‘The Great Gatsby’ is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald that was published in 1925, and it was then made into a film that was released in 2013. The storyline is about a group of wealthy people in Long Island during the summer of 1922. Many literary critics consider the novel one of the greatest of all time. There are many quotes from both the novel and the film that are motivational and inspirational, and many of these apply to business environments. Here are the 20 best Great Gatsby quotes that apply to business.
20. On Putting Your Ideas into Action
“He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity.”
If you have a good idea, then you should not sit on it for the rest of your life. Your idea is only worth something if you are brave enough to do something about it. Have the courage to take the necessary steps to put your ideas into action and begin your journey to success. Taking the first step is the hardest part. Once you have overcome your fear of doing this, everything that follows is easier than you may expect.
19. On Making the Most of Opportunities
“All the bright precious things fade so fast, and they don’t come back.”
Like many good things in life, opportunities are few and far between. If you are lucky enough to get opportunities, then take them as they arise. Embrace them wholly and make the most of your chances. The opportunities may never come up again, and you will regret taking the chances when you had them.
18. On Planning Ahead
“What’ll we do with ourselves this afternoon?” cried Daisy, “and the day after that, and the next thirty years.”
Those who have no clear plan of what they want from their future or how they will achieve this will have little chance of becoming successful. This is why it is so important to plan ahead and to set goals. Your long-term goals are the ultimate targets that you want to reach by the end of your business journey, while your short-term goals are the stepping-stones along the way.
17. On Achieving Your Dreams
“He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”
If you have dreams, then it is up to you to make them become a reality. Work out the steps that you will need to take to fulfill your dreams, and then do not let anything stand in your way on your journey to success. Not taking action will lead to a life filled with regrets.
16. On Making the Most of Your Time
“All I kept thinking about, over and over, was ‘You can’t live forever; you can’t live forever.’”
This Great Gatsby quote is listed on Good Reads. Time is the most precious resource available in life and in business. As it is a limited resource, you should take care that you use your time wisely and effectively. Planning how to use your time in advance can help.
15. On Having Ambition
“He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way. No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.”
Without ambition, your chances of success are limited. Those who become successful are those with ambition. It is your ambition that will give you the inspiration to start a business, and it will motivate you, drive you forward, and keep you going.
14. On Thinking Things Through
“Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope.”
Making rash judgments is never a good idea in business. You should take the time to think things through properly. When you are faced with important decisions, you should think things through properly. For every decision you need to make, weigh up all the options and potential outcomes, considering the pros and cons of each. This will help you to make an informed decision that achieves the best outcomes.
13. On Learning New Skills
“Instead of being the warm center of the world, the Middle West now seemed like the ragged edge of the universe- so I decided to go East and learn the bond business.”
In business, things are constantly changing. Therefore, the skills you start with may not stand the test of time and carry you through. It is likely that you will need to learn new skills and expand your knowledge. This is especially the case if you expand your business or venture into new areas. There are many ways of expanding your knowledge and learning new skills, including taking a course, reading, observing successful people, and learning from your own experiences.
12. On Improving Your Life
“My life, old sport, my life… my life has got to be like this. It’s got to keep going up.”
According to Grade Saver, this is one of the best Great Gatsby quotes that apply to business. If you want to improve your career or grow your business, then it is up to you to make this happen. Your destiny is your responsibility, and you must do what it takes to reach your full potential.
11. On Getting Through the Tough Times
“So, we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
This Great Gatsby quote that applies to business is listed on Thought Co.. Things do not always go well in business, and sometimes it can feel as though you are paddling against the current and making hardly any progress. At these difficult times, it is important that you keep going as there are better times ahead.
10. On Having Self-Belief
“It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself.”
A vital element in becoming successful in business is having self-belief. One reason for this is that if you do not have a belief in yourself, then others will also not have belief in you. Another reason is that your self-belief is something that will motivate you, especially when things are tough.
9. On Gaining New Experiences
“I’ve been everywhere and seen everything and done everything… Sophisticated- God, I’m sophisticated!”
One element of your business that you should enjoy is the opportunity to gain new experiences. Some experiences are expected, while others may surprise you. The more new experiences you gain, the more it will benefit you both personally and professionally. It is enjoying new experiences that will keep things exciting.
8. On Taking Responsibility
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and… then retreated back into their money… and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
Owning a business or having a position as a leader in business means that you have a lot of responsibility. It is crucial that you take these responsibilities seriously. This includes taking care of any problems, and not just expecting everyone else to clear up the mess. As the leader, it is down to you to make things better and to lead by example.
7. On Trying Again
“Can’t repeat the past?… Why of course you can!”
This Great Gatsby quote is listed by Bookroo. It is about how you can go back and try things again, so it applies to situations in business where things have gone wrong and you try to do it better the next time. Just because you have failed at a task or made mistakes, it does not mean that you should just give up. Use your experience of failure to teach you what you did wrong and the areas in which you can improve to achieve better outcomes.
6. On Starting Again
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
There are some people that try to launch a business and fail. This puts them off trying again in the future. However, one failure does not mean that you will never achieve your dreams. One option is to try again with the same ideas but doing things differently. Another option is to think of new ideas and try again in a different area.
5. On Having Support
“She was feeling the pressure of the world outside and she wanted to see him and feel his presence beside her and be reassured that she was doing the right thing after all.”
Many people find it difficult to cope with the highs and lows of business if they do not have support around them. Support can come in a variety of forms. One form of support is practical support, and you will have this if you have a good team working for you that are motivated and respect you. Another form of support is from friends and family who are there for you when you are tired, stressed, or worried.
4. On Having Focus
“Life is much more successfully looked at from a single window.”
You will get the best results if you can focus on the task at hand without getting distracted. By focusing your attention on your work, you will give it your all, reduce the risk of making mistakes, and increase the chances of getting a good outcome. You will have better focus if you are well-rested, so make sure you are getting enough sleep. A common cause of a lack of focus is taking on too many tasks at once. If you have a team working for you, then delegate some of the tasks to people with the right skills. This will allow you to focus your attention on one task at a time.
3. On Going Against the Norm
“It was a great advantage not to drink among hard-drinking people.”
The temptation for many people is to follow the same path as others. While doing things that everyone else is doing has its advantages, such as knowing that they are tried and tested strategies, there are also some pitfalls. One of the downsides is that by doing the same as everyone else, you will not stand out from the crowd. This can mean it is difficult to take on the competition and attract customers. Therefore, it can sometimes make sense to do something different from everyone else.
2. On the Highs and lows of Business
“I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.”
Anyone in business can testify that it is full of ups and downs. One minute everything is fantastic, then the next things can go completely the other way. It is vital that you can learn to ride the highs and lows. When you hit a low point and things seem difficult, do not let it get you down. Remember that there are good times to follow, and this will keep you fighting through.
1. On Aiming High
“Tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms farther…”
According to Goalcast, this is one of the best Great Gatsby quotes that apply to business. This quote is all about striving for more and aiming higher. If you only aim for moderate success, then this is all you will ever achieve. If you want more out of life, then you should go for it. Set yourself goals that stretch you to your limits and that will keep you motivated towards constantly achieving greater things.
You can also read:
ncG1vNJzZmiln6OyurXNnGWcp51ktLOxwK1koJmkqK%2B6edCupq2dXw%3D%3D