--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing about inventing is you have to…" description: "\"The thing about inventing is you have to be both stubborn and flexible. The hard part is figuring out when to be which.\" — Jeff Bezos" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/jeff-bezos-1193_flexible_the-thing-about-inventing-is-you-have-to_2683394.jpg" --- # The thing about inventing is you have to be both stubborn… ![“The thing about inventing is you have to be both stubborn and flexible. The hard part is figuring out when to be which.” quote by Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/jeff-bezos-1193_flexible_the-thing-about-inventing-is-you-have-to_2683394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/jeff-bezos-1193_flexible_the-thing-about-inventing-is-you-have-to_2683394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/jeff-bezos-1193_flexible_the-thing-about-inventing-is-you-have-to_2683394.jpg) > “The thing about inventing is you have to be both stubborn and flexible. The hard part is figuring out when to be which.” [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation requires both stubbornness to stay the course and flexibility to adapt, knowing when each is needed. **In simple terms:** Be adaptable and persistent. Key Takeaway Balance perseverance with adaptability. Themes innovation leadership strategy Mood determined thoughtful Type strategic motivational When to use this quote - product development - startup pivots - career growth - team management Key Concepts business theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - When should you pivot? - How do you know when to stay the course? A Different Perspective Too much stubbornness can cause rigidity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inventing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inventing/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [My mother always says, "The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak." I can be very focused and determined. 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Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“Be stubborn on vision, flexible on details.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-banfield/be-stubborn-on-vision-flexible-on-details/) [Richard Banfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-banfield/) > [If you're not stubborn, you'll give up on experiments too soon. 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The reason we have done well is because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-think-technology-advanced-faster-than-anticipated-in-that-whirlwind/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The death knell for any enterprise is to glorify the past -- no matter how good it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-death-knell-for-any-enterprise-is-to-glorify-the-past-no-matter/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [People who are right most of the time are people who change their minds often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/people-who-are-right-most-of-the-time-are-people-who-change-their/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The human brain is an incredible pattern-matching machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-human-brain-is-an-incredible-pattern-matching-machine/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Work hard, have fun and make history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/work-hard-have-fun-and-make-history/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you can't tolerate critics, don't do anything new or interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-tolerate-critics-don-t-do-anything-new-or-interesting/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you can't feed a team with two pizzas, it's too large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-feed-a-team-with-two-pizzas-it-s-too-large/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. 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We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you're truly obsessed over customers, it'll cover a lot of errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-re-truly-obsessed-over-customers-it-ll-cover-a-lot-of-errors/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [One of the things that I'm very excited about with New Shepard, which is our suborbital tourism vehicle, is using that to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/one-of-the-things-that-i-m-very-excited-about-with-new-shepard-which/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [I wouldn't be surprised if history records Tim Berners-Lee as the second Gutenberg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-wouldn-t-be-surprised-if-history-records-tim-berners-lee-as-the/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Maintain a firm grasp of the obvious at all times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/maintain-a-firm-grasp-of-the-obvious-at-all-times/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Explore all 275 Jeff Bezos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## More Flexible quotes > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? 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You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [I don't control the schedule of the networks. 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Choices suck, they are inherently limiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-armstrong/it-s-all-about-being-flexible-and-avoiding-choices-whenever-possible/) Craig Armstrong > [If an athlete like Michael Jordan played tennis, he would be the best - he's flexible, not too bulky, and has unbelievable hand-to-eye coordination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mats-wilander/if-an-athlete-like-michael-jordan-played-tennis-he-would-be-the-best/) [Mats Wilander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mats-wilander/) > [Blessed are the flexible for they will not allow themselves to become bent out of shape!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ludlum/blessed-are-the-flexible-for-they-will-not-allow-themselves-to-become/) [Robert Ludlum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ludlum/) > [“It’s okay, man,” I said, though I realized my definition of okay had become flexible over the last few months.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-okay-man-i-said-though-i-realized-my-definition-of-okay-had/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [You need to understand plant chemistry, be inured to discomfort and awesomely flexible. 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