--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best path to power combines two…" description: "\"The best path to power combines two things: 1) a path that not many are taking and 2) something that you are capable and comfortable with doing.\" — Jef..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jeffrey-pfeffer-8575_capable_the-best-path-to-power-combines-two-thin_3185301.jpg" --- # The best path to power combines two things: 1) a path that… ![“The best path to power combines two things: 1) a path that not many are taking and 2) something that you are capable and comfortable with doing.” quote by Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jeffrey-pfeffer-8575_capable_the-best-path-to-power-combines-two-thin_3185301.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jeffrey-pfeffer-8575_capable_the-best-path-to-power-combines-two-thin_3185301.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jeffrey-pfeffer-8575_capable_the-best-path-to-power-combines-two-thin_3185301.jpg) > “The best path to power combines two things: 1) a path that not many are taking and 2) something that you are capable and comfortable with doing.” [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Achieving influence involves choosing a rare, under‑pursued path that also matches one's skills and comfort. **In simple terms:** Power comes from rare, fitting opportunities. Key Takeaway Seek unique, aligned opportunities. Themes career strategy leadership Mood analytical pragmatic Type business motivational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - career advancement - organizational change Key Concepts risk‑taking skill alignment Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify under‑explored opportunities? - What skills make you comfortable in a new path? A Different Perspective Rare paths may be risky or unavailable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-path-1642078/) [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Path Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-power-2289062/) [Path Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-taking-581912/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Things Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-path-1421154/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-things/) ## Related quotes > [To write is to right things. A path will emerge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/to-write-is-to-right-things-a-path-will-emerge/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [People in power make the path to power. It means that we will always get the same system, and it's one that is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/people-in-power-make-the-path-to-power-it-means-that-we-will-always/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [The important thing to remember is to follow the path of light. As the fictional character Yoda, from Star Wars, correctly pointed out, once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-important-thing-to-remember-is-to-follow-the-path-of-light-as-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I mean it’s purposeful, even if we don’t realize it. The desire to put things in our path, to figure out how to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-mean-it-s-purposeful-even-if-we-don-t-realize-it-the-desire-to-put/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [I don't always know where this life is going. i can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-davis/i-don-t-always-know-where-this-life-is-going-i-can-t-see-the-end-of/) [Katie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-davis/) > [Those path you are taking were created by someone, Don't turn back cuz you've reach where there's no more paths, create yours and lets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/those-path-you-are-taking-were-created-by-someone-don-t-turn-back-cuz/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [“I can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: Courage is not about knowing the path. It is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-j-davis/i-can-t-see-the-end-of-the-road-but-here-is-the-great-part-courage-is/) [Katie J. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-j-davis/) > [“Hard to watch where we’re going when our eyes are on each other and not on the path we’re taking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/hard-to-watch-where-we-re-going-when-our-eyes-are-on-each-other-and/) [Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/) > [Courage isn't about knowing the path, it's about taking the first step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-davis/courage-isn-t-about-knowing-the-path-it-s-about-taking-the-first-step/) [Katie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-davis/) > [T does not matter what path you take to achieve your wants in life, but it does matter if the path you are taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sessah-odai-sadick/t-does-not-matter-what-path-you-take-to-achieve-your-wants-in-life/) [Sessah-Odai Sadick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sessah-odai-sadick/) > [“the best path didn’t have to be quick as long as it was correct.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-zahn/the-best-path-didn-t-have-to-be-quick-as-long-as-it-was-correct/) [Timothy Zahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-zahn/) > [The best path through life is the highway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-best-path-through-life-is-the-highway/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Of all the paths a man could strike into, there is, at any given moment, a best path .. A thing which, here and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/of-all-the-paths-a-man-could-strike-into-there-is-at-any-given-moment/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“The best word is Allah's book. The best path is Muhammad’s path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-word-is-allah-s-book-the-best-path-is-muhammad-s-path/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometime you end with your god but usually the numbers were the best path. Knowing when to draw the line was the hardest skill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-c-currie/sometime-you-end-with-your-god-but-usually-the-numbers-were-the-best/) [Evan C. Currie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-c-currie/) ## More by Jeffrey Pfeffer > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/business-school-graduates-from-the-best-schools-earn-large-salaries/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Today, if the CEO thinks it's a good idea, it's done everywhere; if the CEO thinks it's a bad idea, it's done nowhere. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/today-if-the-ceo-thinks-it-s-a-good-idea-it-s-done-everywhere-if-the/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Almost no one as I think most leadership books are a joke. They are, as I note in Leadership BS, frequently based on wishes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/almost-no-one-as-i-think-most-leadership-books-are-a-joke-they-are-as/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Authenticity seems like sort of a joke. 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In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/many-companies-believe-incentives-financial-incentives-are-the-answer/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Leaders are not modest, and more importantly, the extensive social science research on narcissism, self-promotion, and similar constructs shows that these qualities and behaviors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/leaders-are-not-modest-and-more-importantly-the-extensive-social/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“When two people always agree, one of them is unnecessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/when-two-people-always-agree-one-of-them-is-unnecessary/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [I completely reject the idea that working adults need to be treated like infants or worse and not told the realities, harsh or not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/i-completely-reject-the-idea-that-working-adults-need-to-be-treated/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The stories leaders and others tell, few of which are true, are a lousy foundation on which to base any sort of science, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-stories-leaders-and-others-tell-few-of-which-are-true-are-a-lousy/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Being memorable equals getting picked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/being-memorable-equals-getting-picked/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“(like the BMW mechanic who handed Robert Sutton a survey and pleaded for a five on a five-point scale, because otherwise he would get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/like-the-bmw-mechanic-who-handed-robert-sutton-a-survey-and-pleaded/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Typical pay increases are not enough to motivate employees, but they are enough to irritate them. … Even when companies create seemingly significant pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/typical-pay-increases-are-not-enough-to-motivate-employees-but-they/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) [Explore all 78 Jeffrey Pfeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) ## More Capable quotes > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. 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And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [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/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was terrible student. 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