effective negotiation and problem‑solving.

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[Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) [Smart people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-people/)

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