20 Yogi Berra Quotes That Apply to Business
Yogi Berra was an American professional baseball player who was born in 1925 and died in 2015. He played for 19 seasons, including 18 for the New York Yankees. After his playing career ended, he became a manager and a coach, which involved him inspiring and motivating others. Therefore, he said many things that are now used as quotes to apply to a variety of situations. Many of these can apply to business environments. Here are 20 Yogi Berra quotes that apply to business.
20. On the Importance of Observation
“You can observe a lot by watching.”
Learning is a continuous journey when you are in business. One way of learning is through observation. There are many different elements of a business that you can observe as part of your learning experience. Just some examples include observing how successful business operates, observing changes to your target market, and watching how your team works.
19. On Not Admitting Defeat
“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”
Listed on Goalcast, this quote highlights that you should not admit defeat. Things will not always go right in your business, but you should not see it as a failure and just give up. Instead, fight your way through the hurdles and make sure you come out on top.
18. On Making Your Own Choices
“If you can’t imitate him, don’t copy him.”
A mistake that many people make is to try to become a success simply by copying someone who has become successful. It is likely that the reason they became a success is that they used their own skills and experiences, found their own niche, and did something about which they were passionate. By copying them, you are simply competing directly with something that is well-established. It is important to be yourself, use your strengths, and find your own niche in the market.
17. On Planning Ahead
“If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else”.
Although there are a lot of uncertainties in business, you make your business journey run much more smoothly if you make plans. A failure to make plans can stop you from reaching your goals and can also lead you to experience more problems along the way. Set yourself short-term and long-term goals, and put strategies in place that will ensure you meet your targets.
16. On Trying New Strategies
“I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats.”
This Yogi Berra quote listed on Inspiration Feed highlights the importance of trying different strategies. When things go wrong, it is not always necessary to apportion blame. It is more important to change your approach so that you can have positive outcomes.
15. On Finding the Right Time to Do Things
“You don’t have to swing hard to hit a home run. If you got the timing, it’ll go.”
One thing that can impact the success of your business is timing. Choosing the right time to launch a business, start a project or introduce a new product or service will have a significant difference to your long-term success. Sometimes, you will need to run with an idea straight away, and at other times, it is best to wait.
14. On Appreciating Your Success
“I’m lucky. Usually, you’re dead to get your own museum, but I’m still alive to see mine.”
Don’t wait until the end of your life to look back and appreciate your own success and achievements. You should start appreciating what you have achieved now. This is not only because you should feel proud of your achievements, but also because looking at your success can keep you motivated to continue in the same manner.
13. On Striving to Improve
“Somebody’s gotta win, somebody’s gotta lose. Just don’t fight about. Just try to get better.”
Everyone has weaknesses, and this means that everyone has room for self-improvement. If you feel as though you are not succeeding in a particular area of your business, consider what improvements you need to make to yourself to help you succeed. Even making small changes, such as learning a new skill or adapting your approach, can make a big difference.
12. On Not Stressing Over Little Things
“Take it with a grain of salt.”
In business, you will experience a lot of highs and lows. When there are big issues, you will need to focus your time and efforts on resolving the problem. You will also have many minor problems along the way. It is important not to stress too much about these minor problems, or you will constantly feel worried and stressed. Try to take it in your stride, or like Yogi Berra says, with a grain of salt.
11. On Accepting There Are Unknowns in Business
“It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”
Planning is a vital element in running a successful business. This will help you to remain focused on what you need to do and when you need to do it. However, there are many unpredictable aspects of running a business. It is important that you recognize this fact so that you can prepare for the unknown. By accepting that you cannot have full control over everything that happens, you will feel less stressed when unexpected situations arise.
10. On Persevering to Reach Your Goals
“It’s not too far; it just seems like it is.”
Most people in business set themselves both personal and professional goals. These can include both short-term and long-term targets. Sometimes, it can feel like you are a million miles away from reaching your goals, and you may feel as though you will never achieve your aims. You must take things one step at a time and persevere. Eventually, you will get to the stage you want and reach your goals.
9.On Not Overthinking
“How can you think and hit at the same time?”
Putting thought into the things you do and the decisions you make is an essential part of being a business leader. On the other hand, it is sometimes a mistake to overthink things. This can slow you down and lead to you anticipating problems that are unlikely to ever happen. Dithering over decisions can also contribute to you missing exciting opportunities that could progress your business further.
8. On Learning from Others
“Bill Dickey is learning me his experience.”
USA Today lists this as one of the best Yogi Berra quotes. Although his grammar in this quote is appalling, he does make a very good point. There is a lot that people can learn from those who have sound business experience, especially if they work in your industry. Not only should you learn from their success, but also for the mistakes they made along the way. There are a lot of positives that you can draw from learning from the mistakes of others.
7. On Having Drive
“I wish everybody had the drive he (Joe DiMaggio) had. He never did anything wrong on the field.”
To become a success, you need to have some drive. This is a common trait amongst successful people, and it is something that not everyone has. If you do not have any drive and a passion for what you do, then it is unlikely you will ever succeed.
6. On Accepting Your Weaknesses
“So I’m ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face.”
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and identifying your own is an essential part of getting to where you want. Yogi Berra knew that his looks were not his best feature, but that did not stop him from being a successful baseball player, coach, and manager. This was because his looks were something that he did not need in his career. Likewise, it doesn’t matter if you have personal weaknesses as it is more important that you have the right strengths to progress. Your weaknesses are something that you can work on in the future. If your weaknesses are in areas that are important to your business, then make sure you have people in your team with strengths in these areas to compensate for weaknesses.
5. On Challenging the Competition
“The other teams could make trouble for us if they win.”
This Yogi Berra quote talks about the competition in baseball from other teams. Regardless of the type of business you are in, you should always make sure you are aware of your competition. This should start even before you have launched a business, as you should research the competition that is out there. Tracking your competition’s progress, strengths, weaknesses, target market, and strategies will help you to plan how to run your own business. Also, you can plan tactics to make your business stand apart from its competition.
4. On Learning Through Experience
“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.”
There are two main ways of learning- theory, and practice. Learning from books will only give you the foundation knowledge you need to run a business. Most of the learning you will have about running a business will come from your own experiences of running a business. There are many aspects of running a business that you can only learn through getting hands-on. Even the mistakes you make are a useful part of your learning.
3. On Overcoming the Hard Times
“Slump? I ain’t in no slump… I just ain’t hitting.”
It is possible that you may hit a few lows during your career when things aren’t going as planned. At these times, you must try to think positively and stay motivated. Seeing the hard times as failures can put you into a mindset that could potentially lead to the end of your business creams. Having the ability to remain positive even when things are bad can help you to move past that situation and to embrace the next challenges you face. There are often positive elements to experiencing a setback, such as learning from your mistakes or realizing that you are a strong person who can overcome difficult situations.
2. On Using the Skills of Your Team
“If you got a guy who can play a few positions, it can help you out a real lot.”
Even if you are in a senior position or the leader of the business, there is not only you that can drive the business forwards. Your team can also play a significant role in your success. Each member of your team has different areas of experience, knowledge, skills, and strengths. You should make sure you are aware of what each of them can offer so that you can utilize them to your best advantage. If you are lucky, you will have individuals in your team with a wide array of skills and experiences that you can use. You should always acknowledge any valuable contributions people make to your business as this will keep them motivated and you will gain their respect.
1. On Taking Chances
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
According to Brainy Quote, this is one of the best Yogi Berra quotes, and it is the perfect example of the goofy things the baseball player became famous for saying. At different stages of your business journey, you will reach a point when there are decisions to make, and these decisions may have the potential to change the course of your business forever, either positively or negatively. Sometimes, you must take a chance and go for it. Those who are the most successful in business are sometimes the ones who have been willing and brave enough to take the biggest risks.
