--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You'd rather have a surplus versus a…" description: "\"You'd rather have a surplus versus a shortage in your position.\" — Kenneth Lay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/kenneth-lay-14839_position_you-d-rather-have-a-surplus-versus-a-sho_807365.jpg" --- # You'd rather have a surplus versus a shortage in your… ![“You'd rather have a surplus versus a shortage in your position.” quote by Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/kenneth-lay-14839_position_you-d-rather-have-a-surplus-versus-a-sho_807365.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/kenneth-lay-14839_position_you-d-rather-have-a-surplus-versus-a-sho_807365.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/kenneth-lay-14839_position_you-d-rather-have-a-surplus-versus-a-sho_807365.jpg) > “You'd rather have a surplus versus a shortage in your position.” [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Having a surplus in your position is preferable to a shortage, emphasizing the value of excess resources. **In simple terms:** Prefer surplus over shortage. Key Takeaway Maintain a buffer of resources. Themes risk management resource planning strategy Mood pragmatic analytical Type strategic cautionary When to use this quote - budgeting - inventory control - career planning Key Concepts economics financial stability Questions to Reflect On - How much surplus is optimal? - What risks arise from overstocking? A Different Perspective Holding excess can be costly and inefficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Shortage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortage/) [Shortage Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortage-position-6161610/) [Surplus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surplus/) [Surplus Versus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surplus-versus-6161609/) [Versus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versus/) [Versus Shortage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versus-shortage-6161608/) ## Related quotes > [Economists may not know much. But we know one thing very well: how to produce surpluses and shortages. Do you want a surplus? Have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/economists-may-not-know-much-but-we-know-one-thing-very-well-how-to/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The problem is that we are trying to prepare people for the new economy using a higher education system built for the old economy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-problem-is-that-we-are-trying-to-prepare-people-for-the-new/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Cycles of shortage and surplus characterize the entire history of oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-yergin/cycles-of-shortage-and-surplus-characterize-the-entire-history-of-oil/) [Daniel Yergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-yergin/) > [What works for Germany can't work for the rest of Europe: No country can run a chronic surplus without others running deficits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/what-works-for-germany-can-t-work-for-the-rest-of-europe-no-country/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Back in those days, in the fifties and sixties, countries had balance of payment's deficits or surpluses, those were reflected much more than today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-solomon/back-in-those-days-in-the-fifties-and-sixties-countries-had-balance/) [Robert C. Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-solomon/) > [ \[The ruling elites\] know who their enemies are, and their enemies are the people, the people at home and the people abroad. Their enemies… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/the-ruling-elites-know-who-their-enemies-are-and-their-enemies-are/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) > [The federal government cannot maintain a budget surplus any more than an alcoholic can leave a fresh bottle of whiskey untouched in the cupboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-federal-government-cannot-maintain-a-budget-surplus-any-more-than/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Our ideal society finds it essential to put a rent on land as a way of maximizing the total consumption available to the society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/our-ideal-society-finds-it-essential-to-put-a-rent-on-land-as-a-way/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [ Ohioans know that he inherited a mess and created a surplus. So, on election day, John \[Kasich\] will prevail in Ohio. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ridge/ohioans-know-that-he-inherited-a-mess-and-created-a-surplus-so-on/) [Tom Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ridge/) > [ He \[Steve Jobs\] had come from the surplus electronics parts world.So he came from that world, and he said let's sell PC boards for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/he-steve-jobs-had-come-from-the-surplus-electronics-parts-world-so-he/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [No industry or country can reach its full potential until women reach their full potential. This is especially true of science and technology, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/no-industry-or-country-can-reach-its-full-potential-until-women-reach/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [The rich man never really gives anything, he only distributes part of the surplus. It is the person of moderate means who really gives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eastman/the-rich-man-never-really-gives-anything-he-only-distributes-part-of/) [George Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eastman/) > [I certainly like it if the work is beautiful, but that's a surplus effect. I can only think about that after I consider how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walead-beshty/i-certainly-like-it-if-the-work-is-beautiful-but-that-s-a-surplus/) [Walead Beshty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walead-beshty/) > [Institutionalized rejection of differences is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people. As members of such an economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/institutionalized-rejection-of-differences-is-an-absolute-necessity/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-budget-committee-and-the-lead-architect-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) ## More by Kenneth Lay > [Our liquidity is fine. As a matter of fact, it's better than fine. It's strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/our-liquidity-is-fine-as-a-matter-of-fact-it-s-better-than-fine-it-s/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [I take full responsibility for what happened at Enron. But saying that, I know in my mind that I did nothing criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/i-take-full-responsibility-for-what-happened-at-enron-but-saying-that/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [We use competitive markets to arrange for delivery of our food supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/we-use-competitive-markets-to-arrange-for-delivery-of-our-food-supply/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [I threw my whole life and lived my life in a certain way to make sure that I would never violate any law.. certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/i-threw-my-whole-life-and-lived-my-life-in-a-certain-way-to-make-sure/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [But certainly I didn't know he was doing anything that was criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/but-certainly-i-didn-t-know-he-was-doing-anything-that-was-criminal/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [We're (also) looking for a good people person who is able to motivate others and get strong performances out of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/we-re-also-looking-for-a-good-people-person-who-is-able-to-motivate/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [The last thing I would have ever expected to happen to me in my life would be that, in fact, I would be accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/the-last-thing-i-would-have-ever-expected-to-happen-to-me-in-my-life/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [I have to take responsibility for anything that happened within its businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/i-have-to-take-responsibility-for-anything-that-happened-within-its/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [But the most important thing is, Enron did not cause the California crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/but-the-most-important-thing-is-enron-did-not-cause-the-california/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [We don't break the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/we-don-t-break-the-law/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [Investors don't like uncertainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/investors-don-t-like-uncertainty/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [I mean, our primary businesses in wholesale pipelines, utilities, retail, were all doing extremely well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/i-mean-our-primary-businesses-in-wholesale-pipelines-utilities-retail/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [I take responsibility for what happened at Enron, both good and bad. But I cannot take responsibility for criminal conduct that I was unaware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/i-take-responsibility-for-what-happened-at-enron-both-good-and-bad/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [You'll have lower prices under deregulation than you will through regulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/you-ll-have-lower-prices-under-deregulation-than-you-will-through/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [In the case of Enron, we balance our positions all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/in-the-case-of-enron-we-balance-our-positions-all-the-time/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) [Explore all 45 Kenneth Lay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) ## More Position quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. 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