--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most good founders that I know at any…" description: "\"Most good founders that I know at any given time have a set of small overarching goals for the company that everybody in the company knows.\" — Sam Altman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/sam-altman-1494_business_most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-gi_2634601.png" --- # Most good founders that I know at any given time have a… ![“Most good founders that I know at any given time have a set of small overarching goals for the company that everybody in the company knows.” quote by Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/sam-altman-1494_business_most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-gi_2634601.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/sam-altman-1494_business_most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-gi_2634601.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/sam-altman-1494_business_most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-gi_2634601.png) > “Most good founders that I know at any given time have a set of small overarching goals for the company that everybody in the company knows.” [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful founders set clear, shared goals so everyone knows the company's direction. **In simple terms:** Clear goals unite teams. Key Takeaway Define and communicate overarching objectives. Themes leadership strategy teamwork Mood focused encouraging Type strategic practical When to use this quote - product development - team meetings - performance reviews Key Concepts goal setting alignment company culture Questions to Reflect On - How to balance clarity with adaptability? - What mechanisms keep goals relevant? A Different Perspective Rigid goals may stifle flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Founders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founders/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Good founders can give me a picture of the future that I can believe. And the second that I believe your version of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/good-founders-can-give-me-a-picture-of-the-future-that-i-can-believe/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) > [I keep a notebook of the things I need to get done in a day, week, month along with my overarching goals. Whenever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karlie-kloss/i-keep-a-notebook-of-the-things-i-need-to-get-done-in-a-day-week/) [Karlie Kloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karlie-kloss/) > [“Having goals improves performance.113 Spending hours cascading goals up and down the company, however, does not.114”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laszlo-bock/having-goals-improves-performance-113-spending-hours-cascading-goals/) [Laszlo Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laszlo-bock/) > [The thing that kills startups at some level, is the founders giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-thing-that-kills-startups-at-some-level-is-the-founders-giving-up/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [1 of the hardest parts about being a founder, is that there are a 100 important things competing for your attention each day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/1-of-the-hardest-parts-about-being-a-founder-is-that-there-are-a-100/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [The track record for founders that don't already know each other is really bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-track-record-for-founders-that-don-t-already-know-each-other-is/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [We hear again and again from founders, that they wish they had waited to start a startup until they came up with an idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/we-hear-again-and-again-from-founders-that-they-wish-they-had-waited/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Whatever the founder cares about, whatever the founders think are the key goals, that's going to be what the whole company focusses on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/whatever-the-founder-cares-about-whatever-the-founders-think-are-the/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [It's better to have no cofounder than to have a bad cofounder, but it's still bad to be a solo founder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/it-s-better-to-have-no-cofounder-than-to-have-a-bad-cofounder-but-it/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Too often, founders make decisions before determining whether they are the right thing to do. These decisions often create chaos in their companies where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/too-often-founders-make-decisions-before-determining-whether-they-are/) [Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/) > [Every founder has to delude themselves into thinking, "Yes, it's going to be big. It's going to take over the world."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/every-founder-has-to-delude-themselves-into-thinking-yes-it-s-going/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [It is best to lay our plans widely in youth, for then land is cheap, and it is but too easy to contract our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-best-to-lay-our-plans-widely-in-youth-for-then-land-is-cheap/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it is clear that Ronald Reagan, among all modern presidents, plainly rediscovered the founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-research-is-that-it-is-clear/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [We must never lose sight of the fact that we must take part in the development, not only of ourselves but of all humanity...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel/we-must-never-lose-sight-of-the-fact-that-we-must-take-part-in-the/) [Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel/) > [Entrepreneurship is the very back bone of our country and what makes us great - we are a nation of founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-lublin/entrepreneurship-is-the-very-back-bone-of-our-country-and-what-makes/) [Nancy Lublin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-lublin/) ## More by Sam Altman > [The best people know that they should join a rocketship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-best-people-know-that-they-should-join-a-rocketship/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [You really want to know your cofounders for a while, ideally years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-really-want-to-know-your-cofounders-for-a-while-ideally-years/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Employees will only add more value over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/employees-will-only-add-more-value-over-time/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [One thing I tell startups all the time is that the best way to grow is to make their product better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-thing-i-tell-startups-all-the-time-is-that-the-best-way-to-grow/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [A winning team feels good and keeps winning. A team that hasn't won in a while gets demotivated and keeps losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/a-winning-team-feels-good-and-keeps-winning-a-team-that-hasn-t-won-in/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [You're either not hiring at all or it's probably your single biggest block of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-re-either-not-hiring-at-all-or-it-s-probably-your-single-biggest/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [The thing that kills startups at some level, is the founders giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-thing-that-kills-startups-at-some-level-is-the-founders-giving-up/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Execution gets divided into two key questions: 1) can you figure out what to do and 2) can you get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/execution-gets-divided-into-two-key-questions-1-can-you-figure-out/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [If you want something in a deal, just ask for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-want-something-in-a-deal-just-ask-for-it/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Most things are not as risky as they seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-things-are-not-as-risky-as-they-seem/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [I prefer to invest in a company that's going after a small but rapidly growing market than a big but slow growing one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/i-prefer-to-invest-in-a-company-that-s-going-after-a-small-but/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-work-life-balance-and-that-s/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [One of the biggest advantages that start ups have is execution speed and you have to have this relentless operating rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-of-the-biggest-advantages-that-start-ups-have-is-execution-speed/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [One of the keys to focus, and why I said cofounders that aren't friends really struggle, is that you can't be focused without good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-of-the-keys-to-focus-and-why-i-said-cofounders-that-aren-t/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Startups are very hard no matter what you do; you may as well go after a big opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-very-hard-no-matter-what-you-do-you-may-as-well-go-after/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) [Explore all 235 Sam Altman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most good founders that I know at any given time have a set of small overarching goals for the company that everybody in the company knows.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Altman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-given-time-have-a-set-of-small/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-given-time-have-a-set-of-small/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/sam-altman-1494_business_most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-gi_2634601.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/sam-altman-1494_business_most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-gi_2634601.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/sam-altman-1494_business_most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-gi_2634601.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most good founders that I know at any given time have a set of small overarching goals for the company that…” — Sam Altman", "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": "Sam Altman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most good founders that I know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-given-time-have-a-set-of-small/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-good-founders-that-i-know-at-any-given-time-have-a-set-of-small/#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 } } ] } ```