--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Startups are not the best choice for…" description: "\"Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.\" — Sam Altman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/sam-altman-1494_balance_startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-wor_199009.png" --- # Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance… ![“Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.” quote by Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/sam-altman-1494_balance_startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-wor_199009.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/sam-altman-1494_balance_startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-wor_199009.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/sam-altman-1494_balance_startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-wor_199009.png) > “Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.” [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. Startups often sacrifice work-life balance, making them unsuitable for those seeking stability. **In simple terms:** Startups can harm work-life balance. Key Takeaway Consider personal priorities before joining a startup. Themes work-life balance startup culture career choice wellbeing Mood cautious realistic Type career advice When to use this quote - career planning - job selection - company culture assessment Key Concepts entrepreneurship risk time management Questions to Reflect On - Is the trade‑off worth it for you? - How can you mitigate burnout in a startup? A Different Perspective Startups may offer growth but at personal cost. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Life balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-balance/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Sad reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad-reality/) [Startups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/startups/) [Work and life balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-and-life-balance/) [Work Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-life/) [Work life balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-life-balance/) [Work-Life Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-life-balance-2/) ## Related quotes > [So every time you think about your work-life balance issue, remember what your boss is thinking about - and that's winning. Your needs may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/so-every-time-you-think-about-your-work-life-balance-issue-remember/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [There is no such thing as work-life balance. There is work, there is life, and there is no balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/there-is-no-such-thing-as-work-life-balance-there-is-work-there-is/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Work-life balance was a mistake from the start. Because we don't really want balance. We want satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/work-life-balance-was-a-mistake-from-the-start-because-we-don-t/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [Imagine working 20% smarter instead of 20% longer...Work-life balance and startup success at any stage aren't mutually exclusive. There are enough hours in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cummings/imagine-working-20-smarter-instead-of-20-longer-work-life-balance-and/) David Cummings > [The work-life balance is a harsh reality for so many women, who are forced every day to make impossible choices. Do they take their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-work-life-balance-is-a-harsh-reality-for-so-many-women-who-are/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [Wrestling with work-life balance is a luxury when working to support a family is a necessity rather than a choice. I think that focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willow-bay/wrestling-with-work-life-balance-is-a-luxury-when-working-to-support/) [Willow Bay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willow-bay/) > [The new buzz word in Silicon Valley is "integration". Work-life "balance" is very 2.0. All these women share ways in which they integrate their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willow-bay/the-new-buzz-word-in-silicon-valley-is-integration-work-life-balance/) [Willow Bay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willow-bay/) > [To have someone who never makes a mistake, never finds her personal life in disarray, never worries about work-life balance? I think that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/to-have-someone-who-never-makes-a-mistake-never-finds-her-personal/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [I walk out of this office every day at 5:30 so I'm home for dinner with my kids at 6, and interestingly, I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-walk-out-of-this-office-every-day-at-5-30-so-i-m-home-for-dinner/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Startups are often best at solving the personal problems of their founders. The more diverse the founders, the more types of problems can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/startups-are-often-best-at-solving-the-personal-problems-of-their/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) > [I wish I had spent more time at the office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/i-wish-i-had-spent-more-time-at-the-office/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) > [In all my years of counselling those near death, I've yet to hear anyone say they wish they had spent more time at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/in-all-my-years-of-counselling-those-near-death-i-ve-yet-to-hear/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/happiness-is-not-a-matter-of-intensity-but-of-balance-and-order-and/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Once a quarter, Amy and I go off the grid and totally disconnect. It's totally doable and it will change your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-feld/once-a-quarter-amy-and-i-go-off-the-grid-and-totally-disconnect-it-s/) [Brad Feld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-feld/) > [There's no life-work balance. I think you have to have the discipline to have the life you want to have. And if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/there-s-no-life-work-balance-i-think-you-have-to-have-the-discipline/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [There's no way I know, to get through the pain of a startup without belief that the mission really matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/there-s-no-way-i-know-to-get-through-the-pain-of-a-startup-without/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) [Explore all 235 Sam Altman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. When not trying to beat my personal best, I'm talking to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-never-understood-how-much-running-changes-your-life-i-m-now/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whatever needed to be done, I need to know how to do it just as well as my wife. You know, for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/whatever-needed-to-be-done-i-need-to-know-how-to-do-it-just-as-well/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-don-t-think-my-parents-would-have-let-me-go-straight-into-acting/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Altman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-work-life-balance-and-that-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-work-life-balance-and-that-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/sam-altman-1494_balance_startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-wor_199009.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/sam-altman-1494_balance_startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-wor_199009.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/sam-altman-1494_balance_startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-wor_199009.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.” — 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": "Startups are not the best choice...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-work-life-balance-and-that-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-work-life-balance-and-that-s/#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 } } ] } ```