--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever people think I am or say I am…" description: "\"Whatever people think I am or say I am, that's what I am not.\" — Alan Sillitoe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/alan-sillitoe-23194_awareness_whatever-people-think-i-am-or-say-i-am-t_967252.png" --- # Whatever people think I am or say I am, that's what I am… ![“Whatever people think I am or say I am, that's what I am not.” quote by Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/alan-sillitoe-23194_awareness_whatever-people-think-i-am-or-say-i-am-t_967252.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/alan-sillitoe-23194_awareness_whatever-people-think-i-am-or-say-i-am-t_967252.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/alan-sillitoe-23194_awareness_whatever-people-think-i-am-or-say-i-am-t_967252.png) > “Whatever people think I am or say I am, that's what I am not.” [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity is defined by others’ perceptions, not self‑definition. **In simple terms:** Identity isn’t what others label you. Key Takeaway Define yourself beyond others’ labels. Themes identity self‑perception individualism Mood determined defiant Type personal psychological When to use this quote - personal branding - career decisions - social interactions Key Concepts existentialism social labeling Questions to Reflect On - How do you resist external labels? - What steps help you assert your true self? A Different Perspective None provided. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [People have the right to think and say whatever they want to. But you have the right not to take it to heart, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-mcgraw/people-have-the-right-to-think-and-say-whatever-they-want-to-but-you/) [Phil McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-mcgraw/) > [I think it's not about what you say; it's about what you don't say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-think-it-s-not-about-what-you-say-it-s-about-what-you-don-t-say/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [Sometimes people think you’re smart if you question the status quo, if nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/sometimes-people-think-you-re-smart-if-you-question-the-status-quo-if/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [Whose is it, do you think?" I say finally. "No telling," says Finnick. "Why don't we let Peeta claim it, since he died today?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/whose-is-it-do-you-think-i-say-finally-no-telling-says-finnick-why/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I wish I could give a Fuck about what you think or say but I just can't help being me…!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedd/i-wish-i-could-give-a-fuck-about-what-you-think-or-say-but-i-just-can/) Tedd > [If someone says they have to think about being with you, say no because you shouldn't be a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-says-they-have-to-think-about-being-with-you-say-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I say what I think and I think what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-bardot/i-say-what-i-think-and-i-think-what-i-say/) [Brigitte Bardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-bardot/) > [“Think Whatever You Say BUT Don't Say Whatever You Think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasputri-sayang/think-whatever-you-say-but-don-t-say-whatever-you-think/) Kasputri Sayang > [“What you do is what matters, not what you think or say or plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/what-you-do-is-what-matters-not-what-you-think-or-say-or-plan/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [I don't think that anything anyone has to say should ever be censored or unheard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-don-t-think-that-anything-anyone-has-to-say-should-ever-be-censored/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [“You can not please all your readers all the time. Therefore, stop worrying about what others think or say. Someone will always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mentillo/you-can-not-please-all-your-readers-all-the-time-therefore-stop/) [Chris Mentillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mentillo/) > [“I pulled the dress out of the bag and held it in front of me. Ella sat up straighter and squinted her eyes, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaize-clement/i-pulled-the-dress-out-of-the-bag-and-held-it-in-front-of-me-ella-sat/) [Blaize Clement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaize-clement/) > [My mom. Growing up with her, she always taught us to say whatever. Like, 'You think something, say it. Don't bite your tongue for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/my-mom-growing-up-with-her-she-always-taught-us-to-say-whatever-like/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [Some think it...some say it...some know it...but I mean it. U R SO SWEET!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany/some-think-it-some-say-it-some-know-it-but-i-mean-it-u-r-so-sweet/) [Brittany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany/) > [Oh my God, I don't think you can say anyone looks forward to controversy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/oh-my-god-i-don-t-think-you-can-say-anyone-looks-forward-to/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) ## More by Alan Sillitoe > [Walking the streets on winter nights kept him warm, despite the cold nocturnal passions of uprising winds. His footsteps led between trade-marked houses, two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/walking-the-streets-on-winter-nights-kept-him-warm-despite-the-cold/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [For it was Saturday night, the best and bingiest glad-time of the week, one of the fifty-two holidays in the slow-turning Big Wheel of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/for-it-was-saturday-night-the-best-and-bingiest-glad-time-of-the-week/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [“On his first parade the sergeant-major exclaimed that he couldn't make out the shape of Arthur's head because there was so much hair on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/on-his-first-parade-the-sergeant-major-exclaimed-that-he-couldn-t/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [“And when the governor kept saying how 'we' wanted you to do this; and 'we' wanted you to do that, I kept looking round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/and-when-the-governor-kept-saying-how-we-wanted-you-to-do-this-and-we/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [“Gulls, aeroplaning above the chimney pots, were calling that he must talk to Laura about his plans. He needed no telling, for once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/gulls-aeroplaning-above-the-chimney-pots-were-calling-that-he-must/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [“I was neither glad nor unhappy to see her, but maybe that's what shock does, because I was surprised, that I will say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/i-was-neither-glad-nor-unhappy-to-see-her-but-maybe-that-s-what-shock/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [If you went through life refusing all the bait dangled in front of you, that would be no life at all. No changes would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/if-you-went-through-life-refusing-all-the-bait-dangled-in-front-of/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [All I'm out for is a good time - all the rest is propaganda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/all-i-m-out-for-is-a-good-time-all-the-rest-is-propaganda/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [Well, it's a good life and a good world, all said and done, if you don't weaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/well-it-s-a-good-life-and-a-good-world-all-said-and-done-if-you-don-t/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [Everybody thinks theyll never get married at your age. 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