--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Business is all about learning to balance…" description: "\"Business is all about learning to balance the short-term, medium-term and long-term and I think it's when things are going well it covers up a lot of m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/tony-hsieh-6336_bad-decision_business-is-all-about-learning-to-balanc_2544228.png" --- # Business is all about learning to balance the short-term… ![“Business is all about learning to balance the short-term, medium-term and long-term and I think it's when things are going well it covers up a lot of mistakes and bad decisions because you're growing so quickly.” quote by Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/tony-hsieh-6336_bad-decision_business-is-all-about-learning-to-balanc_2544228.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/tony-hsieh-6336_bad-decision_business-is-all-about-learning-to-balanc_2544228.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/tony-hsieh-6336_bad-decision_business-is-all-about-learning-to-balanc_2544228.png) > “Business is all about learning to balance the short-term, medium-term and long-term and I think it's when things are going well it covers up a lot of mistakes and bad decisions because you're growing so quickly.” [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing short, medium, and long‑term goals is essential; rapid growth can hide errors. **In simple terms:** Balance short, medium, long terms Key Takeaway Plan for all time horizons. Themes strategy growth balance Mood analytical pragmatic Type business leadership When to use this quote - startup scaling - financial forecasting - product development Key Concepts business planning risk management Questions to Reflect On - How do you monitor long‑term health while scaling? - What metrics reveal hidden mistakes? A Different Perspective Rapid growth may amplify hidden flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-decision/) [Bad decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-decisions/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-learning-1460877/) [Cover ups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cover-ups/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decisions Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions-growing-1460878/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing Quickly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-quickly-1460876/) [Learning Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-balance-1214010/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Medium Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medium-term-1460879/) [Mediums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediums/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Short term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [After 39 years of business, I'm still learning. I go through this every year -identifying new strategies that are extremely important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-deluca/after-39-years-of-business-i-m-still-learning-i-go-through-this-every/) [Fred DeLuca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-deluca/) > [It certainly would be helpful going forward for deficit reduction efforts to focus on the medium term while not subtracting from the impetus we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/it-certainly-would-be-helpful-going-forward-for-deficit-reduction/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [It is important to recognise near- and medium-term risks to the inflation outlook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urjit-patel/it-is-important-to-recognise-near-and-medium-term-risks-to-the/) [Urjit Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urjit-patel/) > [My dad probably gave me the best advice growing up. I think it's really just keeping your cool in situations and learning to balance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassie-steele/my-dad-probably-gave-me-the-best-advice-growing-up-i-think-it-s/) [Cassie Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassie-steele/) > [Everyone out there is growing up too quickly, university does give you responsibility but you're still learning and you have time to go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-collins/everyone-out-there-is-growing-up-too-quickly-university-does-give-you/) [Gemma Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-collins/) > [I have fun when I want to have fun, but I am learning how to balance my life out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-electra/i-have-fun-when-i-want-to-have-fun-but-i-am-learning-how-to-balance/) [Carmen Electra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-electra/) > [China is growing very quickly and is clearly becoming an important player in the world economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/china-is-growing-very-quickly-and-is-clearly-becoming-an-important/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [The rest of the world is growing so quickly, they'll be looking for anything to buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-milken/the-rest-of-the-world-is-growing-so-quickly-they-ll-be-looking-for/) [Michael Milken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-milken/) > [I'm just growing so quickly, so my songs are quickly changing on me. But it's fine. I love them for what they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-m-just-growing-so-quickly-so-my-songs-are-quickly-changing-on-me/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [“The magic is in learning the balance between when to want to control things and when to go with the flow. ~Harper”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridie-hall/the-magic-is-in-learning-the-balance-between-when-to-want-to-control/) [Bridie Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridie-hall/) > [“A brick could be used to teach men how to dance, by learning balance. But a blanket could also teach men how to dance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-to-teach-men-how-to-dance-by-learning-balance/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Babies breathe a lot more rapidly than adults do, and what's more, they're also growing quickly and so they're absorbing lots more into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-thompson/babies-breathe-a-lot-more-rapidly-than-adults-do-and-what-s-more-they/) [Francis Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-thompson/) > [That is definitely the biggest challenge, career and family, and learning how to balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/granger-smith/that-is-definitely-the-biggest-challenge-career-and-family-and/) [Granger Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/granger-smith/) > [Guard yourself and your conscience no one else will and know that a bad decision at the right time can destroy you far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/guard-yourself-and-your-conscience-no-one-else-will-and-know-that-a/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [Taking chances for the people you care most about is easy. It's hard to take chances that might mean making bad decisions. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walker/taking-chances-for-the-people-you-care-most-about-is-easy-it-s-hard/) [Paul Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walker/) ## More by Tony Hsieh > [Things are never as bad or as good as they seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/things-are-never-as-bad-or-as-good-as-they-seem/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [After what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached the summit just as the sun was rising. I couldn't believe that we had actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/after-what-seemed-like-an-eternity-we-finally-reached-the-summit-just/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Branding Through Customer Service Over the years, the number one driver of our growth at Zappos has been repeat customers and word of mouth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/branding-through-customer-service-over-the-years-the-number-one/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [If I was going to go into an office I wanted it to be with people I would choose to be around even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/if-i-was-going-to-go-into-an-office-i-wanted-it-to-be-with-people-i/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Never accept or be too comfortable with the status quo, because the companies that get into trouble are historically the ones that aren't able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/never-accept-or-be-too-comfortable-with-the-status-quo-because-the/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Have fun. The game is a lot more enjoyable when you're trying to do more than just make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/have-fun-the-game-is-a-lot-more-enjoyable-when-you-re-trying-to-do/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Our belief is that if you get the culture right, most of the other stuff, like great customer service, or building a great long-term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/our-belief-is-that-if-you-get-the-culture-right-most-of-the-other/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Twitter is like hugging. Just because it's hard to measure the return on investment doesn't mean there isn't value there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/twitter-is-like-hugging-just-because-it-s-hard-to-measure-the-return/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Sorry, investing was pretty boring and I really missed being part of building something. I felt like I was always standing on the sidelines,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/sorry-investing-was-pretty-boring-and-i-really-missed-being-part-of/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Problems are just mile markers. Each one we pass means we've gotten better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/problems-are-just-mile-markers-each-one-we-pass-means-we-ve-gotten/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [I think when people say they dread going into work on Monday morning, it's because they know they are leaving a piece of themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/i-think-when-people-say-they-dread-going-into-work-on-monday-morning/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [“that your business can avoid making some of the same ones.   7. You want to figure out the right balance of profits, passion, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/that-your-business-can-avoid-making-some-of-the-same-ones-7-you-want/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Inspire other communities and cities to reinvent themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/inspire-other-communities-and-cities-to-reinvent-themselves/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Learn by doing. Theory is nice, but nothing replaces actual experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/learn-by-doing-theory-is-nice-but-nothing-replaces-actual-experience/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Most companies are very quick to hire and slow to fire, when really it should be the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/most-companies-are-very-quick-to-hire-and-slow-to-fire-when-really-it/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) [Explore all 99 Tony Hsieh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) ## More Bad decision quotes > [Taking chances for the people you care most about is easy. It's hard to take chances that might mean making bad decisions. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walker/taking-chances-for-the-people-you-care-most-about-is-easy-it-s-hard/) [Paul Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walker/) > [Guard yourself and your conscience no one else will and know that a bad decision at the right time can destroy you far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/guard-yourself-and-your-conscience-no-one-else-will-and-know-that-a/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [Nothing's a bad decision. As long as you're happy, nothing matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-s-a-bad-decision-as-long-as-you-re-happy-nothing-matters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no waste in the world that equals the waste from needless, ill-directed, and ineffective motions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bunker-gilbreth-sr/there-is-no-waste-in-the-world-that-equals-the-waste-from-needless/) [Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bunker-gilbreth-sr/) > [Men in their late 50s often make very bad decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/men-in-their-late-50s-often-make-very-bad-decisions/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [Don't mourn over your bad decisions. Just start overcoming them with good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/don-t-mourn-over-your-bad-decisions-just-start-overcoming-them-with/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [If someone you know makes a bad decision or uses bad judgment, it doesn't mean you have to allow that to alter your attitude.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/if-someone-you-know-makes-a-bad-decision-or-uses-bad-judgment-it/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Power doesn't corrupt. It's neutral. Someone always wants to corrupt power. It's the way a shotgun is not a deadly weapon until someone chooses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ditko/power-doesn-t-corrupt-it-s-neutral-someone-always-wants-to-corrupt/) [Steve Ditko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ditko/) > [You need to be empathetic in your own personal life and we help our neighbors and our friends out who are struggling in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/you-need-to-be-empathetic-in-your-own-personal-life-and-we-help-our/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [But with your life you make a few bad decisions, get unlucky a few times, whatever, but you have to keep going, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/but-with-your-life-you-make-a-few-bad-decisions-get-unlucky-a-few/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [Even the simplest things, I'm guilty of making really bad decisions a lot of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-williams/even-the-simplest-things-i-m-guilty-of-making-really-bad-decisions-a/) [Michelle Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-williams/) > [I admit to have made some bad decision in the initial stage of my career and paid the price. I can't afford to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-rama-rao-jr/i-admit-to-have-made-some-bad-decision-in-the-initial-stage-of-my/) [N. T. Rama Rao, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-rama-rao-jr/) > [“One bad decision is like building a long line of dominoes and then sneezing and not turning your head”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-kent/one-bad-decision-is-like-building-a-long-line-of-dominoes-and-then/) [Julia Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-kent/) > [“She is the embodiment of a bad decision. The twin of danger and desire. The fine line between deadly and divine. And I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-roberts/she-is-the-embodiment-of-a-bad-decision-the-twin-of-danger-and-desire/) [Lauren Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-roberts/) > [So much of what I've learned, so much of what's good in my life, was learned because something bad happened, or from making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/so-much-of-what-i-ve-learned-so-much-of-what-s-good-in-my-life-was/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) [Browse all 153 Bad decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Business is all about learning to balance the short-term, medium-term and long-term and I think it's when things are going well it covers up a lot of mistakes and bad decisions because you're growing so quickly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Hsieh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/business-is-all-about-learning-to-balance-the-short-term-medium-term/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad decision" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/business-is-all-about-learning-to-balance-the-short-term-medium-term/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/tony-hsieh-6336_bad-decision_business-is-all-about-learning-to-balanc_2544228.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/tony-hsieh-6336_bad-decision_business-is-all-about-learning-to-balanc_2544228.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/tony-hsieh-6336_bad-decision_business-is-all-about-learning-to-balanc_2544228.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Business is all about learning to balance the short-term, medium-term and long-term and I think it's when…” — Tony Hsieh", "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": "Tony Hsieh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Business is all about learning to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/business-is-all-about-learning-to-balance-the-short-term-medium-term/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/business-is-all-about-learning-to-balance-the-short-term-medium-term/#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 } } ] } ```