Hedgehog Concept
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
Distinct from Isaiah Berlin's hedgehog and fox, this refers to a company focusing like a hedgehog. Find the intersection of three circles: What are you deeply passionate about? What can you be the best in the world at? What drives your economic engine?
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Strategic pruning: If what you do is not in the intersection of the three circles (e.g., passionate but not profitable, or profitable but not best in the world), decisively cut it.
Anchor fast decisions
Excellence comes from focus, not from being all things to all people. The intersection of the three circles (passion, being best in the world, and economic engine) is the zone of sustainable competitive advantage; falling outside any single circle disperses resources, makes it hard to build barriers, and may even drag down the core business.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/4Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_to_Greatverified
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