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“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky (misattributed to Michael Scott), The Office

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky (misattributed to Michael Scott), The Office

By: A Staff Writer

Updated on: Jul 16, 2024

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky (misattributed to Michael Scott), The Office

In The Office, Michael Scott incorrectly attributes this famous quote to himself. However, the original quote by Wayne Gretzky, a legendary hockey player, emphasizes the importance of taking risks and seizing opportunities.

Parallels for Small Businesses/Startups: Entrepreneurship is inherently risky. Avoiding risks due to fear of failure can stifle growth and innovation.

Lessons/Advice:

  1. Embrace Calculated Risk-Taking: Not every opportunity will be successful, but you’ll never know unless you try.
  2. Don’t Fear Failure: Failure is a valuable learning experience. Analyze your missteps and use them to improve your future endeavors.
  3. Seize Opportunities: Opportunities often arise unexpectedly. Be prepared to act decisively and take advantage of them.
  4. Experiment and Innovate: Don’t be afraid to try new things and challenge the status quo. Innovation often comes from taking chances.
  5. Learn from Missed Opportunities: If you pass on an opportunity, reflect on why and use that knowledge to inform future decisions.

To achieve success in business, you need to take calculated risks. Don’t let fear hold you back from seizing opportunities and pursuing your goals.