Quotes from Paul Arden

Risks are a measure of people. People who don't take them are trying to preserve what they have. Some risks have a future, and some people call them wrong. But being right may be like walking backwards, proving where you've been.

Even a bad idea executed is better than a good idea undone.

Great people have great egos; maybe that's what makes them great.

When it can't be done, do it. If you don't do it, it doesn't exist.

Don't give a speech. Put on a show.

Do not put cleverness in front of the communication.

I watch TV more than I used to, and the commercials don't impress me. The standard of execution is very high, but the standard of ideas is appalling.

Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great. To many people, being nice in order to be liked is more important. There's equal merit in that, but you must not confuse being good with being liked.

You need to aim beyond what you are capable of. You must develop a complete disregard for where your abilities end. Try to do things that you're incapable of... If you think you're incapable of running a company, make that your aim... Make your vision of where you want to be a reality. Nothing is impossible.

I've now discovered that if you know what you want and try hard to achieve it, everyone else will try hard, too.

Have you noticed that the cleverest people at school are often not the ones who succeed in life?

We try to make sensible decisions with the facts in front of us. The problem with sensible decisions is that so is everyone else.

Life's all about 'me' anyway

Too many people spend too much time trying to perfect something before they actually do it. Instead of waiting for perfection, run with what you go, and fix it along the way.

If you get stuck, draw with a different pen. Change your tools; it may free your thinking.

Having too many ideas is not always a good thing.

Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have. Without having a goal it's difficult to score.

Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.

i wish means: would it be nice if.. i want means: if i want it enough i will get it.

Advertising gets such a bashing from the world. At parties you are always asked, 'Aren't you just selling people things they don't want?

We are all advertising, all of the time. If you want to sell your car, what do you do? You clean and polish it and make it the best you can. Some people bake bread when they are trying to sell their house because the smell adds a friendly feeling. Even the priest, with all his or her fervour, is advertising God. Everybody is selling.

There are rules in advertising, and those rules are self-imposed by the client companies because they don't want their products to be seen as dishonest.

Do not seek praise. Seek criticism.

If you always make the right decision, the safe decision, the one most people make, you will be the same as everyone else.