--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter what you choose, build stuff…" description: "\"No matter what you choose, build stuff and be around smart people.\" — Sam Altman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/sam-altman-1494_matter_no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-an_1014269.png" --- # No matter what you choose, build stuff and be around smart… ![“No matter what you choose, build stuff and be around smart people.” quote by Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/sam-altman-1494_matter_no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-an_1014269.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/sam-altman-1494_matter_no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-an_1014269.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/sam-altman-1494_matter_no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-an_1014269.png) > “No matter what you choose, build stuff and be around smart people.” [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. Choosing a path and surrounding yourself with intelligent peers accelerates learning and achievement. **In simple terms:** Work with smart people to grow. Key Takeaway Seek collaborative environments. Themes growth networking learning Mood optimistic driven Type advice motivational When to use this quote - startup teams - research labs - co‑working spaces - mentorship programs Key Concepts entrepreneurship social capital Questions to Reflect On - What environment best challenges you? - How do you contribute value? A Different Perspective May overlook personal values in favor of prestige. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Build Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-stuff-242098/) [Choose Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-build-681342/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [No matter what](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-matter-what/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smart people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-people/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Stuff Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-smart-2221707/) [You choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-choose/) ## Related quotes > [“You cannot permanently destroy what you didn't build because the builder can always choose to build again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khuliso-mamathoni/you-cannot-permanently-destroy-what-you-didn-t-build-because-the/) [Khuliso Mamathoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khuliso-mamathoni/) > [You have two choices: You can take what you're given or build with what you've got. I choose to build with what I've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominick-cruz/you-have-two-choices-you-can-take-what-you-re-given-or-build-with/) [Dominick Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominick-cruz/) > [Don't be like everyone else, or you will suffer like everyone else, choose and build your own way of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-like-everyone-else-or-you-will-suffer-like-everyone-else/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a large standalone workshop on the back of my property where I prototype and build stuff. It's bright, roomy, and has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurstelle/i-have-a-large-standalone-workshop-on-the-back-of-my-property-where-i/) [William Gurstelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurstelle/) > [There are a lot of things that government doesn't do well. One of things that government does do well is build stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-cornett/there-are-a-lot-of-things-that-government-doesn-t-do-well-one-of/) [Mick Cornett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-cornett/) > [If you want to make a serious, rugged, reliable robot, you can start with the Create platform and just build stuff on top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/if-you-want-to-make-a-serious-rugged-reliable-robot-you-can-start/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [This barricade is a piece of shit. I could build better. Yeah, yeah, believe it or not, the kid with the lipstick knows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davey-havok/this-barricade-is-a-piece-of-shit-i-could-build-better-yeah-yeah/) [Davey Havok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davey-havok/) > [I feel like what we love to do is solve problems. If it's easy to solve, we find a more difficult one. There's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/i-feel-like-what-we-love-to-do-is-solve-problems-if-it-s-easy-to/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) > [We want Facebook to be one of the best places people can go to learn how to build stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/we-want-facebook-to-be-one-of-the-best-places-people-can-go-to-learn-2/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Forget about where you want to be and go out and build stuff. Dodgeball came from being bored at work... things happen because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-crowley/forget-about-where-you-want-to-be-and-go-out-and-build-stuff/) [Dennis Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-crowley/) > [This barricade is a piece of shit. I could build better. Yea, yea, believe it or not, the kid with the lipstick can build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davey-havok/this-barricade-is-a-piece-of-shit-i-could-build-better-yea-yea/) [Davey Havok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davey-havok/) > [My goal is to simplify complexity. I just want to build stuff that really simplifies our base human interaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/my-goal-is-to-simplify-complexity-i-just-want-to-build-stuff-that/) [Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/) > [Spiritual joy is what you experience when you choose to give thanks to God no matter what happens-even when things go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-george/spiritual-joy-is-what-you-experience-when-you-choose-to-give-thanks/) [Jim George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-george/) > [Remaining calm no matter what's going on around you is an incredible challenge, but it will liberate your psychic sense and will probably add…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/remaining-calm-no-matter-what-s-going-on-around-you-is-an-incredible/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [No matter what you have gone through in your youth, it is about who you choose to be in life. You can define your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/no-matter-what-you-have-gone-through-in-your-youth-it-is-about-who/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) ## 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 Matter quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [No matter what I do I'll always be stuck on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-stalin/no-matter-what-i-do-i-ll-always-be-stuck-on-you/) [J Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-stalin/) > [You need to remind people that you vote, you matter, and that they can't succeed without your help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-need-to-remind-people-that-you-vote-you-matter-and-that-they-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [I think everyone will agree that it doesn't matter how we get to an international tournament. We are going to do whatever it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcginn/i-think-everyone-will-agree-that-it-doesn-t-matter-how-we-get-to-an/) [John McGinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcginn/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) [Browse all 23,868 Matter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No matter what you choose, build stuff and be around smart people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Altman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-and-be-around-smart-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Matter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-and-be-around-smart-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/sam-altman-1494_matter_no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-an_1014269.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/sam-altman-1494_matter_no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-an_1014269.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/sam-altman-1494_matter_no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-an_1014269.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No matter what you choose, build stuff and be around smart people.” — 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": "No matter what you choose, build...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-and-be-around-smart-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/no-matter-what-you-choose-build-stuff-and-be-around-smart-people/#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 } } ] } ```