--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A startup is like a mosquito. A bear can…" description: "\"“A startup is like a mosquito. A bear can absorb a hit and a crab is armored against one, but a mosquito is designed for one thing : to score. No energ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/paul-graham-7010_flies_a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can_3183553.jpg" --- # A startup is like a mosquito. A bear can absorb a hit and… ![“A startup is like a mosquito. A bear can absorb a hit and a crab is armored against one, but a mosquito is designed for one thing : to score. No energy is wasted on defense. The defense of mosquitos, as a species, is that there are a lot of them, but this is little consolation to the individual…” quote by Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/paul-graham-7010_flies_a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can_3183553.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/paul-graham-7010_flies_a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can_3183553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/paul-graham-7010_flies_a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can_3183553.jpg) > ““A startup is like a mosquito. A bear can absorb a hit and a crab is armored against one, but a mosquito is designed for one thing : to score. No energy is wasted on defense. The defense of mosquitos, as a species, is that there are a lot of them, but this is little consolation to the individual mosquito.”” [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Startups should focus on a single, high‑impact goal, like a mosquito's sole purpose to bite, rather than spreading resources on defense. **In simple terms:** Startups need a single, focused mission. Key Takeaway Focus on one decisive objective. Themes startups focus strategy efficiency Mood analytical pragmatic Type business motivational When to use this quote - product development - market entry - team alignment Key Concepts resource allocation competitive advantage risk management Questions to Reflect On - What is your startup's core purpose? - How do you balance focus with adaptability? A Different Perspective Defensive strategies can be essential for survival. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I am rather like a mosquito in a nudist camp; I know what I ought to do, but I don't know where to begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-bayne/i-am-rather-like-a-mosquito-in-a-nudist-camp-i-know-what-i-ought-to/) Stephen Bayne > [I feel like a mosquito being squeezed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-pilatus/i-feel-like-a-mosquito-being-squeezed/) [Rob Pilatus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-pilatus/) > [I never write a book unless I can't help it. Something has to bother me, like a mosquito, until I have to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/i-never-write-a-book-unless-i-can-t-help-it-something-has-to-bother/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [I believe more in precision, when you have the capability, like when you see a mosquito fly and you're able to hit it, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arguello/i-believe-more-in-precision-when-you-have-the-capability-like-when/) [Alexis Arguello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arguello/) > [So many ideas come to you and you want to try them all, but you can't. You're like a mosquito in a nudist colony,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-jackson/so-many-ideas-come-to-you-and-you-want-to-try-them-all-but-you-can-t/) [Reggie Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-jackson/) > [Im not saying your a slut.im saying your like a mosquito you like alot of different people and noone knows what disease your carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheya/im-not-saying-your-a-slut-im-saying-your-like-a-mosquito-you-like/) [SHEYA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheya/) > [You know the beauty of driving one of these? (Wulf) No. (Cassandra) You can swat a Daimon like a mosquito. (Wulf) Well, since they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-know-the-beauty-of-driving-one-of-these-wulf-no-cassandra-you-can/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Changing from a player to a coach, I felt like a mosquito in a nudist colony. I didn't know where to begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/changing-from-a-player-to-a-coach-i-felt-like-a-mosquito-in-a-nudist/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I'm like a mosquito, I love humidity. I don't sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/i-m-like-a-mosquito-i-love-humidity-i-don-t-sweat/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Your mom is like a mosquito because when I slapped her she stopped sucking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-verma/your-mom-is-like-a-mosquito-because-when-i-slapped-her-she-stopped/) [Amit Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-verma/) > [Self harm is like a mosquito,you lose blood. And Mosquitoes are Addicted to It. Its almost the only thing they depend on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/self-harm-is-like-a-mosquito-you-lose-blood-and-mosquitoes-are/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [“You’re like a mosquito that won’t die. Back up or I’ll swat you down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tijan/you-re-like-a-mosquito-that-won-t-die-back-up-or-i-ll-swat-you-down/) [Tijan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tijan/) > [I was nicknamed 'Skeeter' in Little League because I was small and fast, like a mosquito flying across the outfield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skeet-ulrich/i-was-nicknamed-skeeter-in-little-league-because-i-was-small-and-fast/) [Skeet Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skeet-ulrich/) > [“I am rather like a mosquito in a nudist camp; I know what I want to do, but I don’t know where to begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/i-am-rather-like-a-mosquito-in-a-nudist-camp-i-know-what-i-want-to-do/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“She was crushed by society like a mosquito fending for its unborn young”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/she-was-crushed-by-society-like-a-mosquito-fending-for-its-unborn/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) ## More by Paul Graham > [“I'm not saying there's no such thing as genius. But if you're trying to choose between two theories and one gives you an excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/i-m-not-saying-there-s-no-such-thing-as-genius-but-if-you-re-trying/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“This is a good plan for life in general. If you have two choices, choose the harder. If you're trying to decide whether to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/this-is-a-good-plan-for-life-in-general-if-you-have-two-choices/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“When I was a kid I was constantly being told to look at things from someone else’s point of view. What this always meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-constantly-being-told-to-look-at-things-from/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [You know your business model is broken when you're suing your customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/you-know-your-business-model-is-broken-when-you-re-suing-your/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Hackers are unruly. That is the essence of hacking. And it is also the essence of Americanness. It is no accident that Silicon Valley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/hackers-are-unruly-that-is-the-essence-of-hacking-and-it-is-also-the/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“We often like to think of World War II as a triumph of freedom over totalitarianism. We conveniently forget that the Soviet Union was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/we-often-like-to-think-of-world-war-ii-as-a-triumph-of-freedom-over/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [It's hard to say exactly what it is about face-to-face contact that makes deals happen, but whatever it is, it hasn't yet been duplicated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/it-s-hard-to-say-exactly-what-it-is-about-face-to-face-contact-that/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [One startup I dream of funding is the one that kills the record companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/one-startup-i-dream-of-funding-is-the-one-that-kills-the-record/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“It’s easier to get people to fight for an idea. And whichever side wins, their ideas will also be considered to have triumphed, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/it-s-easier-to-get-people-to-fight-for-an-idea-and-whichever-side/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Could civil liberties really be a cause, rather than just an effect? I think so. I think a society in which people can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/could-civil-liberties-really-be-a-cause-rather-than-just-an-effect-i/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“A great programmer, on a roll, could create a million dollars worth of wealth in a couple weeks. A mediocre programmer over the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/a-great-programmer-on-a-roll-could-create-a-million-dollars-worth-of/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [We don't have to go that far to sell our beer because our immediate accounts sell so much. Places that sold 10 cases before,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/we-don-t-have-to-go-that-far-to-sell-our-beer-because-our-immediate/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [I get a lot of criticism for telling founders to focus first on making something great, instead of worrying about how to make money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/i-get-a-lot-of-criticism-for-telling-founders-to-focus-first-on/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“So the optimal plan, if you can manage it, is to have a few trusted friends you can speak openly to. This is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/so-the-optimal-plan-if-you-can-manage-it-is-to-have-a-few-trusted/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Public school teachers are in much the same position as prison wardens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/public-school-teachers-are-in-much-the-same-position-as-prison-wardens/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) [Explore all 94 Paul Graham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) ## More Flies quotes > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“FLIES IN DISGUISE Tell me, Have you Really seen Flies in a child's eyes Or heard their hungry cries In the middle Of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/flies-in-disguise-tell-me-have-you-really-seen-flies-in-a-child-s/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [You tell me you love me, but Im not sure you know what love is, or how fast it flies, or how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-tell-me-you-love-me-but-im-not-sure-you-know-what-love-is-or-how/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [He who flies can also return; but it is not so with him who dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scarron/he-who-flies-can-also-return-but-it-is-not-so-with-him-who-dies/) Paul Scarron > [I went from an unemployed actor's life to doing stand-up comedy, and that was fortuitous. It's not the usual way the crow flies, going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-tate/i-went-from-an-unemployed-actor-s-life-to-doing-stand-up-comedy-and/) [Catherine Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-tate/) > [I sprayed a mosquito with mosquito repellent and now he'll never have any friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-sprayed-a-mosquito-with-mosquito-repellent-and-now-he-ll-never-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have an agreement with the houseflies. The flies don't practice law and I don't walk on the ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-have-an-agreement-with-the-houseflies-the-flies-don-t-practice-law/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [To me, there is nothing more soothing than the song of a mosquito that can't get through the mesh to bite you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-smartt-bell/to-me-there-is-nothing-more-soothing-than-the-song-of-a-mosquito-that/) [Madison Smartt Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-smartt-bell/) > [“In Massachusetts and Vermont, there had been plenty of mosquitoes, but in New Hampshire, they had reinforcements.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pharr-davis/in-massachusetts-and-vermont-there-had-been-plenty-of-mosquitoes-but/) [Jennifer Pharr Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pharr-davis/) > [Flies are the price we pay for summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-zwinger/flies-are-the-price-we-pay-for-summer/) [Ann Zwinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-zwinger/) > [The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but the fly comes close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-good-lord-didn-t-create-anything-without-a-purpose-but-the-fly/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“horas volat (time flies)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constantijn-huygens/horas-volat-time-flies/) Constantijn Huygens > [Pike, three inches long, perfect Pike in all parts, green tigering the gold. Killers from the egg: the malevolent aged grin. They dance on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pike-three-inches-long-perfect-pike-in-all-parts-green-tigering-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mosquitoes are raping me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bsk/mosquitoes-are-raping-me/) Bsk Browse all 342 Flies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A startup is like a mosquito. A bear can absorb a hit and a crab is armored against one, but a mosquito is designed for one thing : to score. No energy is wasted on defense. The defense of mosquitos, as a species, is that there are a lot of them, but this is little consolation to the individual mosquito.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Graham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can-absorb-a-hit-and-a-crab-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Flies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can-absorb-a-hit-and-a-crab-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/paul-graham-7010_flies_a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can_3183553.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/paul-graham-7010_flies_a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can_3183553.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/paul-graham-7010_flies_a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can_3183553.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A startup is like a mosquito. A bear can absorb a hit and a crab is armored against one, but a mosquito is…” — Paul Graham", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Graham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A startup is like a mosquito....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can-absorb-a-hit-and-a-crab-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/a-startup-is-like-a-mosquito-a-bear-can-absorb-a-hit-and-a-crab-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```