--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my case, if one out of five…" description: "\"In my case, if one out of five opportunities is interesting enough to work on, maybe one in five of those ends up being worth doing. That might be a fu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/sam-zell-32783_buying_in-my-case-if-one-out-of-five-opportunit_903649.png" --- # In my case, if one out of five opportunities is… ![“In my case, if one out of five opportunities is interesting enough to work on, maybe one in five of those ends up being worth doing. That might be a function of risk. That might be a function of price. There are all the variables. But you have to be constantly sorting and choosing and prioritizing.” quote by Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/sam-zell-32783_buying_in-my-case-if-one-out-of-five-opportunit_903649.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/sam-zell-32783_buying_in-my-case-if-one-out-of-five-opportunit_903649.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/sam-zell-32783_buying_in-my-case-if-one-out-of-five-opportunit_903649.png) > “In my case, if one out of five opportunities is interesting enough to work on, maybe one in five of those ends up being worth doing. That might be a function of risk. That might be a function of price. There are all the variables. But you have to be constantly sorting and choosing and prioritizing.” [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends on continuously evaluating many options and focusing on the few that truly matter despite risk and price variables. **In simple terms:** Choose and prioritize the best opportunities. Key Takeaway Prioritize wisely. Themes decisionmaking risk prioritization Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice strategic When to use this quote - investment - career planning - project selection - resource allocation Key Concepts opportunity cost strategic focus Questions to Reflect On - How do you filter opportunities efficiently? - What criteria determine worthiness? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can stall action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunities/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) ## Related quotes > [“The first step in Choosing is Prioritizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-stocker/the-first-step-in-choosing-is-prioritizing/) [Todd Stocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-stocker/) > [I'm not setting too many expectations for myself. I'm just trying to create opportunities for something interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bowen-yang/i-m-not-setting-too-many-expectations-for-myself-i-m-just-trying-to/) [Bowen Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bowen-yang/) > [Our emphasis on political coverage from the day we were born here was well-founded, and we believe there were opportunities there that we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-hume/our-emphasis-on-political-coverage-from-the-day-we-were-born-here-was/) [Brit Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-hume/) > [It wasn't on my agenda, but the thing about getting important awards is it makes the adventure of your career have a little more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/it-wasn-t-on-my-agenda-but-the-thing-about-getting-important-awards/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) > [We cannot treat people with a right to asylum the same way as people from a safe country. They need to be sent back.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-gentiloni/we-cannot-treat-people-with-a-right-to-asylum-the-same-way-as-people/) [Paolo Gentiloni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-gentiloni/) > [The lawyers doing the sorting for Secretary Clinton in 2014 did not individually read the content of all of her e-mails, as we did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-comey/the-lawyers-doing-the-sorting-for-secretary-clinton-in-2014-did-not/) [James Comey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-comey/) > [But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account." "Really?" "It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-if-it-matters-to-you-you-ll-be-able-to-choose-gryffindor-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both. 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She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-haven-t-been-sorting-through-each-and-every-aspect-of-this-here-s/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Any fool can bomb a train, but just try sorting out the mess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/any-fool-can-bomb-a-train-but-just-try-sorting-out-the-mess/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [In terms of talking about what our politics has become, it now seems as if Barack Obama is starting to stand outside of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-borger/in-terms-of-talking-about-what-our-politics-has-become-it-now-seems/) Gloria Borger > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) ## More by Sam Zell > [“Shortly before we closed the deal, Randy Michaels and Terry Jacobs, who were running Jacor, came to me to finance the acquisition of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/shortly-before-we-closed-the-deal-randy-michaels-and-terry-jacobs-who/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [My single biggest financial concern is the loss of the dollar as the reserve currency. I can't imagine anything more disastrous to our country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/my-single-biggest-financial-concern-is-the-loss-of-the-dollar-as-the/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [The reality is that I need to be challenged and interested, as long as the risk and reward is in line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/the-reality-is-that-i-need-to-be-challenged-and-interested-as-long-as/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [The question is not do you take money out of stocks and put it into real estate, or the reverse. There's so much money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/the-question-is-not-do-you-take-money-out-of-stocks-and-put-it-into/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [Just by being private, the culture will change. We won't be forced to make decisions that are 90 days in relevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/just-by-being-private-the-culture-will-change-we-won-t-be-forced-to/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [I've always been called a professional opportunist, and in the future I'm open to anything. We've spent a lot of time offshore, looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/i-ve-always-been-called-a-professional-opportunist-and-in-the-future/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [Interest rates are going to go up because employment is going to go up. If employment goes up, then our apartments get filled. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/interest-rates-are-going-to-go-up-because-employment-is-going-to-go/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [When you got a demand issue it's hard to imagine the stock market at an all-time high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/when-you-got-a-demand-issue-it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-stock-market-at/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [When all is said and done, what must be remembered is a newspaper is a business. It used to be a fabulous business that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/when-all-is-said-and-done-what-must-be-remembered-is-a-newspaper-is-a/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [Everyone likes pussy. It's un-American not to like pussy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/everyone-likes-pussy-it-s-un-american-not-to-like-pussy/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [If you could find a major city that actually had a functioning, good public school system, you should buy all the real estate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/if-you-could-find-a-major-city-that-actually-had-a-functioning-good/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [“Risk is the ultimate differentiator. I have always had a deep and complex relationship with it. I am not a reckless person, but taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/risk-is-the-ultimate-differentiator-i-have-always-had-a-deep-and/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [The single biggest issue that I'm very sensitive to is inflation. I'm very concerned that this extended period where the interest rates were quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/the-single-biggest-issue-that-i-m-very-sensitive-to-is-inflation-i-m/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [I can’t imagine anything being more disastrous to our country than if the dollar lost its reserve-currency status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/i-can-t-imagine-anything-being-more-disastrous-to-our-country-than-if/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) [Explore all 15 Sam Zell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) ## More Buying quotes > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. 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I realize now what they're buying is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-gonzalez/i-m-being-called-in-by-all-the-great-casting-directors-it-s-no-longer/) [Nicholas Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-gonzalez/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Truth is, people like buying things for $0.99 and $1.99 for their digital devices. We know that from iTunes. We know that from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/truth-is-people-like-buying-things-for-0-99-and-1-99-for-their/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [There's a whole generation of women who never really heard the word investment before, when it came to fashion. They've been buying things because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/there-s-a-whole-generation-of-women-who-never-really-heard-the-word/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [I think buying a home is the best investment that any individual can make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paulson/i-think-buying-a-home-is-the-best-investment-that-any-individual-can/) [John Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paulson/) > [The more a prospective customer clicks on you and your stuff, the easier it is for them to make a buying decision in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/the-more-a-prospective-customer-clicks-on-you-and-your-stuff-the/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [“If you have half a nothing - sell it for a double something, resell half at double-price, and buy another something and a half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/if-you-have-half-a-nothing-sell-it-for-a-double-something-resell-half/) Will Advise > [Every kid looks forward to buying their first JanSport backpack for school - you know my kids did!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/every-kid-looks-forward-to-buying-their-first-jansport-backpack-for/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [What is the focus of the new image infrastructure? Attention. It's all designed for capturing, tracking, quantifying, manipulating, holding, buying, selling and controlling attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mau/what-is-the-focus-of-the-new-image-infrastructure-attention-it-s-all/) [Bruce Mau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-mau/) > [It’s always going to be easy to live like others or other’s life, because creating or innovating something of own is always difficult in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj/it-s-always-going-to-be-easy-to-live-like-others-or-other-s-life/) [Anuj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj/) > [The truth is, if I was maybe better or funnier or prettier, wouldn't I have starred in a movie? I can see it objectively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/the-truth-is-if-i-was-maybe-better-or-funnier-or-prettier-wouldn-t-i/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) [Browse all 1,598 Buying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In my case, if one out of five opportunities is interesting enough to work on, maybe one in five of those ends up being worth doing. That might be a function of risk. That might be a function of price. There are all the variables. 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