20 Thomas Jefferson Quotes That Apply to Business
Thomas Jefferson was a statesman, diplomat, architect, lawyer, and philosopher. However, he is best known for being a founding father and for serving as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. Jefferson was born in Virginia in 1743, and he died in July 1826. Due to his position as a leader, he was a very influential man during his lifetime, and his quotes are still used today to change people’s mindset and to motivate them in various situations. Here are 20 Thomas Jefferson quotes that apply to business.
20. On Taking Your Time
“Delay is preferable to error.”
According to this Thomas Jefferson quote listed on Brainy Quote, it is sometimes better to take your time over a task. When you are keen and motivated, you may rush through things in your determination to get to the end goal. However, rushing in this manner can potentially lead to mistakes. In the end, you will not have saved time by hurrying, as you must go back and rectify your errors. Instead, take a steady approach to your tasks and get them right the first time. You will then have no need to rectify a bad situation.
19. On Enjoying Your Work
“It is neither wealth nor splendor, but tranquillity and occupation which give you happiness.”
You will spend a lot of your time in a working environment, so it is important you are doing something you enjoy. Even if your business is commercially and financially successful, you will take little pleasure in it if you have not enjoyed the journey to success. Having a passion for what you do professionally is essential.
18. On Training
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
Your team is a vital element of your success, so it is essential that they are fully equipped to fulfill their roles. This involves making sure they have the appropriate training to complete everything that is expected of them. It is not always necessary to implement formal training, as there are plenty of ways you can provide learning opportunities in the workplace daily. For example, your team members will each have different skills and experiences, and they can each teach the rest of the team what they know as they are completing projects together.
17. On Not Being Idle
“Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want for time who never loses any.”
If things are going well, it is easy to become complacent and to stop putting in the time and effort to maintain the success of your business. Stop wasting time and never allow yourself to become idle. You should continue to work hard at all times, or you may find yourself in a situation where your business success begins to deteriorate.
16. On Putting in the Effort
“Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching.”
At all times, you should put your best effort into completing every task. This even applies to the little things that may seem inconsequential. A lack of effort can lead to mistakes or aspects of your business not being as good as they should. If you have put effort into everything you do, then you can take pride in yourself and your business.
15. On Overcoming Challenges
“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot, and hang on.”
It is almost impossible to run a business without facing challenges at some point. It is at these times that you need to prove your worth as a business leader. If you can ride out the tough times, then there are good things to come when you make it through to the other side.
14. On Not Putting Things Off
“Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today.”
Quote Ambition lists this as a good Thomas Jefferson quote to apply to business situations. It is easy to put things off for another day. However, these things can soon build-up, and then you find yourself getting behind. If you have the time to do something today, then you shouldn’t waste time by putting it off until tomorrow.
13. On Taking Risks
“I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.”
In business, following a steady path can often prevent you from reaching your true potential and will only allow for limited business success. You must take the occasional risk if you want to take your business to the next level and reach your full potential. A lack of risk-taking can cause a lack of progress.
12. On Keeping on Top of the Finances
“Take care of the cents: dollars will take care of themselves.”
Finances are one of the most important elements of any business. Unless you keep the costs to a minimum and maximize earning potential, you will not become a profitable and successful business. Therefore, paying attention to the financial details is paramount to the success of any business. Even small amounts of money can soon add up, so do not overlook the small costs.
11. On Trying New Things
“If you want something you’ve never had you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
If you are only willing to do the same things as everyone else and to follow the same path, then you will only achieve a mediocre level of success. To stand out and achieve big things, you must do things differently. A willingness to try new ideas and approaches is what will allow you to achieve more success than the average person. Start thinking outside the box, take a flexible approach to try new things, and demonstrate a willingness to take the occasional risk.
10. On Reflecting on Your Experiences
“I think one travels more usefully when they travel alone because they reflect more.”
Reflection can play an important role in your ability to move forward and make progress. Use your own experiences to help you in the future. Looking at your experiences will help you to identify areas where you have been successful and the areas where you have made mistakes. This can help you to plan how you will do things in the future and to do it better than before.
9. On Keeping Going
“It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”
Running a business can take a lot of motivation, but it is your motivation that will keep things going. No matter whether things are going well, or you are having a slow or bad patch in your business, it is vital that you can always keep going. If you have people working for you, it is also essential to keep them motivated and working towards the same goals to support you.
8. On Keeping Calm
“Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.”
Anger and hatred are wasted emotions in business. Likewise, getting upset and stressed will only hold you back. Regardless of what happens, you should always try to remain calm. This will help you to retain your focus and work through the challenges smoothly. It also sets a good example for those who work for you. If they see you panicking or becoming stressed, then they will also panic and become stressed. On the other hand, if you are calm and focuses, this will keep them calm and focused.
7. On Getting to the Point
“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”
Over explaining things and over-complicating systems and processes are things that you should avoid. Stop wasting time and get straight to the point. Keeping things simple avoids confusion and reduces the likelihood of mistakes being made. On the other hand, over-complicating the matter will only lead to confusion and increase the likelihood of mistakes.
6. On Making the Most of Your Time
“Every day is lost in which we do not learn something useful. Man has no nobler or more valuable possession than time.”
Inspiration Feed lists this as one of the best Thomas Jefferson quotes that apply to business. Your time is precious, so you should make the most of the time you have. Take every opportunity that you can to learn or gain experience. A time when you have not learned something or taking constructive actions is time you have lost, wasted, and will never get back again.
5. On the Importance of Learning
“To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education.”
Throughout life, you are constantly learning. Opportunities to learn do not stop when you leave school. Learning is not necessarily about reading from books or academic processes. Experiences can also provide lots of opportunities to learn. Even your failures are a chance to learn how you can do things better. By continuing your education, you will continue to grow personally and professionally. This will have a direct impact on your business success.
4. On Moving Forwards
“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”
While your past experiences can teach you how to move forward and to do things better, it is important that you don’t spend too much of your time dwelling on the past. Living in the past and how you have always done things can prevent you from looking forward to the future and to achieving your business goals. Instead, set yourself short-term and long-term goals to work towards This will keep you motivated and increase your determination to succeed. Make sure that your goals are achievable within your set timeframe or you will feel as though you have failed if you do not meet your targets and this will demotivate you rather than making you more determined.
3. On the Importance of Hard Work
“I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”
There are very few people in the world who achieve great things without working hard and putting in the time and effort. If you want to achieve your full potential and become a successful businessperson, then you must focus and put as much effort into your endeavors as possible. A failure to work hard towards your goals will lead to a failure in becoming successful. From the start, you should accept that you will need to work hard to get to where you want in life.
2. On Taking Action
“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”
This Thomas Jefferson quote suggests that you are defined by the actions that you take. This certainly applies to business as what you think and the things you say will not define you as much as the things you do. It is not possible to become a successful person simply by talking about what you are going to do. You must take action on your thoughts, ideas, and words if you want to make it in business.
1. On Having the Right Attitude
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
According to Goalcast, this is one of the best Thomas Jefferson quotes that apply to business. From the start, you need to have the right mindset and approach to running your business. This involves having a positive mental attitude, keeping your focus, understanding what you are trying to achieve, and making sure you implement the strategies needed to get there. You will get nowhere in life if you are not clear about what you want, you are not motivated or determined, and you have a negative attitude, then you will get nowhere.
