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Marc Andreessen identified patterns in Decision Making that most people miss. This collection reveals those insights, each quote preserved with full attribution and context. Use it to sharpen your thinking, spot leverage points, and avoid common mistakes. When Decision Making gets complicated, return here for the mental clarity Marc Andreessen would bring to the situation.
"The most successful people are the ones who are constantly learning."
"The cost of delay is usually much higher than the cost of a mistake."
"The most important thing is to keep moving forward."
"The key to making great decisions is to have a diverse set of perspectives."
"Data is a tool, not a replacement for judgment."
"The best way to predict the future is to build it."
"The best decisions are made when you have a clear understanding of the risks involved."
"Great founders are often people who have a very high tolerance for pain."
"Technology is the only way we can create a better world."
"Focus is the most important thing for any startup."
"If you're going to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to be comfortable being misunderstood for long periods of time."
"If you are not making mistakes, you are not taking enough risk."
"Hire the best people and then get out of their way."
"Don't ever follow your passion. Your passion is likely something you’re useless at. Follow your contribution."
"The most important decision you will ever make is who you choose to partner with."
"You have to be willing to kill your darlings."
"Cycle time is the only thing that matters. How fast you can iterate is the key to success."
"In technology, the only constant is change."
"The only thing that matters is getting to product/market fit."
"You can't just innovate on the product; you have to innovate on the business model."
"The most important thing is to be in a great market."
"The market always wins."
"In a great market—a market with lots of real potential customers—the market pulls product out of the startup."
"The biggest risk is not taking one."
"Culture is what people do when no one is looking."
Source: Interview: Ben Horowitz’s The Hard Thing About Hard Things
"We believe that there is no such thing as a bad idea, only ideas that are ahead of their time."
"Markets that don't exist don't care how smart you are."
"The world is a very malleable place. If you know what you want, and you go for it with maximum energy and drive and passion, the world will often even give it to you."
"Don't be afraid to pivot if things aren't working."
"Software is eating the world."
"Success is a function of hard work and luck."
"The only way to win is to be better than the competition."
"Optimism is a strategy for making a better future."
"Being a contrarian is only useful if you are also right."
"The future is already here — it's just not very evenly distributed."
Seeing how Marc Andreessen approaches Decision Making helps you apply the idea with more precision.
Pick one quote to guide a decision today, then return for deeper perspective.
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"Use this collection whenever you need Marc Andreessen's lens on Decision Making."