---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: if your business ecosystem seems stable…"
description: "\"“if your business ecosystem seems stable, don't be lulled into a potentially false sense of security. Big changes can happen very quickly. Don't confus..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/rich-jolly-11173_big-changes_if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable_546847.jpg"
---

#  if your business ecosystem seems stable, don't be lulled…

![“if your business ecosystem seems stable, don't be lulled into a potentially false sense of security. Big changes can happen very quickly. Don't confuse low volatility with low risk. Andy Grove, former Intel CEO, was fond of saying &quot;Only the paranoid survive.&quot; These are wise words. Models used in…” quote by Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/rich-jolly-11173_big-changes_if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable_546847.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/rich-jolly-11173_big-changes_if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable_546847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/rich-jolly-11173_big-changes_if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable_546847.jpg)

> ““if your business ecosystem seems stable, don't be lulled into a potentially false sense of security. Big changes can happen very quickly. Don't confuse low volatility with low risk. Andy Grove, former Intel CEO, was fond of saying "Only the paranoid survive." These are wise words. Models used in business often do very well in periods of stability, but fail miserably in times of sudden changes. They work well when you don't need them and fail when you need them the most.””

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Stability can mask hidden risks; rapid change demands vigilance and adaptability.

**In simple terms:** Stable looks can hide danger; stay alert.

Key Takeaway

Never assume low volatility means low risk.

Themes

risk management adaptability business strategy

Mood

cautious alert

Type

advisory strategic

When to use this quote

- investment decisions
- product development
- crisis planning
- market analysis

Key Concepts

paranoia systemic risk resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance preparedness with efficiency?
- What signals indicate hidden volatility?

A Different Perspective

Over‑preparing can waste resources if change never occurs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Big changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-changes/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [False sense of security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-sense-of-security/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Volatility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volatility/) [Wise word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-word/) [Wise words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-words/)

## Related quotes

> [I see business as an ecosystem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/i-see-business-as-an-ecosystem/)

[Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/)

> [Every time I get accustomed to low volatility, like we were towards the end of the Greenspan era, and we think we have all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-blankfein/every-time-i-get-accustomed-to-low-volatility-like-we-were-towards/)

[Lloyd Blankfein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-blankfein/)

> [“Innovation happens at the intersection of people, process, technology, customers, and business ecosystem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/innovation-happens-at-the-intersection-of-people-process-technology/)

[Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/)

> [“Today’s digital organization is more like an organic living thing thriving at the expanded business ecosystem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/today-s-digital-organization-is-more-like-an-organic-living-thing/)

[Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/)

> [Low-volatility funds, which tend to smooth out performance, have been especially popular since the financial crisis. The PowerShares S&amp;P 500 Low Volatility Fund is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-b-stewart/low-volatility-funds-which-tend-to-smooth-out-performance-have-been/)

[James B. Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-b-stewart/)

> [Outperforming the market with low volatility on a consistent basis is an impossibility. I outperformed the market for 30-odd years, but not with low…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/outperforming-the-market-with-low-volatility-on-a-consistent-basis-is/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [A lot of electronic-based musicians give very low-risk performances, and it's fun to hear your favorite band play live on a big speaker, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/how-to-dress-well/a-lot-of-electronic-based-musicians-give-very-low-risk-performances/)

How to Dress Well

> [“Perfectionists will choose activities that are low risk that they can do well right now instead of working on big projects because they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/perfectionists-will-choose-activities-that-are-low-risk-that-they-can/)

[Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/)

> [“The key thing we should care about is not the form, but the outcomes: deployments should be low-risk, push-button events we can perform on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kim/the-key-thing-we-should-care-about-is-not-the-form-but-the-outcomes/)

[Gene Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kim/)

> [There is no such thing as a low risk lap in Monaco. It doesn't exist if you want to be fast, because you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-verstappen/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-low-risk-lap-in-monaco-it-doesn-t-exist/)

[Max Verstappen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-verstappen/)

> [Someone who seeks low-risk investments never really feels investing is safe and someone who is always right eventually winds up wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/someone-who-seeks-low-risk-investments-never-really-feels-investing/)

[Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/)

> [That's what I was trying to do: be a reliable guy, dependable guy you know wasn't going to make a lot of mistakes. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/that-s-what-i-was-trying-to-do-be-a-reliable-guy-dependable-guy-you/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [History has not dealt kindly with the aftermath of protracted periods of low risk premiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/history-has-not-dealt-kindly-with-the-aftermath-of-protracted-periods/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [“Neither Wozniak nor Jobs left their regular jobs: This was strictly a low-risk venture meant for their free time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/neither-wozniak-nor-jobs-left-their-regular-jobs-this-was-strictly-a/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Network marketing gives people the opportunity, with very low risk and very low financial commitment, to build their own income-generating asset and acquire great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/network-marketing-gives-people-the-opportunity-with-very-low-risk-and/)

[Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/)

## More by Rich Jolly

> [“The idea of antifragility, for which evolution is the most important example, gives us tremendous guidance: o   Seek out low-cost options in your business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/the-idea-of-antifragility-for-which-evolution-is-the-most-important/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“In the early phases, the structure exhibits exponential growth. This identifies the reinforcing loop. However, the balancing loop is effectively dormant. It's only later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/in-the-early-phases-the-structure-exhibits-exponential-growth-this/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“In real life situations, there are often many feedback loops present, with perhaps several dormant feedback loops lying in wait.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/in-real-life-situations-there-are-often-many-feedback-loops-present/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“In system dynamic simulation, this data set is referred to as the reference behavior pattern (RBP).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/in-system-dynamic-simulation-this-data-set-is-referred-to-as-the/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“The negative effects of virtuous turned vicious loops is an extremely important lesson to keep in mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/the-negative-effects-of-virtuous-turned-vicious-loops-is-an-extremely/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“7. Remember It’s Only a Model—Always remember George Box's excellent advice, “All models are wrong, but some are useful.” The feedback and delays you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/7-remember-it-s-only-a-model-always-remember-george-box-s-excellent/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“The scientific method asserts that one cannot prove a hypothesis, only disprove it. Seeing more white swans may strengthen the hypothesis, but seeing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/the-scientific-method-asserts-that-one-cannot-prove-a-hypothesis-only/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“Surowiecki outlined four conditions that characterized wise crowds: 1. Diversity of opinion 2. Independence 3. Decentralization 4. An aggregation mechanism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/surowiecki-outlined-four-conditions-that-characterized-wise-crowds-1/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“Generally, the modeler should look for natural boundaries of the system to capture the most important and impactful structure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/generally-the-modeler-should-look-for-natural-boundaries-of-the/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“Complexity can be categorized into two types: combinatorial and dynamic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/complexity-can-be-categorized-into-two-types-combinatorial-and-dynamic/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“Google has studied this with their prediction markets and found evidence for better information flow for employees who were physically closer together (Cowgill et…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/google-has-studied-this-with-their-prediction-markets-and-found/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“In his excellent book Turtles, Termites, and Traffic Jams (1997), Mitchel Resnick outlines a list of five heuristics associated with the aggregation of interactions:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/in-his-excellent-book-turtles-termites-and-traffic-jams-1997-mitchel/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“In a prioritized list of further reading on this topic, there is no question what comes first: Peter Senge's The Fifth Discipline.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/in-a-prioritized-list-of-further-reading-on-this-topic-there-is-no/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“To paraphrase Surowiecki and Mackay, there can be a fine line between the Wisdom of Crowds and the Madness of Crowds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/to-paraphrase-surowiecki-and-mackay-there-can-be-a-fine-line-between/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

> [“It was the dominance of the choice to rat out the other that drove the group to a deficient outcome. The individuals were rational,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/it-was-the-dominance-of-the-choice-to-rat-out-the-other-that-drove/)

[Rich Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

[Explore all 61 Rich Jolly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/)

## More Big changes quotes

> [As we get more transparent with data sets about infrastructure and systems management, I have a feeling we'll see big changes in how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-koblin/as-we-get-more-transparent-with-data-sets-about-infrastructure-and/)

[Aaron Koblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-koblin/)

> [I feel everything more deeply. Every action I take, I think of her first. That's a big change for me. That - and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-dewan/i-feel-everything-more-deeply-every-action-i-take-i-think-of-her/)

[Jenna Dewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-dewan/)

> [The Iraqi troops and the Iraqi fighters are in control of all the places, as we have witnessed, no big change in that. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-iraqi-troops-and-the-iraqi-fighters-are-in-control-of-all-the/)

[Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/)

> [Big changes like creating nutritious school food and adjusting the eating habits of children takes an organized effort from an entire community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-rosenthal/big-changes-like-creating-nutritious-school-food-and-adjusting-the/)

[Joshua Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-rosenthal/)

> [With 'Crucible,' any big changes I wanted to make I only had to run by Lucasfilm, not other authors whose stories I might affect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-denning/with-crucible-any-big-changes-i-wanted-to-make-i-only-had-to-run-by/)

[Troy Denning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-denning/)

> [“continues: For Kit, the Depression has brought big changes: a houseful of boarders, tons of chores, and no birthday party. But when Kit’s taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-tripp/continues-for-kit-the-depression-has-brought-big-changes-a-houseful/)

Valerie Tripp

> [It was definitely a big change in my life going from the college scene to really kind of being on my own. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-horton/it-was-definitely-a-big-change-in-my-life-going-from-the-college/)

[Jonathan Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-horton/)

> [One of the big changes in the Congress since I first came to Washington is that all of these folks go home every weekend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/one-of-the-big-changes-in-the-congress-since-i-first-came-to/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [I never really have any major resolutions. I do try to be a good person, to be a good mom, to be a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/i-never-really-have-any-major-resolutions-i-do-try-to-be-a-good/)

[Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/)

> [“Many of the big changes of the next 25 years will come from unknowns working in their bedrooms and garages...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-leadbeater/many-of-the-big-changes-of-the-next-25-years-will-come-from-unknowns/)

[Charles Leadbeater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-leadbeater/)

> [In terms of getting people to experiment more and take more risk, there are at least three things that immediately come to my mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/in-terms-of-getting-people-to-experiment-more-and-take-more-risk/)

[John P. Kotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-kotter/)

> [“Ask yourself: what was the most influential discovery, invention or creation of the twentieth century? That’s a difficult question, because it is hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/ask-yourself-what-was-the-most-influential-discovery-invention-or/)

[Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/)

> [There are moments in your life when the big pieces slide and shift. Sometimes the big changes dong happen gradually but all at once.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/there-are-moments-in-your-life-when-the-big-pieces-slide-and-shift/)

[Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/)

> [I was very, very thrown by the fact that I had to make some big changes in my life in order to be myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-was-very-very-thrown-by-the-fact-that-i-had-to-make-some-big/)

[Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/)

> [There are good people, who are in politics - in both parties - who hold this at arm's length, because if they acknowledge it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-good-people-who-are-in-politics-in-both-parties-who-hold/)

[Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/)

[Browse all 106 Big changes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-changes/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“if your business ecosystem seems stable, don't be lulled into a potentially false sense of security. Big changes can happen very quickly. Don't confuse low volatility with low risk. Andy Grove, former Intel CEO, was fond of saying \"Only the paranoid survive.\" These are wise words. Models used in business often do very well in periods of stability, but fail miserably in times of sudden changes. They work well when you don't need them and fail when you need them the most.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rich Jolly"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable-don-t-be-lulled-into-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Big changes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable-don-t-be-lulled-into-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/rich-jolly-11173_big-changes_if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable_546847.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/rich-jolly-11173_big-changes_if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable_546847.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/rich-jolly-11173_big-changes_if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable_546847.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“if your business ecosystem seems stable, don't be lulled into a potentially false sense of security. Big…” — Rich Jolly",
                "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": "Rich Jolly",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-jolly/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“if your business ecosystem seems stable,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable-don-t-be-lulled-into-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-jolly/if-your-business-ecosystem-seems-stable-don-t-be-lulled-into-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
