---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The opportunities and threats existing in…"
description: "\"The opportunities and threats existing in any situation always exceed the resources needed to exploit the opportunities or avoid the threats. Thus, str..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/william-cohen-35984_being-successful_the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-i_635478.jpg"
---

#  The opportunities and threats existing in any situation…

![“The opportunities and threats existing in any situation always exceed the resources needed to exploit the opportunities or avoid the threats. Thus, strategy is essentially a problem of allocating resources. If strategy is to be successful, it must allocate superior resources against a decisive…” quote by William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/william-cohen-35984_being-successful_the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-i_635478.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/william-cohen-35984_being-successful_the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-i_635478.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/william-cohen-35984_being-successful_the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-i_635478.jpg)

> “The opportunities and threats existing in any situation always exceed the resources needed to exploit the opportunities or avoid the threats. Thus, strategy is essentially a problem of allocating resources. If strategy is to be successful, it must allocate superior resources against a decisive opportunity.”

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Effective strategy matches superior resources to decisive opportunities, recognizing that demands exceed supplies.

**In simple terms:** Allocate top resources to key chances.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize wisely.

Themes

strategy resource management opportunity assessment

Mood

analytical strategic

Type

philosophical practical

When to use this quote

- business planning
- military operations
- project management

Key Concepts

allocation theory strategic focus

Questions to Reflect On

- Which opportunity deserves your best resources?
- How do you handle resource scarcity?

A Different Perspective

Resources are limited; not all opportunities can be funded.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Allocating Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allocating-resources-3212734/) [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Exceed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exceed/) [Exploits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploits/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Opportunities Threats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunities-threats-710210/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resources/) [Resources Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resources-strategy-5113928/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Strategy Essentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy-essentially-5113927/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Superiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiors/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Threats Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threats-strategy-5113929/)

## Related quotes

> [“A SWOT analysis involves asking, "What are our strengths and weaknesses? What are our opportunities? What are the threats?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lang/a-swot-analysis-involves-asking-what-are-our-strengths-and-weaknesses/)

[Amanda Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lang/)

> [My fundamental tenets are concerned with freedom of the individual; the market isn't perfect, but it's the best available way of allocating resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/my-fundamental-tenets-are-concerned-with-freedom-of-the-individual/)

[Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/)

> [“Marketing is the art of allocating resources—sending more power to the wheels that are getting traction, sending it away from the ones that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/marketing-is-the-art-of-allocating-resources-sending-more-power-to/)

[Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/)

> [So there you have it: Nature is a rotten mess. But that's only the beginning. If you take your eyes off it for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-goldberg/so-there-you-have-it-nature-is-a-rotten-mess-but-that-s-only-the/)

[Lee Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-goldberg/)

> [When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/when-your-memories-exceed-your-dreams-the-end-is-near/)

[Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/)

> [Why has time disappeared in our culture? How is it that after decades of inventions and new technologies devoted to saving time and labor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-needleman/why-has-time-disappeared-in-our-culture-how-is-it-that-after-decades/)

[Jacob Needleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-needleman/)

> [Nostalgia is also a trait of the organizations that I call lodges - everything from corporate cultures to religious sects. Their bonding power often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/nostalgia-is-also-a-trait-of-the-organizations-that-i-call-lodges/)

[Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/)

> [Truth be told, there are lots of companies that provide exemplary phone support. DirecTV, Virgin America and Apple are a few that regularly exceed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/truth-be-told-there-are-lots-of-companies-that-provide-exemplary/)

[Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/)

> [Hinduism is not just a faith. It is the union of reason and intuition that can not be defined but is only to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/hinduism-is-not-just-a-faith-it-is-the-union-of-reason-and-intuition/)

[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/)

> [I think that freely available software can not only keep up with the evolution of commercial software, but often exceed what you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-think-that-freely-available-software-can-not-only-keep-up-with-the/)

[Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/)

> [It seems we always exceed even our own expectations-after a lot of hard work, though!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-williams/it-seems-we-always-exceed-even-our-own-expectations-after-a-lot-of/)

[Roberta Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-williams/)

> [“The measure of who you are will always exceed measurement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-measure-of-who-you-are-will-always-exceed-measurement/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/)

[Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/)

> [When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/when-the-amount-of-change-externally-exceeds-the-amount-of-change/)

[Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/)

> [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/)

[Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/)

## More by William Cohen

> [Others are engaging even in an eco- type of terrorism whereby they can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes remotely through the use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/others-are-engaging-even-in-an-eco-type-of-terrorism-whereby-they-can/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [First, we must continually reaffirm the principle that the security of the United States is not, and should never be, a partisan matter. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/first-we-must-continually-reaffirm-the-principle-that-the-security-of/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [ Others \[terrorists\] are engaging even in an eco-type of terrorism whereby they can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes remotely through the use… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/others-terrorists-are-engaging-even-in-an-eco-type-of-terrorism/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [My research debunks the myth that many people seem to have . . . that you become a leader by fighting your way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/my-research-debunks-the-myth-that-many-people-seem-to-have-that-you/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [I am absolutely convinced that there are weapons...I saw evidence back in 1998 when we would see the inspectors being barred from gaining entry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/i-am-absolutely-convinced-that-there-are-weapons-i-saw-evidence-back/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [No on should pass an American in uniform without saying "Thank you, we are grateful." Always mindful that they are prepared to risk all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/no-on-should-pass-an-american-in-uniform-without-saying-thank-you-we/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [Taxpayers have spent more than $200 billion in the last decade on computer systems that are antiquated, incompatible, and not doing the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/taxpayers-have-spent-more-than-200-billion-in-the-last-decade-on/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [Government is the enemy until you need a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/government-is-the-enemy-until-you-need-a-friend/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [I believe the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction presents the greatest threat that the world has ever known. We are finding more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/i-believe-the-proliferation-of-weapons-of-mass-destruction-presents/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [The miracle of Grenada is how quickly the Cuban workers beat their plowshares into Soviet AK-47s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/the-miracle-of-grenada-is-how-quickly-the-cuban-workers-beat-their/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [We have to yet really seriously debate the constitutional issues and whether or not we're willing to give up more freedom in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/we-have-to-yet-really-seriously-debate-the-constitutional-issues-and/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

> [A firm that continues to employ a previously successful strategy eventually and inevitably falls victim to a competitor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/a-firm-that-continues-to-employ-a-previously-successful-strategy/)

[William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

[Explore all 13 William Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/)

## More Being successful quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/)

[Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/)

> [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/)

[Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/)

> [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/)

[Chris Kirubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirubi/)

> [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/)

[Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/)

> [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/)

[Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/)

> [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/)

[Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/)

> [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/)

[Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/)

> [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/)

[Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/)

> [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/)

[James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/)

> [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/)

[Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/)

> [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/)

[Blair Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-hull/)

[Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The opportunities and threats existing in any situation always exceed the resources needed to exploit the opportunities or avoid the threats. Thus, strategy is essentially a problem of allocating resources. If strategy is to be successful, it must allocate superior resources against a decisive opportunity.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Cohen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-in-any-situation-always-exceed/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Being successful"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-in-any-situation-always-exceed/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/william-cohen-35984_being-successful_the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-i_635478.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/william-cohen-35984_being-successful_the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-i_635478.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/william-cohen-35984_being-successful_the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-i_635478.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The opportunities and threats existing in any situation always exceed the resources needed to exploit the…” — William Cohen",
                "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": "William Cohen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The opportunities and threats existing in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-in-any-situation-always-exceed/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/the-opportunities-and-threats-existing-in-any-situation-always-exceed/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
