---
id: "quote-drowning-lack-of-focus"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["¶32"]
tags: ["focus", "startup-failure", "strategy"]
related: ["concept-strategic-distractions"]
speaker: "Eric Janssen, Brian Denenberg and Benson P. Shapiro"
speakers: ["Eric Janssen", "Brian Denenberg", "Benson P. Shapiro"]
quote: "Most companies don't starve due to a lack of opportunities; they drown due to a lack of focus."
sources: ["commercial"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-commercial"
originDay: 5
articleStem: "hbr-tier1-03-sales-debt-grow"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/01/the-risks-of-prioritizing-short-term-revenue-over-customer-fit"
sourceTitle: "The Risks of Prioritizing Short-Term Revenue Over Customer Fit"
---
# Drowning From Lack of Focus

> "Most companies don't starve due to a lack of opportunities; they drown due to a lack of focus."
> — [[entity-eric-janssen|Eric Janssen]], [[entity-brian-denenberg|Brian Denenberg]] and [[entity-benson-p-shapiro|Benson P. Shapiro]]

The source's thesis in one line: the inability to *say no* to bad opportunities is more dangerous than having no opportunities at all. It is the emotional payoff of the [[concept-strategic-distractions|strategic-distractions]] argument and the animating rationale for the entire [[framework-grow|GROW]] discipline of ruthless focus.