--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You want an idea that not many other…" description: "\"You want an idea that not many other people are working on, and it's okay if it doesn't sound big at first.\" — Sam Altman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-peo_2683974.png" --- # You want an idea that not many other people are working… ![“You want an idea that not many other people are working on, and it's okay if it doesn't sound big at first.” quote by Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-peo_2683974.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-peo_2683974.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-peo_2683974.png) > “You want an idea that not many other people are working on, and it's okay if it doesn't sound big at first.” [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. Advocating for niche ideas that start modestly, trusting they can grow into impactful innovations. **In simple terms:** Small, unique ideas can become big over time. Key Takeaway Value modest beginnings. Themes innovation risk vision Mood optimistic thoughtful Type strategic encouraging When to use this quote - startup planning - research - product development Key Concepts entrepreneurship market gaps Questions to Reflect On - What modest idea excites you? - How can you test its potential quickly? A Different Perspective Risk of limited resources or market interest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [It's been crazy trying to tour with a baby. But it's actually working out okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-corr/it-s-been-crazy-trying-to-tour-with-a-baby-but-it-s-actually-working/) [Caroline Corr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-corr/) > [You want an idea that turns into a monopoly. But you can't get a monopoly, in a big market right away; too much competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-that-turns-into-a-monopoly-but-you-can-t-get-a/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [You want an idea about what you can say. I know it sounds like a bad idea but here's specifically why its actually a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-about-what-you-can-say-i-know-it-sounds-like-a-bad/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [I don't want to be an icon. I want to be an idea. I want to represent possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/i-don-t-want-to-be-an-icon-i-want-to-be-an-idea-i-want-to-represent/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I want every idea I have to make me money. I want every post I write to have 10,000 Facebook likes. I want every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/i-want-every-idea-i-have-to-make-me-money-i-want-every-post-i-write/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [As a quarterback, you want to have an idea of what everyone is doing and be able to help everyone out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jones/as-a-quarterback-you-want-to-have-an-idea-of-what-everyone-is-doing/) [Daniel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jones/) > [If you want to get an idea across, wrap it up in a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-bunche/if-you-want-to-get-an-idea-across-wrap-it-up-in-a-person/) [Ralph Bunche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-bunche/) > [I want another idea, another project, but you can't make them up. They show up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/i-want-another-idea-another-project-but-you-can-t-make-them-up-they/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [If you want to get across an idea, wrap it up in person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-bunche/if-you-want-to-get-across-an-idea-wrap-it-up-in-person/) [Ralph Bunche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-bunche/) > [If you have one good idea, people will lend you twenty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/if-you-have-one-good-idea-people-will-lend-you-twenty/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [I've always loved the idea of not being what people expect me to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dita-von-teese/i-ve-always-loved-the-idea-of-not-being-what-people-expect-me-to-be/) [Dita Von Teese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dita-von-teese/) > [The more visionary the idea, the more people it leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/the-more-visionary-the-idea-the-more-people-it-leaves-behind/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [We realized we weren't really using Odeo, we weren't investing our own time creating podcasts. We were building a tool that was a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biz-stone/we-realized-we-weren-t-really-using-odeo-we-weren-t-investing-our-own/) [Biz Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biz-stone/) > [The idea that people would work on themselves, who hadn't had an accident - I can't stand plastic surgery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-lauda/the-idea-that-people-would-work-on-themselves-who-hadn-t-had-an/) [Niki Lauda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-lauda/) > [I like the idea of people who've had some success in one form secretly wanting to be something else; I have some of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/i-like-the-idea-of-people-who-ve-had-some-success-in-one-form/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) ## 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 Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [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'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You want an idea that not many other people are working on, and it's okay if it doesn't sound big at first.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Altman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-people-are-working-on-and-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-people-are-working-on-and-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-peo_2683974.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-peo_2683974.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-peo_2683974.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You want an idea that not many other people are working on, and it's okay if it doesn't sound big at first.” — 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": "You want an idea that not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-people-are-working-on-and-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-people-are-working-on-and-it-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 } } ] } ```