--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want creativity, take a zero off…" description: "\"If you want creativity, take a zero off your budget. If you want sustainability, take off two zeros.\" — Jaime Lerner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cb/jaime-lerner-19046_budget_if-you-want-creativity-take-a-zero-off-y_822617.png" --- # If you want creativity, take a zero off your budget. If… ![“If you want creativity, take a zero off your budget. If you want sustainability, take off two zeros.” quote by Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cb/jaime-lerner-19046_budget_if-you-want-creativity-take-a-zero-off-y_822617.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cb/jaime-lerner-19046_budget_if-you-want-creativity-take-a-zero-off-y_822617.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cb/jaime-lerner-19046_budget_if-you-want-creativity-take-a-zero-off-y_822617.png) > “If you want creativity, take a zero off your budget. If you want sustainability, take off two zeros.” [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cutting budget cuts can boost creativity, while deeper cuts are needed for true sustainability. **In simple terms:** Budget cuts spark creativity; bigger cuts needed for sustainability. Key Takeaway Reduce spending to innovate and sustain. Themes creativity budget sustainability innovation resource management Mood thoughtful strategic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - city planning - nonprofit budgeting - product development - environmental initiatives Key Concepts economics public policy environmental design Questions to Reflect On - What can be cut without harming core functions? - How does reduced funding inspire creative solutions? A Different Perspective Zeroing budgets may harm essential services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Sustainability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainability/) ## Related quotes > [To reverse the effects of civilization would destroy the dreams of a lot of people. There's no way around it. We can talk all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/to-reverse-the-effects-of-civilization-would-destroy-the-dreams-of-a/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [Creativity starts when you cut a zero from your budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/creativity-starts-when-you-cut-a-zero-from-your-budget/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [“Want creativity? Diversify your experience to develop your creative muscles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/want-creativity-diversify-your-experience-to-develop-your-creative/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [Spreading the word on a zero budget is difficult. You find yourself spending all night on Twitter following people; using Facebook to leave messages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nicholson/spreading-the-word-on-a-zero-budget-is-difficult-you-find-yourself/) Andrew Nicholson > [We all sort of do want incentives for creative people to still exist at a certain level. You know, maybe rock stars shouldn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-all-sort-of-do-want-incentives-for-creative-people-to-still-exist/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I want to see creativity that breaks boundaries and isn't just about money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreja-pejic/i-want-to-see-creativity-that-breaks-boundaries-and-isn-t-just-about/) [Andreja Pejic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreja-pejic/) > [I produce some of my music videos on a $200 budget. But I produce most of my videos on zero budget. I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ijustine/i-produce-some-of-my-music-videos-on-a-200-budget-but-i-produce-most/) iJustine > [Zero budget filmmaking is frustrating but also liberating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-kulkarni/zero-budget-filmmaking-is-frustrating-but-also-liberating/) [Atul Kulkarni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-kulkarni/) > [My dream is just to make zero-budget movies for the rest of my life, because I love that environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-gray-gubler/my-dream-is-just-to-make-zero-budget-movies-for-the-rest-of-my-life/) [Matthew Gray Gubler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-gray-gubler/) > [Most organisations say they want creativity, but really they do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/most-organisations-say-they-want-creativity-but-really-they-do-not/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [I love the game. I want to see creativity. I want to see great goals. I want 'Wow!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-lafleur/i-love-the-game-i-want-to-see-creativity-i-want-to-see-great-goals-i/) [Guy Lafleur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-lafleur/) > [“If we cannot provide clients with the one thing they really want from us -- creativity -- there is little future for the ad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoffman/if-we-cannot-provide-clients-with-the-one-thing-they-really-want-from/) [Bob Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoffman/) > [I've always pre-vized my movies, just on my own. Even when it was, like, zero-budget things, I used this programme to do storyboards because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-ve-always-pre-vized-my-movies-just-on-my-own-even-when-it-was-like/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [Be Thou praised, my Lord, of our Sister Mother Earth, which sustains and hath us in rule, and produces divers fruits with coloured flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/be-thou-praised-my-lord-of-our-sister-mother-earth-which-sustains-and/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Japan is already a leader in energy efficiency, and it has a wealth of innovative technologies. We must put this expertise to use creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/japan-is-already-a-leader-in-energy-efficiency-and-it-has-a-wealth-of/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) ## More by Jaime Lerner > [A car is like a mother-in-law - if you let it, it will rule your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/a-car-is-like-a-mother-in-law-if-you-let-it-it-will-rule-your-life/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [A city is like a family portrait - you don't tear it up if you don't like your uncle's nose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/a-city-is-like-a-family-portrait-you-don-t-tear-it-up-if-you-don-t/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [The city is not the problem; the city is the solution,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/the-city-is-not-the-problem-the-city-is-the-solution/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [Brazil will change when its cities change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/brazil-will-change-when-its-cities-change/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [There is no place in a city that can't be better. There is no toad that can't be a princess, no frog that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/there-is-no-place-in-a-city-that-can-t-be-better-there-is-no-toad/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [Cities are not problems. They are solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/cities-are-not-problems-they-are-solutions/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [We can't have landfills forever, and we can't ask others to accept our trash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/we-can-t-have-landfills-forever-and-we-can-t-ask-others-to-accept-our/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [If you provide good alternatives for public transport, you won't have traffic problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/if-you-provide-good-alternatives-for-public-transport-you-won-t-have/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [The lack of resources is no longer an excuse not to act. The idea that action should only be taken after all the answers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/the-lack-of-resources-is-no-longer-an-excuse-not-to-act-the-idea-that/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [I always run into these Ph.D.s. They write and write and write about sustainable development. Then these guys ask me, 'But, how do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/i-always-run-into-these-ph-d-s-they-write-and-write-and-write-about/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [Many cities end up putting off things because they want to understand everything. They don't understand that innovating is about starting. Taking care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/many-cities-end-up-putting-off-things-because-they-want-to-understand/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [I always try to say, 'If you want to help the environment, try to do just two things. One, use less of your car.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/i-always-try-to-say-if-you-want-to-help-the-environment-try-to-do/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [Every city in the world can be improved in less than three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/every-city-in-the-world-can-be-improved-in-less-than-three-years/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [The secret to the city is integration. Every area of the city should combine work, leisure and culture. Separate these functions and parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/the-secret-to-the-city-is-integration-every-area-of-the-city-should/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [A lot of people assume that the expensive ideas are the most effective ones, but that is simply not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/a-lot-of-people-assume-that-the-expensive-ideas-are-the-most/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) [Explore all 33 Jaime Lerner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) ## More Budget quotes > [I don't like just traveling in for a short time. I've done that before, because sometimes you work for magazines and they have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sacco/i-don-t-like-just-traveling-in-for-a-short-time-i-ve-done-that-before/) [Joe Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sacco/) > [When we stop running up huge budget deficits and start acting responsibly in Washington, we will provide small-business owners with the certainty they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/when-we-stop-running-up-huge-budget-deficits-and-start-acting/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [Many developing nations have such severe debt and budget problems that the money given by developed nations will never be spent the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/many-developing-nations-have-such-severe-debt-and-budget-problems/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [We will make government more accountable. We will cut fraud, waste and abuse in our budget. But we will not do it by leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/we-will-make-government-more-accountable-we-will-cut-fraud-waste-and/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [Defense spending as a share of the economy dropped significantly during the early 1990s, and that was one of the things, along with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orszag/defense-spending-as-a-share-of-the-economy-dropped-significantly/) Peter Orszag > [I firmly believe that if members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-firmly-believe-that-if-members-of-congress-fail-to-perform-their/) [Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/) > [They offered me $1,500 to do a week of 'The Golden Girls.' Can you imagine that? A big show with a big budget, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/they-offered-me-1-500-to-do-a-week-of-the-golden-girls-can-you/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [In my mid-20s I worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/in-my-mid-20s-i-worked-at-the-white-house-office-of-management-and/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > ['The Librarians' is a show that really needs to have ten days, but we shoot it in seven, so the workload is really tremendous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/the-librarians-is-a-show-that-really-needs-to-have-ten-days-but-we/) [Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/) > [In a budget this massive, there are certainly areas where I think we could do much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/in-a-budget-this-massive-there-are-certainly-areas-where-i-think-we/) [Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/) > [As soon as you're at the higher levels of budgeting, you've got to get the film made, and the only way to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/as-soon-as-you-re-at-the-higher-levels-of-budgeting-you-ve-got-to-get/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [I don't want to revisit history or try to re-interpret it, you know, but starting from where we are now, given the experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-don-t-want-to-revisit-history-or-try-to-re-interpret-it-you-know/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [If we're going to have an unconventional budget, we probably need an unconventional process to get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-foxx/if-we-re-going-to-have-an-unconventional-budget-we-probably-need-an/) [Anthony Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-foxx/) > [The American people, in their own families, they understand that you have to do that. You have to make the tough decisions. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/the-american-people-in-their-own-families-they-understand-that-you/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [There is no excuse for waste, fraud, and abuse in the Defense Department budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/there-is-no-excuse-for-waste-fraud-and-abuse-in-the-defense/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) Browse all 855 Budget quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want creativity, take a zero off your budget. 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