Satoru Iwata > Quotes

“On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer.”
― Satoru Iwata

“No part of my experience has turned out to be a waste of time.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata

“The more frustrated someone is, the more important it becomes to listen to them. Unless you make a point of this, anything you try to say goes in one ear and out the other. If you interrupt them midsentence and say, “It’s more like this,” it’s only natural for them to think, “This person has absolutely no clue what I’m saying.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“In my view, talent isn’t about achieving results so much as deriving pleasure from the results that you’ve achieved.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“Apart from “What made you join the company,” there’s another question I like to ask: “Out of all the work you’ve done so far, what was the most interesting thing? And what was the most painful?” This is all about them, too—making it easy to respond, and above all giving you a sense of who they are.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“When people receive feedback about what they’ve done, they feel more motivated the next time around.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“If you maintain the status quo, you wind up fighting for survival, and gradually your fan base disappears.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“If you force yourself to study things that have no bearing on the world around you, the material will have no way of sinking in. So, rather than waste your time, it makes far more sense to prioritize the things that you truly enjoy, whatever speaks to you.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“After all, the whole point of a company is for regular people, each with their distinctive characteristics, to join forces and accomplish giant tasks they could not undertake alone.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“You might realize that somebody is making a mistake, but unless you can advise them in a way that they can readily accept and comprehend and fit into their point of view, your advice—right or not—is meaningless.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“The number of things we should be doing is always greater than what we can actually do. If you try doing everything on your list, you’ll only wear yourself out.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“As human beings, unless we have someone to compliment our work and enjoy what we’ve created, we’re not apt to go out on a limb.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“I think distance has a way of letting facts obscure a situation. Those close at hand, however, have access to a much rawer set of emotions.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“I used to tell him he was already extremely skilled in so many ways. “Can’t you get along without mastering this too?”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“I used to tell myself, “I wish that I could clone myself three times over.” Looking back, however, I recognize this thought was arrogant and narrow-minded. Our differences are what make each of us so valuable and give life meaning. I’m embarrassed that I ever thought this way. These days, things have flipped. I take for granted that everyone has different strengths, and what I most want to learn about is what sets each person apart. Making space for this transforms relationships, opening up all kinds of possibilities. It’s so exciting.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“decision-making means gathering and analyzing information and managing priorities, and that as you discover your priorities, you should see where they take you as you work through your decisions.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“If you maintain the status quo, you wind up fighting for survival, and gradually your fan base disappears. That’s the one direction I’m always trying to avoid.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“And so, when the whole group can earn praise without working insanely hard, things get better and better on their own, creating a virtuous cycle where the work only gets stronger.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“When you figure out exactly “what is necessary for this game,” a world of possibilities will open up. So, rather than tossing in whatever you want, it’s good to remember the creative power of paring back.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

“About two years after I got hooked on that calculator, Apple released its first desktop computer out into the world. But as soon as I was able to test out one of these new computers, my fantasies evaporated. I realized the computer was not some dream machine, capable of anything.”
― Satoru Iwata, Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO