--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This was a success in itself, but it came…" description: "\"“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding to it was invigor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/ed-catmull-1553_ask-questions_this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came_29978.jpg" --- # This was a success in itself, but it came with an added… ![“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding to it was invigorating and rewarding. We realized that our purpose was not merely to build a studio that made hit films but to foster a creative culture that would…” quote by Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/ed-catmull-1553_ask-questions_this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came_29978.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/ed-catmull-1553_ask-questions_this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came_29978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/ed-catmull-1553_ask-questions_this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came_29978.jpg) > ““This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding to it was invigorating and rewarding. We realized that our purpose was not merely to build a studio that made hit films but to foster a creative culture that would continually ask questions. Questions like: If we had done some things right to achieve success, how could we ensure that we understood what those things were? Could we replicate them on our next projects? Perhaps as important, was replication of success even the right thing to do? How many serious, potentially disastrous problems were lurking just out of sight and threatening to undo us? What, if anything, could we do to bring them to light? How much of our success was luck? What would happen to our egos if we continued to succeed? Would they grow so large they could hurt us, and if so, what could we do to address that overconfidence? What dynamics would arise now that we were bringing new people into a successful enterprise as opposed to a struggling startup?”” [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflective questioning after success reveals hidden assumptions, risks, and growth opportunities, turning achievement into a catalyst for deeper learning and cultural resilience. **In simple terms:** Success sparks critical self‑examination. Key Takeaway Questioning success drives sustainable improvement. Themes self‑awareness risk management learning culture leadership replication ego management Mood curiosity cautious optimism reflective Type leadership insight organizational reflection When to use this quote - post‑project review - new team integration - scaling a successful venture - identifying blind spots - managing overconfidence Key Concepts continuous improvement organizational learning psychology of success Practical Applications - leadership workshops - strategic planning sessions Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions underlie our recent successes? - How can we institutionalize questioning to prevent complacency? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieve Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve-success/) [Ask questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-questions/) [Continued Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continued-succeed-423655/) [Hurt U](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt-u/) [People Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-successful/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-enterprise-423656/) ## Related quotes > [Every successful enterprise has a very clear strategic purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/every-successful-enterprise-has-a-very-clear-strategic-purpose/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/) > [I have always believed you cannot run a successful enterprise from behind a desk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/i-have-always-believed-you-cannot-run-a-successful-enterprise-from/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [“The true inner meaning of success is to be successful at the enterprise of living. A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/the-true-inner-meaning-of-success-is-to-be-successful-at-the/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [“If you want to have a successful enterprise, you clearly define what you’re trying to accomplish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosettabooks/if-you-want-to-have-a-successful-enterprise-you-clearly-define-what/) [RosettaBooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosettabooks/) > [“Every successful enterprise requires three men – a dreamer, a businessman, and a son-of-a-bitch!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcarthur/every-successful-enterprise-requires-three-men-a-dreamer-a/) [Peter McArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcarthur/) > [We are seeing some challenges and some changes in American business, American enterprise, but the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is a reminder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-are-seeing-some-challenges-and-some-changes-in-american-business/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Behind every successful enterprise, there is a supporting wife and surprised in-laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cook/behind-every-successful-enterprise-there-is-a-supporting-wife-and/) [Scott Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cook/) > [In the foundation and development of a successful enterprise there must be a single-minded pursuit of financial profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-northcote-parkinson/in-the-foundation-and-development-of-a-successful-enterprise-there/) [C. Northcote Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-northcote-parkinson/) > [“We realized that our purpose was not merely to build a studio that made hit films but to foster a creative culture that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/we-realized-that-our-purpose-was-not-merely-to-build-a-studio-that/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [One of the most difficult things for people who have been successful in sports is adapting to the daily world where you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-spitz/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-for-people-who-have-been-successful/) [Mark Spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-spitz/) > [The reason so few people are successful is no one has yet found a way for someone to sit down and slide uphill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/the-reason-so-few-people-are-successful-is-no-one-has-yet-found-a-way/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [“real networking was about finding ways to make other people more successful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ferrazzi/real-networking-was-about-finding-ways-to-make-other-people-more/) [Keith Ferrazzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ferrazzi/) > [Traditional credentialing really doesn't have a lot of predictive value to if people will be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabe-newell/traditional-credentialing-really-doesn-t-have-a-lot-of-predictive/) [Gabe Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabe-newell/) > [I'm just trying to stay positive, man, and help as many people as I can. Cuz if you don't help people when you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boosie/i-m-just-trying-to-stay-positive-man-and-help-as-many-people-as-i-can/) [Boosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boosie/) > [I love seeing people be successful! I love that. It's wonderful. There's enough room for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/i-love-seeing-people-be-successful-i-love-that-it-s-wonderful-there-s/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) ## More by Ed Catmull > [“So I tell myself that I have time, even when I don’t. As in, ‘Okay, I’m going to proceed as if I have time—I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/so-i-tell-myself-that-i-have-time-even-when-i-don-t-as-in-okay-i-m/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“How, then, do you make failure into something people can face without fear? Part of the answer is simple: If we as leaders can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/how-then-do-you-make-failure-into-something-people-can-face-without/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Andrew Stanton says, adding that on each of his own films, he has made a point of doing this on a smaller scale, separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/andrew-stanton-says-adding-that-on-each-of-his-own-films-he-has-made/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“This principle eludes most people, but it is critical: You are not your idea, and if you identify too closely with your ideas, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-principle-eludes-most-people-but-it-is-critical-you-are-not-your/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“You might say I’m an advocate for humility in leaders. But to be truly humble, those leaders must first understand how many of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/you-might-say-i-m-an-advocate-for-humility-in-leaders-but-to-be-truly/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Rejecting failure and avoiding mistakes seem like high-minded”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/rejecting-failure-and-avoiding-mistakes-seem-like-high-minded/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“The most productive creative sessions allow for the exploration of myriad trains of thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/the-most-productive-creative-sessions-allow-for-the-exploration-of/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“My rule of thumb is that any time we impose limits or procedures, we should ask how they will aid in enabling people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/my-rule-of-thumb-is-that-any-time-we-impose-limits-or-procedures-we/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Toy Story went on to become the top-grossing film of the year and would earn $358 million worldwide. But it wasn’t just the numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/toy-story-went-on-to-become-the-top-grossing-film-of-the-year-and/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“THERE IS NOTHING quite like ignorance combined with a driving need to succeed to force rapid learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/there-is-nothing-quite-like-ignorance-combined-with-a-driving-need-to/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“What makes Pixar special is that we acknowledge we will always have problems, many of them hidden from our view; that we work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/what-makes-pixar-special-is-that-we-acknowledge-we-will-always-have/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Every morning, as I walk into Pixar Animation Studios—past the twenty-foot-high sculpture of Luxo Jr., our friendly desk lamp mascot, through the double doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/every-morning-as-i-walk-into-pixar-animation-studios-past-the-twenty/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“What makes Pixar special is that we acknowledge we will always have problems, many of them hidden from our view; that we work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/what-makes-pixar-special-is-that-we-acknowledge-we-will-always-have-2/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“I believe that managers must loosen the controls, not tighten them. They must accept risk; they must trust the people they work with and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/i-believe-that-managers-must-loosen-the-controls-not-tighten-them/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“The other principle we depended on was “Trust the Process.” We liked this one because it was so reassuring: While there are inevitably difficulties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/the-other-principle-we-depended-on-was-trust-the-process-we-liked/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) [Explore all 226 Ed Catmull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) ## More Ask questions quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [What makes us human, I think, is an ability to ask questions, a consequence of our sophisticated spoken language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-makes-us-human-i-think-is-an-ability-to-ask-questions-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“you do that all the time you know. you ask me questions when you know the answer will piss you off. ask me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-do-that-all-the-time-you-know-you-ask-me-questions-when-you-know/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I feel really strongly about not wanting to overly guide the reader about what he or she should think. I really trust the reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-feel-really-strongly-about-not-wanting-to-overly-guide-the-reader/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [...all the answers are but waiting for us while we, poor fools, ask questions and wait for the secrets of God to open themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-asad/all-the-answers-are-but-waiting-for-us-while-we-poor-fools-ask/) [Muhammad Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-asad/) > [“It’s funny how the devout pretend like they want people to ask questions, but really they only want you to ask the questions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-m-klein/it-s-funny-how-the-devout-pretend-like-they-want-people-to-ask/) [Tal M. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tal-m-klein/) > [I feel like a good director provokes you to ask questions about your character, but doesn't answer them for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-reed/i-feel-like-a-good-director-provokes-you-to-ask-questions-about-your/) [Crystal Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-reed/) > [“You ask questions. You take your life seriously, but you don't take yourself too seriously. You're going to take over the world, and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/you-ask-questions-you-take-your-life-seriously-but-you-don-t-take/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Rules for texting a girl: 1. Don't take 40 minutes to reply. 2. Use good grammar. 3. Ask Questions. 4. Use the :) face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rules-for-texting-a-girl-1-don-t-take-40-minutes-to-reply-2-use-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I could give my younger self some advice at that time, I'd tell her to enjoy the ride and don't be afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-valletta/if-i-could-give-my-younger-self-some-advice-at-that-time-i-d-tell-her/) [Amber Valletta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-valletta/) [Browse all 828 Ask questions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-questions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding to it was invigorating and rewarding. 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