100 Business Quotes to Inspire Leadership & Innovation
In the ever‑evolving world of business, the right words at the right time can spark breakthrough ideas, rally teams, and crystalize your vision. Whether you’re steering a startup through turbulent markets or guiding a seasoned organization toward its next frontier, these carefully selected quotes will fuel your leadership journey and ignite innovation at every level.
Drawing on wisdom from entrepreneurs, executives, and thought leaders, this collection of 100 business quotes is organized into ten focused themes—each designed to help you lead with clarity, inspire your people, and embrace creative disruption. Ahead, you’ll find sections dedicated to strategic vision, team empowerment, resilience in the face of change, and much more.
For deeper dives into related topics, explore our rich archives:
- Leadership strategies and reflections in Leadership Lessons: Inspiring Quotes
- Daily motivation and workplace insights in Work Quotes: Insights and Motivation for Success
- Creativity and innovation perspectives in 101 Exclusive Quotes: The Ultimate Guide to Creativity
- Kindness as a business asset in The Ultimate Guide to Kindness: 200 Quotes
Let’s embark on your leadership and innovation journey—one powerful quote at a time.
Section 1: Strategic Vision & Planning
In an ever‑shifting marketplace, leaders must cast a clear vision and chart a course that others can follow. These 10 strategic quotes will sharpen your foresight and guide your long‑term planning—each followed by a concise insight to turn words into action. For further inspiration on shaping your vision, explore our collection of Top 100 Quotes to Inspire and Motivate.
1. Peter Drucker
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Insight
Don’t wait for circumstances to align—proactively build the roadmap you wish to follow.
2. Jack Welch
“Change before you have to.”
Insight
Anticipate market shifts and adapt early to stay ahead of the curve.
3. Simon Sinek
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
Insight
Anchor your strategy in a clear purpose to inspire loyalty and alignment.
4. Michael Porter
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.”
Insight
Focus resources on a few critical objectives rather than diluting effort across too many fronts.
5. Andy Grove
“Only the paranoid survive.”
Insight
Maintain a healthy vigilance: constantly scan for threats and opportunities.
6. Warren Buffett
“Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
Insight
Deep market research and practiced discipline are your best defenses against uncertainty.
7. Bill Gates
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
Insight
Incorporate honest feedback into your strategic planning to refine offerings and strengthen positioning.
8. Steve Jobs
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
Insight
Embed continuous innovation into your strategic roadmap to sustain competitive advantage.
9. Theodore Levitt
“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.”
Insight
Translate bold ideas into executable plans; vision alone is not enough without implementation.
10. Rosabeth Moss Kanter
“Everything looks like a failure in the middle.”
Insight
Trust the process: long‑term strategies often face turbulence before yielding results.
Section 2: Team Empowerment & Culture
A visionary strategy succeeds only when your people are motivated, aligned, and empowered. These 10 quotes on leadership and culture offer guidance for nurturing teams that innovate and excel—each followed by a practical insight. For more on igniting team performance, see our post on Work Quotes Fueling Success & Leadership.
1. John C. Maxwell
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
Insight
Lead by example—your daily actions set the standard for your team’s behavior.
2. Ken Blanchard
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”
Insight
Regular, constructive feedback creates a culture of continual growth and accountability.
3. Patrick Lencioni
“Teamwork begins by building trust.”
Insight
Prioritize vulnerability and honesty to forge bonds that withstand challenges.
4. Sheryl Sandberg
“Motivation comes from working on things we care about.”
Insight
Align roles with individual passions to unlock higher engagement and creativity.
5. Satya Nadella
“Our success is measured by the success of our team.”
Insight
Celebrate collective wins to reinforce collaboration over individual silos.
6. Travis Kalanick
“Leaders define the culture, and the culture defines the brand.”
Insight
Cultivate values in every interaction—your organizational culture shapes external perception.
7. Simon Sinek
“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.”
Insight
Foster emotional buy‑in through shared purpose, not just financial incentives.
8. Brené Brown
“Daring leaders work to make sure people can be themselves and feel a sense of belonging.”
Insight
Psychological safety is the bedrock of creativity—encourage authenticity and respect.
9. Richard Branson
“Clients do not come first. Employees come first.”
Insight
Empower your team, and exceptional customer experiences will follow naturally.
10. Bill Walsh
“Champions behave like champions before they’re champions.”
Insight
Instill winning habits and mindsets early—preparation and belief precede success.
Section 3: Adaptability & Resilience
Adaptability and resilience are the cornerstones of thriving in uncertain markets—businesses that pivot swiftly often outpace competitors during disruption . These qualities enable leaders to respond proactively to emerging challenges, transforming setbacks into stepping stones . Our curated 10 quotes below showcase the mindset and actions needed to navigate change with confidence .
1. Sam Walton
“You can’t just keep doing what works one time; everything around you is changing. To succeed, stay out in front of change.”
Insight
Anticipate shifts in your industry and continuously evolve your approach rather than relying on past successes.
2. Thomas Edison
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Insight
Reframe “failure” as essential experimentation on the path to breakthrough solutions.
3. Winston Churchill
“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
Insight
Maintain high morale through every challenge—your persistence fuels long‑term achievement.
4. Raymond McCauley
“Change what you can, manage what you can’t.”
Insight
Focus your energy on controllable factors and adapt strategies for those beyond your direct influence.
5. Mary Holloway
“Resilience is knowing that you are the only one that has the power and the responsibility to pick yourself up.”
Insight
Own your recovery process; self‑reliance builds the inner strength to bounce back.
6. Viktor Frankl
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
Insight
Personal growth often accelerates when external conditions are beyond our control.
7. Charles Darwin
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”
Insight
Flexibility and openness to new approaches are key to enduring success.
8. Jean Chatzky
“Resilience isn’t a single skill. It’s a variety of skills and coping mechanisms. To bounce back, emphasize the positive.”
Insight
Cultivate a toolkit of strategies—optimism, support networks, and learning—to navigate adversity.
9. Alan Froggatt
“When nobody fails, everybody loses. Feedback and resilience are vital.”
Insight
Encourage constructive feedback and treat missteps as collective growth opportunities.
10. Scott Mautz (Investors.com)
“Accept when a new direction is needed due to changing realities; resilience involves mental and emotional strength.”
Insight
Leaders model adaptability by openly shifting course when evidence suggests a better path.
For a comprehensive collection of motivational wisdom, explore our full set of 100 Motivational Quotes That Actually Work.
Section 4: Creativity & Disruption
Creative disruption breaks conventions to spark growth and innovation—embracing it helps organizations pioneer new markets rather than simply compete in existing ones . By challenging the status quo, leaders unlock opportunities that incremental change cannot deliver . The following 10 quotes illuminate how bold thinking fuels transformative progress .
1. Theodore Levitt
“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.”
Insight
Idea generation must culminate in practical action to reshape industries and deliver value.
2. Albert Einstein
“If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.”
Insight
Break routines intentionally to uncover game‑changing solutions.
3. Elon Musk
“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”
Insight
Visionary risk‑taking often precedes paradigm shifts that define new eras.
4. Roger Spitz
“Disruption is no longer a single or recurring event, but a steady state expanding its impact.”
Insight
Embrace continuous upheaval as the new normal for long‑term relevance.
5. Jay Samit
“Disruptors don’t have to discover something new; they just have to discover a practical use for new discoveries.”
Insight
Identify real‑world applications for existing ideas to catalyze industry change.
6. Charles Koch
“We need to drive creative disruption, not just incremental innovations, but innovations that will change the whole nature of the business.”
Insight
Aim for breakthroughs that redefine business models, not mere feature additions.
7. Kent Beck
“The problem isn’t change per se; the problem is the inability to cope with change when it comes.”
Insight
Develop organizational agility through training, tools, and adaptive mindsets.
8. Max McKeown
“All success is successful adaptation.”
Insight
Innovation requires both novel ideas and the capacity to adjust rapidly.
9. Heather Simmons
“Those who disrupt their industries change consumer behavior, alter economics, and transform lives.”
Insight
Measure impact not just in profits but in how people’s experiences and expectations evolve.
10. Tony Robbins
“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.”
Insight
Resolve provides direction; adaptability ensures you reach your goals despite obstacles.
Ready for more inspiration? Dive into our 300 Rare Powerful Inspirational Quotes to fuel your next breakthrough.
Section 5: Life Lessons & Change
Life’s journey is filled with pivotal lessons that shape our character and outlook. Embracing change empowers us to turn obstacles into stepping stones for personal growth. For a deeper exploration of transformative insights, see our full post on 50 Underrated Life Quotes That Will Change Your Perspective.
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Eleanor Roosevelt
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
Insight
Cultivating hope today lays the groundwork for tomorrow’s achievements.
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James Baldwin
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Insight
Honest acknowledgment of challenges is the first step toward meaningful transformation.
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Carl Gustav Jung
“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”
Insight
Your present actions define your identity more than past circumstances ever could.
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T. S. Eliot
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
Insight
Bold risks expand your comfort zone and reveal hidden potential.
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Robert Frost
“He says the best way out is always through.”
Insight
Confronting difficulties head‑on builds resilience and clarity.
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Jim Rohn
“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.”
Insight
Intentional shifts in mindset and action drive lasting improvement.
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Zig Ziglar
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”
Insight
Taking the first step creates momentum for continuous progress.
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Og Mandino
“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.”
Insight
Consistent effort compounds into significant long‑term rewards.
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Marianne Williamson
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
Insight
Acknowledging your strengths unlocks the confidence needed for transformation.
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John Wooden
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”
Insight
A positive attitude toward life’s twists steers outcomes more than circumstances themselves.
Section 6: Humor & Positivity
Humor is a powerful ally for mental well‑being, easing stress and fostering resilience. Laughter connects people and boosts creativity, making it essential for a positive mindset. For more laughter‑filled wisdom, visit our full collection: The Ultimate Collection of Funny Quotes.
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Mark Twain
“Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.”
Insight
A lighthearted approach helps us navigate life’s challenges with grace.
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Phyllis Diller
“Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.”
Insight
A quick laugh can deflate worry and shift perspective immediately.
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Anne Lammott
“Laughter is carbonated holiness.”
Insight
Shared joy builds community and uplifts the spirit.
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Charlie Chaplin
“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
Insight
Prioritizing humor enriches daily life and fosters emotional health.
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Martin Luther King Jr.
“It is cheerful to God when you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart.”
Insight
Genuine joy nourishes the soul and radiates positivity outward.
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Ellen DeGeneres
“We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter.”
Insight
Humor paired with empathy strengthens connections and morale.
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George Bernard Shaw
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
Insight
Maintaining a playful attitude keeps the mind agile and engaged.
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David Hasselhoff
“I think laughter is the best medicine.”
Insight
Self‑directed humor reduces stress and fosters resilience.
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Carrie Fisher
“Instant gratification takes too long.”
Insight
Witty observations can offer perspective on patience and persistence.
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Judith Martin
“If you can’t be kind, at least be vague.”
Insight
A well‑timed quip can defuse tension and ease social interactions.
Section 7: Health & Well‑being
Prioritizing holistic health fuels sustained performance and resilience in business and life .
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Hippocrates
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Insight
Embrace nutrient‑dense whole foods as foundational “medicine” to prevent illness and optimize energy .
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Dalai Lama
“Calm mind brings inner strength and self‑confidence, so that’s very important for good health.”
Insight
Daily mindfulness or meditation boosts emotional balance and bolsters mental well‑being .
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Florence Nightingale
“The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.”
Insight
Cultivate safe, supportive environments—at work and home—to promote recovery and thriving .
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Thích Nhất Hạnh
“Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.”
Insight
Simple breath‑awareness exercises can instantly reduce stress and restore clarity .
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Thomas Jefferson
“The groundwork of all happiness is health.”
Insight
Invest in sleep, nutrition, and movement as the keystones of a fulfilling, joyful life .
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Audrey Hepburn
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
Insight
Engage in gentle activities like gardening to nurture both body and spirit .
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Wayne Dyer
“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.”
Insight
Practice emotional hygiene—respond with equanimity to maintain long‑term mental health .
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Deepak Chopra
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”
Insight
Cultivate inner stillness through brief pauses to prevent burnout and sustain focus .
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John F. Kennedy
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”
Insight
Regular exercise sharpens mind and body, fueling innovation and performance .
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Maya Angelou
“Nothing works unless you do.”
Insight
Active self‑care—sleep, diet, movement—is non‑negotiable for lasting well‑being .
Continue your wellness journey with more guidance and inspirational sayings in our Health Tips and Powerful Quotes guide.
Section 8: Productivity & Focus
Effective productivity hinges on clear priorities, structured systems, and relentless focus—these 10 quotes provide a playbook for maximizing output while maintaining well‑being .
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Peter Drucker
“What gets measured gets managed.”
Insight
Track tasks and time to identify inefficiencies and optimize workflows .
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David Allen
“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.”
Insight
Capture every thought in a trusted system to free mental bandwidth for execution .
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Cal Newport
“Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.”
Insight
Define top priorities daily and eliminate distractions that don’t serve them .
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Tim Ferriss
“Focus on being productive instead of busy.”
Insight
Regularly ask, “Is this moving the needle?”—if not, delegate or defer .
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James Clear
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Insight
Build reliable habits—small, consistent routines that automate progress .
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Brian Tracy
“Eat that frog.”
Insight
Tackle your most challenging task first to fuel momentum for the rest of the day .
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Elon Musk
“Focus on signal over noise.”
Insight
Concentrate on the 20% of activities that drive 80% of results; cut the rest .
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Tony Robbins
“It’s in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”
Insight
Act immediately on high‑value tasks—procrastination erodes both motivation and outcomes .
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Charles Duhigg
“Champions don’t do extraordinary things. They do ordinary things, but they do them without thinking.”
Insight
Automate best practices through repetition, so focus remains on innovation .
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Stephen Covey
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
Insight
Time‑block your highest‑impact work and guard those appointments as non‑negotiable .
Enhance your efficiency further in our detailed Productivity Hacks: 15 Tips and Quotes.
Section 9: Mindfulness & Inner Peace
Inner calm fuels clearer thinking and compassionate leadership. These 10 mindfulness quotes will ground you in the present moment—each followed by a practical insight to integrate into your daily routine. For more reflective wisdom, explore Starting a New Chapter in Life: Quotes to Guide Your Journey.
1. Buddha
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
Insight
Cultivate stillness through simple practices—begin each day with a brief meditation or mindful pause.
2. Thích Nhất Hạnh
“Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.”
Insight
Anchor your attention on the breath to release tension and refresh your focus.
3. Ram Dass
“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.”
Insight
Set aside moments of silence daily—turn off notifications and listen to your inner voice.
4. Eckhart Tolle
“Wherever you are, be there totally.”
Insight
Practice full presence in routine tasks—whether in meetings or meals—to reduce stress and boost creativity.
5. Pema Chödrön
“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.”
Insight
Observe thoughts and emotions as passing events, maintaining your deeper calm as the backdrop.
6. Jon Kabat‑Zinn
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.”
Insight
Embrace challenges as opportunities to strengthen your mindful resilience.
7. Sogyal Rinpoche
“Meditation is bringing the mind home.”
Insight
Use guided breathing or walking meditations to reconnect with your center, regardless of setting.
8. Charlotte Eriksson
“Sometimes you need to sit lonely on the floor in a quiet room to hear your own voice.”
Insight
Create a dedicated “quiet corner” where you can retreat for reflection and restoration.
9. Mother Teresa
“Peace begins with a smile.”
Insight
Infuse daily interactions with warmth—simple kindness fuels collective well‑being.
10. Marcus Aurelius
“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Insight
Steer your inner dialogue toward positivity to navigate external pressures with clarity.
Deep‑dive: For a curated set of life‑changing reflections, visit Starting a New Chapter in Life: Quotes to Guide Your Journey.
Section 10: Creativity & Innovation
Disruptive ideas shape tomorrow’s industries. These 10 forward‑thinking quotes spotlight how imagination and technology converge—each with an actionable insight. For cutting‑edge perspectives, see our roundups on AI Wisdom 2025: Quotes from Tech Visionaries and 2025 Viral Quotes on AI & Innovation.
1. Albert Einstein
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Insight
Schedule “ideation sessions” where wild ideas are welcomed—knowledge informs them, but creativity drives breakthroughs.
2. Steve Jobs
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
Insight
Champion small experiments in your team—quick prototypes often reveal novel paths forward.
3. Neural Sage (AI‑Generated)
“Code is the canvas; data is the palette—together they paint tomorrow’s possibilities.”
Insight
Pair technical skills with human insight—use data storytelling to spark collaborative innovation.
4. Ray Dalio
“If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing your limits.”
Insight
Normalize rapid learning cycles—celebrate failures as valuable feedback in your innovation pipeline.
5. Clayton Christensen
“Disruptive technology should be framed as creative destruction.”
Insight
Identify legacy processes ripe for reinvention—target them for bold, transformative projects.
6. Ava R., Futurist
“The future doesn’t arrive; we invent it with the sparks of our ideas.”
Insight
Foster cross‑disciplinary “idea jams” to combine diverse perspectives into novel solutions.
7. Elon Musk
“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”
Insight
Prioritize high‑impact initiatives—resource them despite uncertainty to unlock game‑changing results.
8. Susan Cain
“Creativity often blooms in solitude.”
Insight
Balance team collaboration with solo reflection time—allocate “focus hours” for deep work.
9. Anonymous AI Researcher
“We fed the machine our past; it mirrors our potential.”
Insight
Use AI prototypes to challenge assumptions—view outputs as prompts for human refinement.
10. Jay Samit
“Innovation isn’t invention; it’s finding novel uses for existing ideas.”
Insight
Regularly audit your existing toolset—look for new applications that multiply value.
Deep‑dive: Unlock tomorrow’s trends in AI Wisdom 2025: Quotes from Tech Visionaries and 2025 Viral Quotes on AI & Innovation.
Conclusion
Throughout these ten pillars—from Strategic Vision to Mindfulness and Innovation—we’ve explored 100 curated quotes designed to elevate your leadership, empower your teams, and spark transformative ideas. To continue your journey:
- Revisit Leadership Lessons: Inspiring Quotes for deeper reflections on guiding teams.
- Dive into 100 Motivational Quotes That Actually Work to fuel personal drive.
- Explore How Inspirational Quotes Enhance Productivity for strategies that merge words and workflows.
- Visit QuotesTips Home for fresh collections, daily inspiration, and thematic deep‑dives.
May these words guide your actions and unlock new heights in leadership and innovation.
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