--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Famous pivot stories are often failures…" description: "\"Famous pivot stories are often failures but you don't need to fail before you pivot. All a pivot is is a change is strategy without a change in vision...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/eric-ries-2911_achieve_famous-pivot-stories-are-often-failures_2874848.png" --- # Famous pivot stories are often failures but you don't need… ![“Famous pivot stories are often failures but you don't need to fail before you pivot. All a pivot is is a change is strategy without a change in vision. Whenever entrepreneurs see a new way to achieve their vision - a way to be more successful - they have to remain nimble enough to take it.” quote by Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/eric-ries-2911_achieve_famous-pivot-stories-are-often-failures_2874848.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/eric-ries-2911_achieve_famous-pivot-stories-are-often-failures_2874848.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/eric-ries-2911_achieve_famous-pivot-stories-are-often-failures_2874848.png) > “Famous pivot stories are often failures but you don't need to fail before you pivot. All a pivot is is a change is strategy without a change in vision. Whenever entrepreneurs see a new way to achieve their vision - a way to be more successful - they have to remain nimble enough to take it.” [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pivoting is changing tactics while keeping the same vision; failures aren’t required, just adaptability to better paths. **In simple terms:** Change strategy, keep vision. Key Takeaway Pivot quickly when new opportunities arise. Themes adaptability vision entrepreneurship Mood inspirational practical Type business motivational When to use this quote - Startup growth - product redesign - career change - marketing campaigns - political campaigns Key Concepts Strategic pivot lean methodology Questions to Reflect On - What signals indicate a needed pivot? - How to maintain vision during change? A Different Perspective Frequent pivots can confuse stakeholders. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Entrepreneurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurs/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failures/) [Nimble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nimble/) [Pivot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pivot/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [A pivot is a change in strategy without a change in vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/a-pivot-is-a-change-in-strategy-without-a-change-in-vision/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The secret of living is to find a pivot, the pivot of a concept on which you can make your stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-pirandello/the-secret-of-living-is-to-find-a-pivot-the-pivot-of-a-concept-on/) [Luigi Pirandello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-pirandello/) > [If you look at successful pivots, they almost always are a pivot into something that the founder wanted. Not a random made up idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-look-at-successful-pivots-they-almost-always-are-a-pivot-into/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [“There's a fine line between heroic persistence and foolish stubbornness. Sometimes the best kind of grit is gritting our teeth and turning around”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/there-s-a-fine-line-between-heroic-persistence-and-foolish/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [“A “pivot” is supposed to recall a ballerina’s demi détourné, a delicate change of course as graceful as it (hopefully) seems intentional. In reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-garcia-martinez/a-pivot-is-supposed-to-recall-a-ballerina-s-demi-d-tourn-a-delicate/) [Antonio Garcia Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-garcia-martinez/) > [If you pivot, do it fully and with conviction. The worst thing is to try to do a bit of the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-pivot-do-it-fully-and-with-conviction-the-worst-thing-is-to/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [“It can be dangerous to be right at the outset. Managers in some LCD-first companies interpreted the pivot point as an unconditional endorsement of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-eggers/it-can-be-dangerous-to-be-right-at-the-outset-managers-in-some-lcd/) J. P. Eggers > [“If your plan is not working, pivot. If it is working, do more of it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hurdle/if-your-plan-is-not-working-pivot-if-it-is-working-do-more-of-it/) [Amber Hurdle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hurdle/) > [In the restaurant business, there's the concept of pivot. Pivot to the stove, pivot to the refrigerator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-douglas/in-the-restaurant-business-there-s-the-concept-of-pivot-pivot-to-the/) [Tom Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-douglas/) > [I love to pivot completely. I love to change it up where I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-barbaro/i-love-to-pivot-completely-i-love-to-change-it-up-where-i-can/) [Monica Barbaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-barbaro/) > [My pivot was after football, to becoming a human being again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamarcus-russell/my-pivot-was-after-football-to-becoming-a-human-being-again/) [JaMarcus Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamarcus-russell/) > [“Before a dream can mature and manifest itself as real, a lot of loaded efforts come into play! You are the pivot on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/before-a-dream-can-mature-and-manifest-itself-as-real-a-lot-of-loaded/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Accept the fact that you are the pivot along which the loads of your efforts will turn. Acknowledge yourself as the chairperson at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/accept-the-fact-that-you-are-the-pivot-along-which-the-loads-of-your/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [... women are the pivot round which the world turns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/women-are-the-pivot-round-which-the-world-turns/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Bill Russell was the pivot on which the whole sport turned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/bill-russell-was-the-pivot-on-which-the-whole-sport-turned/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) ## More by Eric Ries > [The lesson of the MVP is that any additional work beyond what was required to start learning is waste, no matter how important it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-lesson-of-the-mvp-is-that-any-additional-work-beyond-what-was/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [HubSpot has used the lean startup method to build a spectacularly successful company. What I particularly love about HubSpot is that they are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/hubspot-has-used-the-lean-startup-method-to-build-a-spectacularly/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [By the time that product is ready to be distributed widely, it will already have established customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/by-the-time-that-product-is-ready-to-be-distributed-widely-it-will/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [It was 1999, and we were building a way for college kids to create online profiles for the purpose of sharing... with employers. Oops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/it-was-1999-and-we-were-building-a-way-for-college-kids-to-create/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Except in very narrow cases, where there's breakthrough science that needs patent production, worrying about competitors is a waste of time. If you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/except-in-very-narrow-cases-where-there-s-breakthrough-science-that/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“waiting too long to release can lead to the ultimate waste: making something that nobody wants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/waiting-too-long-to-release-can-lead-to-the-ultimate-waste-making/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [There's nothing wrong with raising venture capital. Many lean startups are ambitious and are able to deploy large amounts of capital. What differentiates them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-raising-venture-capital-many-lean-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“In the Lean Startup model, every product, every feature, every marketing campaign—everything a startup does—is understood to be an experiment designed to achieve validated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/in-the-lean-startup-model-every-product-every-feature-every-marketing/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Learning is the essential unit of progress for startups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/learning-is-the-essential-unit-of-progress-for-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“...a long-term reputation is only at risk when companies engage in vocal launch activities such as PR and building hype. When a product fails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/a-long-term-reputation-is-only-at-risk-when-companies-engage-in-vocal/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-minimum-viable-product-is-that-version-of-a-new-product-which/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Every startup has a chance to change the world, by bringing not just a new product, but an entirely new institution into existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/every-startup-has-a-chance-to-change-the-world-by-bringing-not-just-a/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Entrepreneurs can't forecast accurately, because they are trying something fundamentally new. So they will often be laughably behind plan - and on the brink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/entrepreneurs-can-t-forecast-accurately-because-they-are-trying/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Meritocracy is a good thing. Whenever possibly, people should be judged based on their work and results, not superficial qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/meritocracy-is-a-good-thing-whenever-possibly-people-should-be-judged/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The lean startup method is not about cost, it is about speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-lean-startup-method-is-not-about-cost-it-is-about-speed/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) [Explore all 138 Eric Ries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## More Achieve quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) Deon Taylor > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. 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