--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sell yourself first, if you want to sell…" description: "\"Sell yourself first, if you want to sell anything.\" — Burt Lancaster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/burt-lancaster-18385_firsts_sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell_2284567.jpg" --- # Sell yourself first, if you want to sell anything. ![“Sell yourself first, if you want to sell anything.” quote by Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/burt-lancaster-18385_firsts_sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell_2284567.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/burt-lancaster-18385_firsts_sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell_2284567.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/burt-lancaster-18385_firsts_sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell_2284567.jpg) > “Sell yourself first, if you want to sell anything.” [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Before you can successfully market something, you must first understand and value yourself, as self‑confidence is the foundation of any external sales effort. **In simple terms:** Know yourself before you sell anything. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑worth first. Themes self‑esteem marketing confidence Mood motivational pragmatic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts personal branding psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑knowledge affect persuasion? - What risks arise from neglecting self‑value? A Different Perspective Self‑promotion can feel inauthentic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [We're not really in the business to sell ourselves. We want to sell what we work on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-carey/we-re-not-really-in-the-business-to-sell-ourselves-we-want-to-sell/) [Danny Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-carey/) > [I have no interest in teaching writers how to sell. I want to teach them how to write. If the process is sound, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/i-have-no-interest-in-teaching-writers-how-to-sell-i-want-to-teach/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [I don't want to sell to street art collectors, I want to sell to art collectors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-don-t-want-to-sell-to-street-art-collectors-i-want-to-sell-to-art/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [Of course, I want to sell this record - there's no point making it otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/of-course-i-want-to-sell-this-record-there-s-no-point-making-it/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I perform as much as I can, to the extent I don't want to sell myself out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-pickett/i-perform-as-much-as-i-can-to-the-extent-i-don-t-want-to-sell-myself/) [Wilson Pickett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-pickett/) > [We do not want to sell anything that offends people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/we-do-not-want-to-sell-anything-that-offends-people/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [I think I've done a pretty fantastic job, but of course I want to sell millions of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-think-i-ve-done-a-pretty-fantastic-job-but-of-course-i-want-to-sell/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I love my kids, they are amazing children, but they drive me bananas sometimes. And sometimes, I want to sell them on eBay... but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-aselton/i-love-my-kids-they-are-amazing-children-but-they-drive-me-bananas/) [Katie Aselton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-aselton/) > [I want to sell out arenas and sell millions of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-want-to-sell-out-arenas-and-sell-millions-of-records/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [My biggest thing is that I never want to sell out. Or be a sellout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ren/my-biggest-thing-is-that-i-never-want-to-sell-out-or-be-a-sellout/) [Alexis Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ren/) > [I find a way to convince people to come along with me. They want to be persuaded. When I sit in a room with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-weintraub/i-find-a-way-to-convince-people-to-come-along-with-me-they-want-to-be/) [Jerry Weintraub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-weintraub/) > [The trick of successful investors is to sell when they want to, not when they have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/the-trick-of-successful-investors-is-to-sell-when-they-want-to-not/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [It's not how many tickets can we sell, it's where do we want to play, not where should we play to make the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-how-many-tickets-can-we-sell-it-s-where-do-we-want-to-play/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you want to sell a service, you have to be the first to believe that the service has value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianluca-vialli/if-you-want-to-sell-a-service-you-have-to-be-the-first-to-believe/) [Gianluca Vialli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianluca-vialli/) > [It would be asking too much to want to sell only to connoisseurs - that way starvation lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-would-be-asking-too-much-to-want-to-sell-only-to-connoisseurs-that/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) ## More by Burt Lancaster > [I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-hate-looking-backward-but-every-once-in-a-while-it-sneaks-up-on-you/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [My brother never had me to dinner in his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/my-brother-never-had-me-to-dinner-in-his-life/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [My former wife is a truly wonderful person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/my-former-wife-is-a-truly-wonderful-person/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [You see, if you make believe hard enough that something is true, then it is true for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/you-see-if-you-make-believe-hard-enough-that-something-is-true-then/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [Can anything be more Un-American than the Un-American committee?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-the-un-american-committee/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I found marriage somewhat stifling. I don't know that I am the kind of man who ought to be married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-found-marriage-somewhat-stifling-i-don-t-know-that-i-am-the-kind-of/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [As long as you are curious, you defeat age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/as-long-as-you-are-curious-you-defeat-age/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I believe we should appeal to people at the higher levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-believe-we-should-appeal-to-people-at-the-higher-levels/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [Most people seem to think I'm the kind of guy who shaves with a blowtorch. Actually I'm bookish and worrisome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/most-people-seem-to-think-i-m-the-kind-of-guy-who-shaves-with-a/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I am reasonably happy, providing I keep busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-am-reasonably-happy-providing-i-keep-busy/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [They were fun days, and we set the town on fire with every movie we did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/they-were-fun-days-and-we-set-the-town-on-fire-with-every-movie-we-did/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I'm-going-to-tilt-my-head-at-a-perpendicular-angle-and-then-attempt-to-extract-your-soul-through-your-mouth-like-some-giant-alien-sucker-fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-m-going-to-tilt-my-head-at-a-perpendicular-angle-and-then-attempt/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [You have to fight against being an antique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/you-have-to-fight-against-being-an-antique/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I had the luck of having an obedient body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-had-the-luck-of-having-an-obedient-body/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [Alcoholics are mostly disappointed men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/alcoholics-are-mostly-disappointed-men/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) [Explore all 35 Burt Lancaster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [You sort of can't talk about the post production unless you talk about what comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/you-sort-of-can-t-talk-about-the-post-production-unless-you-talk/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sell yourself first, if you want to sell anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Burt Lancaster" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell-anything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Firsts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell-anything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/burt-lancaster-18385_firsts_sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell_2284567.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/burt-lancaster-18385_firsts_sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell_2284567.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/burt-lancaster-18385_firsts_sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell_2284567.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sell yourself first, if you want to sell anything.” — Burt Lancaster", "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": "Burt Lancaster", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sell yourself first, if you want...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell-anything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/sell-yourself-first-if-you-want-to-sell-anything/#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 } } ] } ```