Mark Cuban Quotes

“It comes down to finding something you love to do and then just trying to be great at it.”

“Don’t start a business unless it’s an obsession and something you love. If you have an exit strategy, it’s not an obsession.”

“Doesn’t matter what your skill and physical gifts are if you can’t get your head right.”

“You just got to stay focused and believe in yourself and trust your own ability and judgment.”

“I used to drive around looking at the big houses, wondering how they got there. I used to love biographies about successful business people, wondering how they got there. You start to realize that if they can do it, I can do it.”

“Today is the youngest you will ever be. Live like it.”

“One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is that we lie to ourselves. We don’t step back and look at ourselves like a competitor would.”

“One problem people have is that they lie to themselves. Rarely is talent enough. You have to find ways to make yourself stand out. You do so by playing to your strengths and making people aware of those strengths.”

“Every job I took was really me getting paid to learn about a new industry.”

“There is very little knowledge that can’t be obtained through effort. With knowledge you can determine the state of any business or opportunity and find a course to gain an advantage.”

“I can’t say it enough that learning how to learn is one of the greatest skills anyone can have.”

“I’m always afraid of failing. It’s great motivation to work harder.”

“When you’ve got 10,000 people trying to do the same thing, why would you want to be number 10,001?”

“Nice goes much further than mean.”

“There is only one thing in life you can control: Your own effort.”

“Never follow your dreams. Follow your effort. It’s not about what you can dream of. That’s easy. It’s about whether or not it’s important enough to you to do the work to be ready to be successful in that business.”

“Doesn’t matter if the glass is half-empty or half-full. All that matters is that you are the one pouring the water.”

“There are no shortcuts. You have to work hard, and try to put yourself in a position where if luck strikes, you can see the opportunity and take advantage of it.”

“Brains are far more important than money or connections. Everyone and anyone can create a business out of their bedroom.”

“Business happens over years and years. Value is measured in the total upside of a business relationship, not by how much you squeezed out in any one deal.”

“Time is the most valuable asset you don’t own. You may or may not realize it yet, but how you use or don’t use your time is going to be the best indication of where your future is going to take you.”

“When you’ve got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns on you. That’s rule No. 1 of business.”

“Always look for the fool in the deal. If you don't find one, it's you.”

“Wherever I see people doing something the way it’s always been done, the way it’s ‘supposed’ to be done, following the same old trends, well, that’s just a big red flag to me to go look somewhere else.”

“Information is power, particularly when the competition ignores the opportunity to do the same.”

“When there is a rush for everyone to do the same thing, it becomes more difficult to do. Not easier. Harder.”

“Most people think money is the key to reducing risk. Preparation is.”

“If you’re prepared and you know what it takes, it’s not a risk. You just have to figure out how to get there. There is always a way to get there.”

“Perfectionism is the enemy of profitability.”

“Once you are prepared and you think you have every angle of preparation covered, you have to go for it.”

“If you really want to be successful at something, you’ll find that you put the time in. You won’t just ask somebody if it’s a good idea, you’ll go figure out if it’s a good idea.”

“Don’t get caught up in how many hours you work. Judge success based on having goals and measuring your results. Hard work, and lots of it, is certainly needed, but focus on what you get done.”

“It's not about money or connections. It's the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone.”

“Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it away from you.”

“Sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is.”

“Do the work. Out-work. Out-think. Out-sell your expectations. There are no shortcuts.”

“Someone is out there looking to put you out of business. Someone is out there who thinks they have a better idea than you have. A better solution than you have. A better or more efficient product than you have.”

“Recessions are the best time to start a company. Companies fail. Others hold back capital. If you are willing to do the preparation and work, it is the best time to invest in yourself and start a business.”

“I try not to be an ideologue about anything. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, and I’m willing to evolve.”

“It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. You only have to be right once and then everyone can tell you that you are an overnight success.”

“If you can’t admit a failure, you’re not an entrepreneur. You are not a good business person. There’s nothing brilliant about what you are doing.”

“Staying true to who I am was tougher when I first got wealthy. Having great friends kept me grounded.”

“Learn to sell. In business you’re always selling: to your prospects, investors and employees. To be the best salesperson put yourself in the shoes of the person to whom you’re selling. Don’t sell your product. Solve their problems.”

“Selling is never about convincing. It is always about helping.”

“Being rich is a good thing. Not just in the obvious sense of benefitting you and your family, but in the broader sense. Profits are not a zero sum game. The more you make, the more of a financial impact you can have.”

“I learned how to become wealthy because I asked the right questions when I was broke.”

“Pay off your debt first. Freedom from debt is worth more than any amount you can earn.”

“Being a smart shopper is the first step to getting rich.”

“Anyone who says he is an expert in the market is lying to you. There is no such thing.”

“I placed too much importance on comparing how much I had to others early on. Then I started realizing time was a far more valuable asset. When I started using money to create more time, I appreciated both more.”