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Sam Altman: “The most underrated quality of all is being really determined”

March 05, 2025

“The most underrated quality of all is being really determined. This is more important than being smart. This is more important than having a network. This is more important than a great idea.”

As Sam explains:

“The hardest thing about starting a company is the level and frequency of bad stuff that happens to you… So much of being a successful entrepreneur is just not giving up. When we have funded people who had a great idea, perfect background on paper, a great product, and it still failed — it has usually been that they’re insufficiently determined. I think this is the most important, non-obvious skill of a founder.”

He continues:

“Of course you need a good product and a good market and to be smart, but that’s really obvious. But the degree to which being a 3- or 4-standard deviation outlier on determination as a required skill of a CEO is not something that was obvious to me when I started.”