--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Smart growth is having the courage to say…" description: "\"Smart growth is having the courage to say yes and having the courage to say no.\" — Tom Perez" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/tom-perez-2700_change_smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-sa_2777711.jpg" --- # Smart growth is having the courage to say yes and having… ![“Smart growth is having the courage to say yes and having the courage to say no.” quote by Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/tom-perez-2700_change_smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-sa_2777711.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/tom-perez-2700_change_smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-sa_2777711.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/tom-perez-2700_change_smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-sa_2777711.jpg) > “Smart growth is having the courage to say yes and having the courage to say no.” [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective growth requires both openness to opportunities and the discipline to decline unsuitable ones. **In simple terms:** Growth needs saying yes and no wisely. Key Takeaway Balance openness with discernment. Themes leadership decision‑making growth Mood motivational strategic Type inspirational pragmatic When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - personal development Key Concepts courage strategic thinking Questions to Reflect On - When should you say no? - How do you evaluate opportunities? A Different Perspective Over‑acceptance can dilute focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smart growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-growth/) ## Related quotes > [“Having the courage to say the truth, unabashedly, is the hardest part of writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-moncel/having-the-courage-to-say-the-truth-unabashedly-is-the-hardest-part/) Carolyn Moncel > [“Having the courage to say no to the little things in life will give you the power to say yes to the big things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/having-the-courage-to-say-no-to-the-little-things-in-life-will-give/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [Having the courage to say no when all your friends are saying yes is one of the most difficult things you'll ever have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-covey/having-the-courage-to-say-no-when-all-your-friends-are-saying-yes-is/) [Sean Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-covey/) > [Democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive it. Convenience and decency cannot survive it. As you put more and more people into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/democracy-cannot-survive-overpopulation-human-dignity-cannot-survive-2/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Conservation means development as much as it does protection. I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-means-development-as-much-as-it-does-protection-i/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [High-tech employers recognize that we will only be as successful as the employees that we attract. When it comes to transportation, environmental, housing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-guardino/high-tech-employers-recognize-that-we-will-only-be-as-successful-as/) Carl Guardino > [In the name of the bee And of the butterfly And of the breeze, amen!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/in-the-name-of-the-bee-and-of-the-butterfly-and-of-the-breeze-amen/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > ['Smart growth' destroys the environment. 'Dumb growth' destroys the environment. The only difference is that 'smart growth' does it with good taste. It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-allen-bartlett/smart-growth-destroys-the-environment-dumb-growth-destroys-the/) [Albert Allen Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-allen-bartlett/) > [The Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group strongly supports green-line policies, because the only way to attract top level employees and their families is to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-guardino/the-silicon-valley-manufacturing-group-strongly-supports-green-line/) Carl Guardino > [The image of a community is fundamentally important to its economic well-being. If all places look alike, there's no reason to go anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mcmahon/the-image-of-a-community-is-fundamentally-important-to-its-economic/) [Ed McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mcmahon/) > [The future economic success of Silicon Valley will be contingent on whether we have a good quality of life. World-class workers will only want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-guardino/the-future-economic-success-of-silicon-valley-will-be-contingent-on/) Carl Guardino > [I think we can save a lot of money if we do smart growth, where we build the homes and all of this closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-think-we-can-save-a-lot-of-money-if-we-do-smart-growth-where-we/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [You have to believe in happiness, or happiness never comes Ah, that's the reason a bird can sing - On his darkest day he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/you-have-to-believe-in-happiness-or-happiness-never-comes-ah-that-s/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [The silence of a shut park does not sound like the country silence; it is tense and confined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bowen/the-silence-of-a-shut-park-does-not-sound-like-the-country-silence-it/) [Elizabeth Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bowen/) > [The sun was warm but the wind was chill. You know how it is with an April day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-sun-was-warm-but-the-wind-was-chill-you-know-how-it-is-with-an-2/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) ## More by Tom Perez > [Companies are recognizing that paid leave reduces training and turnover costs, that it's a formula for recruiting and retaining good workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/companies-are-recognizing-that-paid-leave-reduces-training-and/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [I was in the U.K. and Germany and went to Volkswagen and learned about their apprenticeship model - young people become paid apprentices in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/i-was-in-the-u-k-and-germany-and-went-to-volkswagen-and-learned-about/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [We need bold leadership to bring America back to its first principles of diversity inclusion and opportunity for everyone in every ZIP Code, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/we-need-bold-leadership-to-bring-america-back-to-its-first-principles/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [As America prepared for war in 1941, discrimination largely shut black Americans out of job opportunities in the growing defense industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/as-america-prepared-for-war-in-1941-discrimination-largely-shut-black/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [I am proud of our diversity, and when you attack the federal workforce, you are having significant impact on women - many of whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/i-am-proud-of-our-diversity-and-when-you-attack-the-federal-workforce/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [Here's the reality: when Hillary Clinton won the nomination, the DNC handed her insufficient and substandard tools for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/here-s-the-reality-when-hillary-clinton-won-the-nomination-the-dnc/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [I think our big tent is our greatest strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/i-think-our-big-tent-is-our-greatest-strength/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [The best way to promote and protect opportunity is through collaboration, consensus-building, and pragmatic problem-solving. Throughout nearly 30 years in public service, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/the-best-way-to-promote-and-protect-opportunity-is-through/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [When you put more money in the pockets of working families, they spend it on groceries, gas, school supplies, and other goods and services.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/when-you-put-more-money-in-the-pockets-of-working-families-they-spend/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [Our universal message of access to economic opportunity resonates with the ironworker in northeastern Ohio and the immigrant in South Florida. And we sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/our-universal-message-of-access-to-economic-opportunity-resonates/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [We have a long and proud tradition as a nation of investing in our human capital so that we can build a thriving middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/we-have-a-long-and-proud-tradition-as-a-nation-of-investing-in-our/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [There's this notion out there - and it's a categorically false notion - that the only business model in the service industry is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/there-s-this-notion-out-there-and-it-s-a-categorically-false-notion/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [My father earned his citizenship by serving in the Army during World War II. He devoted his life to caring for our nations veterans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/my-father-earned-his-citizenship-by-serving-in-the-army-during-world/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [If you're one car accident away from poverty, you're on a high wire without a safety net. And that's a challenging proposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/if-you-re-one-car-accident-away-from-poverty-you-re-on-a-high-wire/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [We're building a movement. It's undeniably a work in progress, but there's a fundamental desire to see capitalism to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/we-re-building-a-movement-it-s-undeniably-a-work-in-progress-but/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) [Explore all 153 Tom Perez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [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/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Smart growth is having the courage to say yes and having the courage to say no.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Perez" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-say-yes-and-having-the-courage/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-say-yes-and-having-the-courage/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/tom-perez-2700_change_smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-sa_2777711.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/tom-perez-2700_change_smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-sa_2777711.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/tom-perez-2700_change_smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-sa_2777711.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Smart growth is having the courage to say yes and having the courage to say no.” — Tom Perez", "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": "Tom Perez", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Smart growth is having the courage...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-say-yes-and-having-the-courage/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/smart-growth-is-having-the-courage-to-say-yes-and-having-the-courage/#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 } } ] } ```