--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Always hedge your bets. That's how I do…" description: "\"Always hedge your bets. That's how I do it. I lay all my bets on what I can contribute, and suffer no illusions that I'm generating stuff by myself.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/dan-harmon-7587_bets_always-hedge-your-bets-that-s-how-i-do-i_2977088.jpg" --- # Always hedge your bets. That's how I do it. I lay all my… ![“Always hedge your bets. That's how I do it. I lay all my bets on what I can contribute, and suffer no illusions that I'm generating stuff by myself.” quote by Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/dan-harmon-7587_bets_always-hedge-your-bets-that-s-how-i-do-i_2977088.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/dan-harmon-7587_bets_always-hedge-your-bets-that-s-how-i-do-i_2977088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/dan-harmon-7587_bets_always-hedge-your-bets-that-s-how-i-do-i_2977088.jpg) > “Always hedge your bets. That's how I do it. I lay all my bets on what I can contribute, and suffer no illusions that I'm generating stuff by myself.” [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on contributing value rather than seeking personal credit; avoid ego‑driven claims of sole creation. **In simple terms:** Contribute, don’t claim all credit. Key Takeaway Prioritize teamwork and humility. Themes collaboration ego creativity Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team projects - writing rooms - startup product development - open source contributions Key Concepts authorship contribution perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure your true impact? - What strategies keep ego in check? A Different Perspective May undervalue personal effort and lead to self‑doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bets/) [Bets Contribute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bets-contribute-4610970/) [Bets Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bets-lay-4610971/) [Hedge Bets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hedge-bets-2124500/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Lay Bets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lay-bets-4610969/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [I really believe you have to make television with the belief that you're going to continue on. If you hedge bets and you catch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eick/i-really-believe-you-have-to-make-television-with-the-belief-that-you/) [David Eick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eick/) > [People are going to hire you, or they're not, and there's only so much you can do to hedge your bets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/people-are-going-to-hire-you-or-they-re-not-and-there-s-only-so-much/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [The first thing I learned is when times are tough, you need to hedge your bets - you need to diversify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-first-thing-i-learned-is-when-times-are-tough-you-need-to-hedge/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Control was just wishful thinking, and you controlled things to hedge your bets, to be safe, to guard against loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/control-was-just-wishful-thinking-and-you-controlled-things-to-hedge/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [If I had to lay bets, my bet would be that everything is going to go to hell, but, you know, what else have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rorty/if-i-had-to-lay-bets-my-bet-would-be-that-everything-is-going-to-go/) [Richard Rorty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rorty/) > [It is quite amazing how hard the subconscious works when it is made to understand that this life is not a rehearsal, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/it-is-quite-amazing-how-hard-the-subconscious-works-when-it-is-made/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [I guess, what I'm saying is that when I've been this surprised by my own characters and world, all bets are off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-guess-what-i-m-saying-is-that-when-i-ve-been-this-surprised-by-my/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [The one thing that I think separates Microsoft from a lot of other people is we make bold bets. We're persistent about them, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-one-thing-that-i-think-separates-microsoft-from-a-lot-of-other/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Mars still remains the astrobiology community's number one choice for 'nearest rock with life,' but there are many researchers who argue that the moons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/mars-still-remains-the-astrobiology-community-s-number-one-choice-for/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [I live in New York and got a call from my agent saying there was this new role on 'Mad Men,' it might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-buono/i-live-in-new-york-and-got-a-call-from-my-agent-saying-there-was-this/) [Cara Buono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-buono/) > [The trading rules I live by are: 1. Cut losses. 2. Ride winners. 3. Keep bets small. 4. Follow the rules without question. 5.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-seykota/the-trading-rules-i-live-by-are-1-cut-losses-2-ride-winners-3-keep/) [Ed Seykota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-seykota/) > [Are you placing enough interesting, freakish, long shot, weirdo bets?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/are-you-placing-enough-interesting-freakish-long-shot-weirdo-bets/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in the cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us latitude to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/this-is-a-perverse-thing-personally-but-i-would-rather-be-in-the/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [When we got married, nobody gave it more than two weeks. There were bets all over the country, with astronomical odds against us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desi-arnaz/when-we-got-married-nobody-gave-it-more-than-two-weeks-there-were/) [Desi Arnaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desi-arnaz/) > [“Edward: I don't know whether to put my fingers in my ears and go la-la-la or find more of your guards so we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/edward-i-don-t-know-whether-to-put-my-fingers-in-my-ears-and-go-la-la/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) ## More by Dan Harmon > [Class clowns are never allowed to date anybody decent, but you don't get beaten up, you're invited to parties, and everybody likes you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/class-clowns-are-never-allowed-to-date-anybody-decent-but-you-don-t/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [With an animated show you can make a banana purple. You can put three hats on a cowboy. That would require several days of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/with-an-animated-show-you-can-make-a-banana-purple-you-can-put-three/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [Once upon a time, something happened, and it was better than something not happening. The end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/once-upon-a-time-something-happened-and-it-was-better-than-something/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [TV tends to be like, if you're lucky, it's like Las Vegas. You can't get out. There's always another pitch meeting. They keep you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/tv-tends-to-be-like-if-you-re-lucky-it-s-like-las-vegas-you-can-t-get/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [I don't really have a lot of appropriate feelings for people on an individual basis, but I've always wanted to make people happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/i-don-t-really-have-a-lot-of-appropriate-feelings-for-people-on-an/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [Good writers hate bad writing but hating bad writing doesn’t make you good. Writing badly does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/good-writers-hate-bad-writing-but-hating-bad-writing-doesn-t-make-you/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [Whereas the health of an individual depends on the ego's regular descent and return to and from the unconscious, a society's longevity depends on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/whereas-the-health-of-an-individual-depends-on-the-ego-s-regular/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [What's important is passion, investment, and people laughing out loud as they work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/what-s-important-is-passion-investment-and-people-laughing-out-loud/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [I'm from Wisconsin so I always feel a little nauseous about begging and trying to trick people into liking me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/i-m-from-wisconsin-so-i-always-feel-a-little-nauseous-about-begging/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [You don’t give someone notes on their performance at a soup kitchen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/you-don-t-give-someone-notes-on-their-performance-at-a-soup-kitchen/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [“Take it easy. Nothing you do matters as much as you think. Your greatest achievements aren’t yours at all, they’re accidents and jokes. You’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/take-it-easy-nothing-you-do-matters-as-much-as-you-think-your/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [I grew up on network sitcoms. If those are gone when I'm 65 years old, I would never forgive myself for not stepping up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/i-grew-up-on-network-sitcoms-if-those-are-gone-when-i-m-65-years-old/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [I was playing the game where I was going to be a great TV or film writer some day and there was nothing else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/i-was-playing-the-game-where-i-was-going-to-be-a-great-tv-or-film/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [When you are in the 8 o'clock position, you can either be a cultural phenomenon, or you're endangered. It's a tough time slot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/when-you-are-in-the-8-o-clock-position-you-can-either-be-a-cultural/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [You have people saying two things that seem to contradict each other. One, that we live in a golden age of TV. The other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/you-have-people-saying-two-things-that-seem-to-contradict-each-other/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) [Explore all 89 Dan Harmon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) ## More Bets quotes > [“Edward: I don't know whether to put my fingers in my ears and go la-la-la or find more of your guards so we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/edward-i-don-t-know-whether-to-put-my-fingers-in-my-ears-and-go-la-la/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [If I had to lay bets, my bet would be that everything is going to go to hell, but, you know, what else have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rorty/if-i-had-to-lay-bets-my-bet-would-be-that-everything-is-going-to-go/) [Richard Rorty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rorty/) > [When we got married, nobody gave it more than two weeks. There were bets all over the country, with astronomical odds against us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desi-arnaz/when-we-got-married-nobody-gave-it-more-than-two-weeks-there-were/) [Desi Arnaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desi-arnaz/) > [This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in the cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us latitude to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/this-is-a-perverse-thing-personally-but-i-would-rather-be-in-the/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Are you placing enough interesting, freakish, long shot, weirdo bets?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/are-you-placing-enough-interesting-freakish-long-shot-weirdo-bets/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [The trading rules I live by are: 1. Cut losses. 2. Ride winners. 3. Keep bets small. 4. Follow the rules without question. 5.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-seykota/the-trading-rules-i-live-by-are-1-cut-losses-2-ride-winners-3-keep/) [Ed Seykota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-seykota/) > [I live in New York and got a call from my agent saying there was this new role on 'Mad Men,' it might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-buono/i-live-in-new-york-and-got-a-call-from-my-agent-saying-there-was-this/) [Cara Buono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-buono/) > [Mars still remains the astrobiology community's number one choice for 'nearest rock with life,' but there are many researchers who argue that the moons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/mars-still-remains-the-astrobiology-community-s-number-one-choice-for/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [The one thing that I think separates Microsoft from a lot of other people is we make bold bets. We're persistent about them, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-one-thing-that-i-think-separates-microsoft-from-a-lot-of-other/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I guess, what I'm saying is that when I've been this surprised by my own characters and world, all bets are off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-guess-what-i-m-saying-is-that-when-i-ve-been-this-surprised-by-my/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [It is quite amazing how hard the subconscious works when it is made to understand that this life is not a rehearsal, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/it-is-quite-amazing-how-hard-the-subconscious-works-when-it-is-made/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [“He does not depend on insider tips, crooked referees, or other sorts of hustles to make his bets. Nor does he have a “system”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/he-does-not-depend-on-insider-tips-crooked-referees-or-other-sorts-of/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [There are just four kinds of bets. There are good bets, bad bets, bets that you win, and bets that you lose. Winning a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hite/there-are-just-four-kinds-of-bets-there-are-good-bets-bad-bets-bets/) [Larry Hite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hite/) > [In investing, we intuitively think we should make a number of small bets. A blockbuster strategy is the opposite. It means making fewer huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-elberse/in-investing-we-intuitively-think-we-should-make-a-number-of-small/) [Anita Elberse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-elberse/) > [In 21st-century storytelling all bets are off: anybody can do anything. We're all storytellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/in-21st-century-storytelling-all-bets-are-off-anybody-can-do-anything/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) [Browse all 71 Bets quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bets/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Always hedge your bets. That's how I do it. 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