---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes, we get mixed up when we say…"
description: "\"Sometimes, we get mixed up when we say that profit is not important for stakeholders. Oxygen is not the reason a person lives. But it is essential to h..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/ajay-piramal-10485_existence_sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-th_942118.jpg"
---

#  Sometimes, we get mixed up when we say that profit is not…

![“Sometimes, we get mixed up when we say that profit is not important for stakeholders. Oxygen is not the reason a person lives. But it is essential to have oxygen, although it's not the only reason for a person's existence. It is similar for profit.” quote by Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/ajay-piramal-10485_existence_sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-th_942118.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/ajay-piramal-10485_existence_sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-th_942118.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/ajay-piramal-10485_existence_sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-th_942118.jpg)

> “Sometimes, we get mixed up when we say that profit is not important for stakeholders. Oxygen is not the reason a person lives. But it is essential to have oxygen, although it's not the only reason for a person's existence. It is similar for profit.”

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Profit is essential for stakeholders like oxygen for life—necessary but not the sole purpose of a company.

**In simple terms:** Profit is vital but not the only goal.

Key Takeaway

Balance profit with broader purpose.

Themes

business ethics stakeholder value balance

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

advisory insightful

When to use this quote

- strategic planning
- investor relations
- product development
- community engagement

Key Concepts

sustainability shared value corporate responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- How can a company measure success beyond profit?
- What purpose-driven metrics matter most?

A Different Perspective

Profit alone cannot guarantee long‑term success without purpose.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/)

## Related quotes

> [To gain profit is important, but you must invest to build up assets that you can cash in in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/to-gain-profit-is-important-but-you-must-invest-to-build-up-assets/)

[Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/)

> [I wish someday... I could be an oxygen... So I could be the reason why you exist... You'll not notice my presence... But you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/i-wish-someday-i-could-be-an-oxygen-so-i-could-be-the-reason-why-you/)

Pacifiersucker

> [While they believe the pursuit of profit is important to sustaining a business, millennials also say that pursuit must be accompanied by a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punit-renjen/while-they-believe-the-pursuit-of-profit-is-important-to-sustaining-a/)

[Punit Renjen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punit-renjen/)

> [I think my biggest problem as a creative person trying to work within a business for profit was that it was very important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-noxon/i-think-my-biggest-problem-as-a-creative-person-trying-to-work-within/)

[Marti Noxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marti-noxon/)

> [We have to talk a little trash to sell fights, talk more, because we know we will profit more from that. It's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-aldo/we-have-to-talk-a-little-trash-to-sell-fights-talk-more-because-we/)

[Jose Aldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-aldo/)

> [When we practice loving kindness and compassion we are the first ones to profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-practice-loving-kindness-and-compassion-we-are-the-first-ones/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/)

[Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/)

> [Although their parents died in the wilderness for their stubbornness, Israel could profit from the older generation's failure by remembering that God had used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/although-their-parents-died-in-the-wilderness-for-their-stubbornness/)

[Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/)

> [Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wise-men-profit-more-from-fools-than-fools-from-wise-men-for-the-wise/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I want business to prosper and make a profit caused by business expansion and prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/i-want-business-to-prosper-and-make-a-profit-caused-by-business/)

[Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/)

> [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [Once we allow ourselves to be disobedient to the test of an accountant's profit, we have begun to change our civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/once-we-allow-ourselves-to-be-disobedient-to-the-test-of-an/)

[John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/)

> [There's always gonna be people with a lot of money making film, and the goal is to make profit and carry on. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-howard/there-s-always-gonna-be-people-with-a-lot-of-money-making-film-and/)

[Clint Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-howard/)

> [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/)

[Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/)

## More by Ajay Piramal

> [Spirituality permeates all aspects of your life and business is just one part of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/spirituality-permeates-all-aspects-of-your-life-and-business-is-just/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [We will follow in letter and spirit whatever the RBI rules and guidelines are - whether at the holding company level or individual company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/we-will-follow-in-letter-and-spirit-whatever-the-rbi-rules-and/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [Horses and dogs were part of my growing up years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/horses-and-dogs-were-part-of-my-growing-up-years/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [We have been successful in buying and selling companies because we have a reputation of fulfilling deal terms in letter and spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/we-have-been-successful-in-buying-and-selling-companies-because-we/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [I think public sector banks need to have greater private participation of people who have skin in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/i-think-public-sector-banks-need-to-have-greater-private/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [Leadership is more than just managing economic reforms. Leadership means giving broad direction, take up challenges which other people cannot do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/leadership-is-more-than-just-managing-economic-reforms-leadership/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [We always set ambitious goals in our group, and I have found that if you set your mind to it, you can do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/we-always-set-ambitious-goals-in-our-group-and-i-have-found-that-if/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [Buying a house is not an overnight decision, and people can wait for 3 to 6 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/buying-a-house-is-not-an-overnight-decision-and-people-can-wait-for-3/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [Many people say that in a liberalised world there is little for the government to do, but the fact is that there is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/many-people-say-that-in-a-liberalised-world-there-is-little-for-the/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [We have a unique culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/we-have-a-unique-culture/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [We take dispassionate view of our investments. Does it mean that we are looking out to monetise the investment? That is not correct. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/we-take-dispassionate-view-of-our-investments-does-it-mean-that-we/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [I think my greatest virtue is that I have the courage to take tough decisions. As for my greatest fault, I guess I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/i-think-my-greatest-virtue-is-that-i-have-the-courage-to-take-tough/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [We are a very systems- and process- driven business which reports directly to the board, whether it is risk or legal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/we-are-a-very-systems-and-process-driven-business-which-reports/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [Disabilities and misfortune can make you stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/disabilities-and-misfortune-can-make-you-stronger/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [In life, there are always intense battles, and yet we must practise the lessons from the Gita.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/in-life-there-are-always-intense-battles-and-yet-we-must-practise-the/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

[Explore all 65 Ajay Piramal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

## More Existence quotes

> [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/)

[John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/)

> [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/)

[Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/)

> [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/)

[Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/)

> [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/)

[Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/)

> [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/)

[Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/)

> [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/)

[Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/)

> [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/)

[L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/)

> [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/universities-are-the-cathedrals-of-the-modern-age-they-shouldn-t-have/)

[David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/)

> [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/)

[Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/)

> [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/)

[Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/)

> [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

[Browse all 7,646 Existence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Sometimes, we get mixed up when we say that profit is not important for stakeholders. Oxygen is not the reason a person lives. But it is essential to have oxygen, although it's not the only reason for a person's existence. It is similar for profit.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ajay Piramal"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-that-profit-is-not-important/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Existence"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-that-profit-is-not-important/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/ajay-piramal-10485_existence_sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-th_942118.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/ajay-piramal-10485_existence_sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-th_942118.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/ajay-piramal-10485_existence_sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-th_942118.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes, we get mixed up when we say that profit is not important for stakeholders. Oxygen is not the…” — Ajay Piramal",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ajay Piramal",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Sometimes, we get mixed up when...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-that-profit-is-not-important/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/sometimes-we-get-mixed-up-when-we-say-that-profit-is-not-important/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
