--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to chip away at it and shape it…" description: "\"You have to chip away at it and shape it to let the winning idea emerge.\" — Scott D. Anthony" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/scott-d-anthony-6772_chips_you-have-to-chip-away-at-it-and-shape-it_2276149.png" --- # You have to chip away at it and shape it to let the… ![“You have to chip away at it and shape it to let the winning idea emerge.” quote by Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/scott-d-anthony-6772_chips_you-have-to-chip-away-at-it-and-shape-it_2276149.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/scott-d-anthony-6772_chips_you-have-to-chip-away-at-it-and-shape-it_2276149.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/scott-d-anthony-6772_chips_you-have-to-chip-away-at-it-and-shape-it_2276149.png) > “You have to chip away at it and shape it to let the winning idea emerge.” [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Develop ideas by iteratively refining them, allowing the best concept to surface. **In simple terms:** Improve ideas through gradual shaping and testing. Key Takeaway Iterate and refine to uncover the winning concept. Themes creativity process innovation Mood focused determined creative Type advice motivational When to use this quote - product development - writing - art - strategy Key Concepts design thinking iteration problem solving Questions to Reflect On - What idea are you currently shaping? - How do you know when an idea is ready? A Different Perspective Time constraints can limit thorough refinement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [You just chip away until the puzzle is complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/you-just-chip-away-until-the-puzzle-is-complete/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [I have this identity for myself as a writer and the only thing that can happen is that I chip away from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-hurwitz/i-have-this-identity-for-myself-as-a-writer-and-the-only-thing-that/) [Mitchell Hurwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-hurwitz/) > [For a person to build a rich and rewarding life for himself, there are certain qualities and bits of knowledge that he needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/for-a-person-to-build-a-rich-and-rewarding-life-for-himself-there-are/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [The more ideas one is free to explore, the more likely a truly creative idea can emerge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bell/the-more-ideas-one-is-free-to-explore-the-more-likely-a-truly/) [Michael Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bell/) > [“Sometimes a sermon idea seemed to emerge on its own, possessed of its own power, and required a developmental process more akin to pruning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/sometimes-a-sermon-idea-seemed-to-emerge-on-its-own-possessed-of-its/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [I have a very good feeling at Inter, and I don't want to let them down after winning everything and losing Jose Mourinho.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-sneijder/i-have-a-very-good-feeling-at-inter-and-i-don-t-want-to-let-them-down/) [Wesley Sneijder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-sneijder/) > [Don't let winning make you soft. Don't let losing make you quit. Don't let your teammates down in any situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/don-t-let-winning-make-you-soft-don-t-let-losing-make-you-quit-don-t/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Let's keep winning! I love to be exhausted on winning!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/let-s-keep-winning-i-love-to-be-exhausted-on-winning/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [If you think I can't do it, I'll show you I can do it. Just remaining confident. Because if you don't, it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-rashad/if-you-think-i-can-t-do-it-i-ll-show-you-i-can-do-it-just-remaining/) [Ahmad Rashad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmad-rashad/) > ['Chip Away' is somewhat of a rail against cable news and divisive agendas... all for the almighty dollar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/chip-away-is-somewhat-of-a-rail-against-cable-news-and-divisive/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [If I don't knock you out with one punch, then I'm just going to chip away at you until you can't go anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-ortiz/if-i-don-t-knock-you-out-with-one-punch-then-i-m-just-going-to-chip/) [Luis Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-ortiz/) > [I'm not a player who's going to come out and hit you off the court. But I can chip away at people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-norrie/i-m-not-a-player-who-s-going-to-come-out-and-hit-you-off-the-court/) [Cameron Norrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-norrie/) > [And just so you know for the future, I like my double-chocolate chip cookies warm and soft in the middle...and without magnets glued to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/and-just-so-you-know-for-the-future-i-like-my-double-chocolate-chip/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [You should do what we do, stack chips like Hebrews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puff-daddy/you-should-do-what-we-do-stack-chips-like-hebrews/) [Puff Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puff-daddy/) > ['Constitutional' is just a real pip of a word. Positively rolls off the tongue. In fact, it's downright fun to say. 'Con-stit-too-shun-al.' It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/constitutional-is-just-a-real-pip-of-a-word-positively-rolls-off-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) ## More by Scott D. Anthony > [I think the most important thing to do is to recognize the fundamentally different circumstances of pursuing growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/i-think-the-most-important-thing-to-do-is-to-recognize-the/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Document, evaluate, focus, test.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/document-evaluate-focus-test/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [It's very easy to skip steps when documenting an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/it-s-very-easy-to-skip-steps-when-documenting-an-idea/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Every leader needs to watch what teenagers or startup companies - or startup companies headed by teenagers - are doing today, because many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/every-leader-needs-to-watch-what-teenagers-or-startup-companies-or/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [In the strengthening the core job, a leader can draw on their past experiences. After all, in most cases they did the job of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/in-the-strengthening-the-core-job-a-leader-can-draw-on-their-past/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [If you are a large company and you want to do something unique, you almost by definition have to tap onto the core business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/if-you-are-a-large-company-and-you-want-to-do-something-unique-you/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [You still want to be thoughtful about what you do, no doubt, but you have to learn through trial-and-error experimentation as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/you-still-want-to-be-thoughtful-about-what-you-do-no-doubt-but-you/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [It takes a great deal of humility to recognize you have made a wrong turn on the road to successful innovation, but better to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/it-takes-a-great-deal-of-humility-to-recognize-you-have-made-a-wrong/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [“Creating a new business from scratch is hard, but executives of incumbents have the dual challenge of creating new businesses while simultaneously staving off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/creating-a-new-business-from-scratch-is-hard-but-executives-of/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [The most important thing here is to largely ignore what customers say, and instead watch what they do or track where they spend money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/the-most-important-thing-here-is-to-largely-ignore-what-customers-say/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Make sure that you take the time to think about how other companies might respond to your idea, both those companies already in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/make-sure-that-you-take-the-time-to-think-about-how-other-companies/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Aside from the equivalent of blowing up the lab or letting a pathogen escape, the only failure is spending too long or too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/aside-from-the-equivalent-of-blowing-up-the-lab-or-letting-a-pathogen/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Mucken Singh works VERY hard on his brawler's physique!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/mucken-singh-works-very-hard-on-his-brawler-s-physique/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Most startup companies have two people, and they figure out creative ways to swarm problems. They move faster and have more impact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/most-startup-companies-have-two-people-and-they-figure-out-creative/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Three of our core corporate values are inclusiveness, collaboration, and humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/three-of-our-core-corporate-values-are-inclusiveness-collaboration/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) [Explore all 97 Scott D. Anthony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) ## More Chips quotes > ['Constitutional' is just a real pip of a word. Positively rolls off the tongue. In fact, it's downright fun to say. 'Con-stit-too-shun-al.' It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/constitutional-is-just-a-real-pip-of-a-word-positively-rolls-off-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [You should do what we do, stack chips like Hebrews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puff-daddy/you-should-do-what-we-do-stack-chips-like-hebrews/) [Puff Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puff-daddy/) > [And just so you know for the future, I like my double-chocolate chip cookies warm and soft in the middle...and without magnets glued to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/and-just-so-you-know-for-the-future-i-like-my-double-chocolate-chip/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [Stop living your life trying to please everyone, please God and let the chips fall where they may!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-living-your-life-trying-to-please-everyone-please-god-and-let/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes I'm in the mood for a cookie, sometimes a bowl of chips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorit-kemsley/sometimes-i-m-in-the-mood-for-a-cookie-sometimes-a-bowl-of-chips/) [Dorit Kemsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorit-kemsley/) > [One thing I know is that it is a bad idea to marry someone who had bad parents. If they hated their mother, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/one-thing-i-know-is-that-it-is-a-bad-idea-to-marry-someone-who-had/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [It's all about salsa with grain chips, tofu, turkey slices, hummus, and coconut water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurieann-gibson/it-s-all-about-salsa-with-grain-chips-tofu-turkey-slices-hummus-and/) [Laurieann Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurieann-gibson/) > [What sort of date are you? Come on then, tightwad. Chips are on me. We've only got five billion years 'til the shops close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tyler/what-sort-of-date-are-you-come-on-then-tightwad-chips-are-on-me-we-ve/) [Rose Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tyler/) > [It is useless not to seek, not to want, for when you cease to seek you start to find, and when you cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-is-useless-not-to-seek-not-to-want-for-when-you-cease-to-seek-you/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [You can never make yourself believe that you're loveable, however hard you try, because when the chips are down what you really believe rises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/you-can-never-make-yourself-believe-that-you-re-loveable-however-hard/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [The interesting thing about a lot of serialized television is that it's a blessing and curse. Smart writers really take their time in investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-weil/the-interesting-thing-about-a-lot-of-serialized-television-is-that-it/) [Liza Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-weil/) > [When your Super Bowl guests arrive, they should find a mound of potato chips large enough to conceal a pony sitting in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/when-your-super-bowl-guests-arrive-they-should-find-a-mound-of-potato/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [In the cookies of life, your friends are the chocolate chips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-cookies-of-life-your-friends-are-the-chocolate-chips/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Does Grandpa love to baby-sit his grandchildren? Are you kidding? By day he is too busy taking hormone shots at the doctor's or chip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-boyle/does-grandpa-love-to-baby-sit-his-grandchildren-are-you-kidding-by/) [Hal Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-boyle/) > [At one store, Gansey had started to pay for Blue's potato chips and she'd snatched them away. "I don't want you to buy me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-one-store-gansey-had-started-to-pay-for-blue-s-potato-chips-and/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) Browse all 674 Chips quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to chip away at it and shape it to let the winning idea emerge.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott D. 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