Don't just stand there; make something happen.

Attributed to auto-industry executive Lee Iacocca, the line is a blunt exhortation toward initiative. It contrasts passive observation (“don’t just stand there”) with decisive agency (“make something happen”), implying that outcomes in business and life are produced by action rather than by waiting for ideal conditions or perfect information. The imperative tone reflects a managerial ethos that prizes execution, momentum, and personal responsibility—values often associated with turnaround leadership and high-stakes corporate environments. As a standalone maxim, it functions as a motivational prompt: when confronted with uncertainty or inertia, choose a concrete step that changes the situation rather than remaining a spectator.