Wisdom in fragments

I looked at it and thought, 'How can something this simple be so compelling?' It was compelling enough for me to take time out of the Consumer Electronics Show to go back and play over and over. I mean, I was hooked from the first time I played it.

Tetris video game rights holder & Blue Planet Project founder

At some point, while working on the rotation routine, I was watching a piece rotate on the screen. It was then that the idea struck me—the game could be played in real-time. That was the very first important 'aha' moment for Tetris.

Creator of Tetris, the iconic video game

When the first real version of the game came to life on my screen—without any decorations, scoring, or anything, just the playing field and the pieces—I couldn't stop playing. I realized there was something truly magical about the game. But I could never have imagined what it would become; that was one of the biggest surprises.

Creator of Tetris, the iconic video game

Transformation is about understanding how the market is evolving and positioning your organization for the future that's unfolding. It's about ensuring that you're there when that future arrives.

Founder and former CEO of Panera Bread Company

Being an entrepreneur, or even running a large organization, is like being a society builder. The system is bigger than any individual. When you build a business, you're architecting and constructing something substantial.

Founder and former CEO of Panera Bread Company

I can't make people do anything. What I can do is find the right people—those who fit the culture—and let their humanity shine. Then, I need to create the support and mechanisms for that to happen.

Founder and former CEO of Panera Bread Company

The job of an entrepreneur or a competitive leader is to create the conditions that make your organisation the better competitive alternative. All your efforts should be directed towards marshalling and channelling resources—human and intellectual capital—towards being the best competitive alternative.

Founder and former CEO of Panera Bread Company

If you don't love the act of doing, you'll never find happiness. If your motivation is glory or money, you're bound to be disappointed. If you're more excited about lunch with investment bankers than dealing with the day-to-day realities, you'll end up unhappy.

Founder and former CEO of Panera Bread Company

STS-93, the mission where we launched the Chandra telescope, was conceived 25 years before we launched it. Someone had that vision long before it became a reality. This long-term perspective is essential.

NASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist

I think that if you care about something, then you have a mission. Knowing that, and that your specific set of skills and experience brings something special to that mission, are key.

NASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist

Mental resilience comes from knowing, deep down, that you're supposed to be where you are. Confidence in your purpose is crucial. By focusing on the next step while keeping the big picture in mind, you can effectively accomplish the mission.

NASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist

Being underestimated often brings out the best in me. It's not just about overcoming insecurity but leveraging it as a catalyst to ensure that I bring everything I have to the mission and that I muster the courage to show people who I really am.

NASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist

We need to challenge the notion that if you don't feel like a superhero, then you must not be the right person for the job. Today's most important challenges are met by teams of people, as opposed to a single superhero.

NASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist

Trust is the golden thread that runs through not just a kidnap negotiation or a business deal, but life in general. It takes a long time to build, but it's lost in an instant. Trust is about following through—doing what you say you're going to do.

Wisconsin Governor and 2016 Presidential Candidate

Self-awareness—the ability to emotionally self-regulate, which is the number one skill of the world's best negotiators. It's about tapping into your red centre and asking, 'What's really showing up for me right now?' It's about recognizing your biases, unhelpful thinking, or negative intentions.

Wisconsin Governor and 2016 Presidential Candidate

There's a place deep inside all of us that we can access no matter what we're facing—personally or professionally. No matter the adversity, challenge, or overwhelming circumstances, there's a place within us that helps us feel strong, stable, grounded, and centered. And it doesn't take much to access it.

Wisconsin Governor and 2016 Presidential Candidate