--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can believe that we know where the…" description: "\"We can believe that we know where the world should go. But unless we're in touch with our customers, our model of the world can diverge from reality. T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/steve-ballmer-3273_believe_we-can-believe-that-we-know-where-the-wo_3166854.png" --- # We can believe that we know where the world should go. But… ![“We can believe that we know where the world should go. But unless we're in touch with our customers, our model of the world can diverge from reality. There's no substitute for innovation, of course, but innovation is no substitute for being in touch, either.” quote by Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/steve-ballmer-3273_believe_we-can-believe-that-we-know-where-the-wo_3166854.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/steve-ballmer-3273_believe_we-can-believe-that-we-know-where-the-wo_3166854.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/steve-ballmer-3273_believe_we-can-believe-that-we-know-where-the-wo_3166854.png) > “We can believe that we know where the world should go. But unless we're in touch with our customers, our model of the world can diverge from reality. There's no substitute for innovation, of course, but innovation is no substitute for being in touch, either.” [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding customers is essential; without it, models drift from reality despite innovation. **In simple terms:** Know customers, stay grounded. Key Takeaway Prioritize customer insight over pure innovation. Themes customer focus innovation reality Mood pragmatic urgent Type business motivational When to use this quote - product development - sales strategy - customer service - startup pivots Key Concepts Business strategy market research Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay connected to customers? - What feedback loops improve models? A Different Perspective Innovation without feedback can mislead direction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Perceptions of the world and of other actors diverge from reality in patterns that we can detect and for reasons that we can understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jervis/perceptions-of-the-world-and-of-other-actors-diverge-from-reality-in/) Robert Jervis > [You can know the whole world and still feel lost in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-can-know-the-whole-world-and-still-feel-lost-in-it/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I know enough of the world now to have almost lost the capacity of being much surprised by anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-know-enough-of-the-world-now-to-have-almost-lost-the-capacity-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“We know this world intimately and that is its uncanniness. We cannot bear our knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mura/we-know-this-world-intimately-and-that-is-its-uncanniness-we-cannot/) [David Mura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mura/) > [“its strang how all the things you know about the world- and yourself- can change in a fraction of a second”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-gray/its-strang-how-all-the-things-you-know-about-the-world-and-yourself/) Eva Gray > [We've got so many stories to tell, you know, we could take on the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahoo-serious/we-ve-got-so-many-stories-to-tell-you-know-we-could-take-on-the-world/) [Yahoo Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahoo-serious/) > [“The more I came to know of the world, the more I knew I knew it not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi/the-more-i-came-to-know-of-the-world-the-more-i-knew-i-knew-it-not/) [Avi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi/) > [How do you know what the world is like? Do you know the world is a foul sty? Do you know if you rip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/how-do-you-know-what-the-world-is-like-do-you-know-the-world-is-a/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Take care of yourself - you never know when the world will need you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillel-the-elder/take-care-of-yourself-you-never-know-when-the-world-will-need-you/) [Hillel the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillel-the-elder/) > [“He who would know the world must first manufacture it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/he-who-would-know-the-world-must-first-manufacture-it/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [There's not much you need to know about the world. Except how to use a sword and trust very few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/there-s-not-much-you-need-to-know-about-the-world-except-how-to-use-a/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I was one of those kids who always thought that we should know how the world works around us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-perlmutter/i-was-one-of-those-kids-who-always-thought-that-we-should-know-how/) [Saul Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-perlmutter/) > [“I knew my cases and my genders; I could know everything in the world if I wished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/i-knew-my-cases-and-my-genders-i-could-know-everything-in-the-world/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [It isn't such a bad thing to always know that someone on the other side of the world cares about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/it-isn-t-such-a-bad-thing-to-always-know-that-someone-on-the-other/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Steve Ballmer > [I think PCs are going to continue to shift in form factor. The real question is: What's a PC?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-pcs-are-going-to-continue-to-shift-in-form-factor-the-real/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [There's a lot of Google fascination out there and we share it, and we're going to compete, we're going to compete very, very hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/there-s-a-lot-of-google-fascination-out-there-and-we-share-it-and-we/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I’d like to own Microsoft shares until I either give something to charity or I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-d-like-to-own-microsoft-shares-until-i-either-give-something-to/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I think there are lots of opportunities to improve the product. When you read the press, people say, "Oh, the product needs improvement." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-there-are-lots-of-opportunities-to-improve-the-product-when/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [The way I do things I usually always prefer to have a very clear strategy and be very focused. At the same time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-way-i-do-things-i-usually-always-prefer-to-have-a-very-clear/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Accessible design is good design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/accessible-design-is-good-design/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [At Microsoft I had many years of experience and history and seeing connections. With my direct reports, the job at Microsoft was to delegate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/at-microsoft-i-had-many-years-of-experience-and-history-and-seeing/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [ \[Apple and RIM\] are probably restricted, in some sense, to a certain maximum. ... If you want to reach more people than that, you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/apple-and-rim-are-probably-restricted-in-some-sense-to-a-certain/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [This is all about having great leaders who can drive agile innovation and agile decision-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/this-is-all-about-having-great-leaders-who-can-drive-agile-innovation/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I think the biggest mistake most people make when they pick their first job is they don't worry enough about whether they'll love the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-the-biggest-mistake-most-people-make-when-they-pick-their/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [ I don't think there is one size that fits all \[\] I've been to too many meetings with journalists who spent the first 10… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-don-t-think-there-is-one-size-that-fits-all-i-ve-been-to-too-many/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [In many ways I think the company's doing quite a good job. If you look at the transition to Office 365 we started when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/in-many-ways-i-think-the-company-s-doing-quite-a-good-job-if-you-look/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [The lifeblood of our business is that R&D spend. There's nothing that flows through a pipe or down a wire or anything else. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-lifeblood-of-our-business-is-that-r-d-spend-there-s-nothing-that/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Certainly, we continue to bring in new people. We'll hire, net new, over 4,000 people this year, and attract great people into the company.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/certainly-we-continue-to-bring-in-new-people-we-ll-hire-net-new-over/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) [Explore all 134 Steve Ballmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [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/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can believe that we know where the world should go. But unless we're in touch with our customers, our model of the world can diverge from reality. 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