--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Deciding what not to do is as important…" description: "\"Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.\" — Steve Jobs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/steve-jobs-307_deciding_deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important_56802.jpg" --- # Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what… ![“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” quote by Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/steve-jobs-307_deciding_deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important_56802.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/steve-jobs-307_deciding_deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important_56802.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/steve-jobs-307_deciding_deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important_56802.jpg) > “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing which actions to avoid is as crucial as selecting actions to pursue, because it shapes focus and resource allocation. **In simple terms:** Prioritizing avoidance is key. Key Takeaway Strategic omission drives success. Themes decision making focus prioritization resource management strategy Mood determined focused pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - project planning - personal productivity - business strategy - team management - product development Key Concepts opportunity cost self-discipline goal setting Practical Applications - identifying low-impact tasks - streamlining workflows Questions to Reflect On - What tasks could you eliminate to improve outcomes? - How does saying no shape your long-term goals? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on avoidance can lead to missed opportunities if not balanced with proactive experimentation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [Deciding what to be is more important than deciding what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/deciding-what-to-be-is-more-important-than-deciding-what-to-do/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Research is especially important when we're deciding on a new menu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-takia/research-is-especially-important-when-we-re-deciding-on-a-new-menu/) [Ayesha Takia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-takia/) > [Human life is purely a matter of deciding what's important to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/human-life-is-purely-a-matter-of-deciding-what-s-important-to-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One of Job's great strengths was knowing how to focus. " Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/one-of-job-s-great-strengths-was-knowing-how-to-focus-deciding-what/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“An important part of deciding where we want to go, as a society and culture, is knowing where we have come from, and indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/an-important-part-of-deciding-where-we-want-to-go-as-a-society-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly. I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-i-look-good-when-i-go-out-publicly-i/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) > [The most important thing is a person. A person who incites your curiosity and feeds your curiosity; and machines cannot do that in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-most-important-thing-is-a-person-a-person-who-incites-your/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The work of deciding cases goes on every day in hundreds of courts throughout the land. Any judge, one might suppose, would find it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-work-of-deciding-cases-goes-on-every-day-in-hundreds-of-courts/) [Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/) > [My goal is to leave the producer with so many good takes, that he or she has a tough time deciding on the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-paulsen/my-goal-is-to-leave-the-producer-with-so-many-good-takes-that-he-or/) [Rob Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-paulsen/) > [I was born with this love for music, and I say 'born with' because I don't really remember a day waking up and deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/i-was-born-with-this-love-for-music-and-i-say-born-with-because-i-don/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [Getting what you want means deciding what youll give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/getting-what-you-want-means-deciding-what-youll-give-up/) Senoraroy > [One of the hardest parts of life is deciding to walk away or try harder...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-life-is-deciding-to-walk-away-or-try/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The hardest thing is deciding what I should tell you and what not to. Well, anyway, I've got a while yet before you're old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-connor/the-hardest-thing-is-deciding-what-i-should-tell-you-and-what-not-to/) [Sarah Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-connor/) > [When a new idea comes our way, we must put it on our mental scales and weigh it carefully before deciding its value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/when-a-new-idea-comes-our-way-we-must-put-it-on-our-mental-scales-and/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [My faith is central to who I am as a human being, not just as an actor - so it informs every decision I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-mcdonough/my-faith-is-central-to-who-i-am-as-a-human-being-not-just-as-an-actor/) [Neal McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-mcdonough/) ## More by Steve Jobs > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I admire Mark Zuckerberg... for not selling out, for wanting to make a company. I admire that a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-admire-mark-zuckerberg-for-not-selling-out-for-wanting-to-make-a/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [If you want to hire great people and have them stay, you have to be run by ideas, not hierarchy. The best ideas have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-you-want-to-hire-great-people-and-have-them-stay-you-have-to-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/everything-around-you-that-you-call-life-was-made-up-by-people-that/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Innovation is not about saying yes to everything. It's about saying NO to all but the most crucial features.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/innovation-is-not-about-saying-yes-to-everything-it-s-about-saying-no/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [When you first start off trying to solve a problem, the first solutions you come up with are very complex, and most people stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/when-you-first-start-off-trying-to-solve-a-problem-the-first/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I'm not dismissing the value of higher education; I'm simply saying it comes at the expense of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-m-not-dismissing-the-value-of-higher-education-i-m-simply-saying-it/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“To YoYo Ma: "You playing is the best argument I've ever heard for the existence of God, because I don't really believe a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/to-yoyo-ma-you-playing-is-the-best-argument-i-ve-ever-heard-for-the/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The most important thing is a person. A person who incites your curiosity and feeds your curiosity; and machines cannot do that in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-most-important-thing-is-a-person-a-person-who-incites-your/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The tragedy is that Dell didn't win it - we lost it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-tragedy-is-that-dell-didn-t-win-it-we-lost-it/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“I think great artists and great engineers are similar, in that they both have a desire to express themselves. In fact some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-think-great-artists-and-great-engineers-are-similar-in-that-they/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It's rare that you see an artist in his 30s or 40s able to really contribute something amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-rare-that-you-see-an-artist-in-his-30s-or-40s-able-to-really/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [We're going to be able to ask our computers to monitor things for us, and when certain conditions happen, are triggered, the computers will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/we-re-going-to-be-able-to-ask-our-computers-to-monitor-things-for-us/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) [Explore all 695 Steve Jobs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## More Deciding quotes > [It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly. I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-i-look-good-when-i-go-out-publicly-i/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) > [When a new idea comes our way, we must put it on our mental scales and weigh it carefully before deciding its value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/when-a-new-idea-comes-our-way-we-must-put-it-on-our-mental-scales-and/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [The hardest thing is deciding what I should tell you and what not to. Well, anyway, I've got a while yet before you're old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-connor/the-hardest-thing-is-deciding-what-i-should-tell-you-and-what-not-to/) [Sarah Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-connor/) > [One of the hardest parts of life is deciding to walk away or try harder...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-life-is-deciding-to-walk-away-or-try/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My goal is to leave the producer with so many good takes, that he or she has a tough time deciding on the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-paulsen/my-goal-is-to-leave-the-producer-with-so-many-good-takes-that-he-or/) [Rob Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-paulsen/) > [The work of deciding cases goes on every day in hundreds of courts throughout the land. Any judge, one might suppose, would find it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-work-of-deciding-cases-goes-on-every-day-in-hundreds-of-courts/) [Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/) > [My faith is central to who I am as a human being, not just as an actor - so it informs every decision I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-mcdonough/my-faith-is-central-to-who-i-am-as-a-human-being-not-just-as-an-actor/) [Neal McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-mcdonough/) > [I was born with this love for music, and I say 'born with' because I don't really remember a day waking up and deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/i-was-born-with-this-love-for-music-and-i-say-born-with-because-i-don/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [Getting what you want means deciding what youll give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/getting-what-you-want-means-deciding-what-youll-give-up/) Senoraroy > [It is easy to decide on what is wrong to wear to a party, such as deep-sea diving equipment or a pair of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-easy-to-decide-on-what-is-wrong-to-wear-to-a-party-such-as-deep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Faith isn't figuring out what we're able to do, it's deciding what we're going to do - even when we think we can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/faith-isn-t-figuring-out-what-we-re-able-to-do-it-s-deciding-what-we/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“We’re making our decisions … or so we think. Yet in truth, ignorance, greed, and the scourge of immediate gratification are often the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/we-re-making-our-decisions-or-so-we-think-yet-in-truth-ignorance/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Attention is the fundamental instrument we use for learning, thinking, communicating, deciding, yet neither parents nor schools spend any time helping young people learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/attention-is-the-fundamental-instrument-we-use-for-learning-thinking/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [When I'm deciding to read a book, I never open to the first chapter, because that's been revised and worked over 88 times. I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hiaasen/when-i-m-deciding-to-read-a-book-i-never-open-to-the-first-chapter/) [Carl Hiaasen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hiaasen/) > [“...it calls for deciding things on their own merit, not because you read it or were told it or grew up believing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/it-calls-for-deciding-things-on-their-own-merit-not-because-you-read/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) Browse all 259 Deciding quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Jobs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important-as-deciding-what-to-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deciding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important-as-deciding-what-to-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/steve-jobs-307_deciding_deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important_56802.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/steve-jobs-307_deciding_deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important_56802.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/steve-jobs-307_deciding_deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important_56802.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” — Steve Jobs", "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": "Steve Jobs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Deciding what not to do is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important-as-deciding-what-to-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important-as-deciding-what-to-do/#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 } } ] } ```