--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What you do is ultimately pointless. You…" description: "\"What you do is ultimately pointless. You could be replaced any day of the week with the first moron who walks in the door. So work as little as possibl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/corinne-maier-27082_backup_what-you-do-is-ultimately-pointless-you_1381173.jpg" --- # What you do is ultimately pointless. You could be replaced… ![“What you do is ultimately pointless. You could be replaced any day of the week with the first moron who walks in the door. So work as little as possible, and spend a little time (not too much, though) 'selling yourself' and 'networking' so that you will have backup and will be untouchable (and…” quote by Corinne Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/corinne-maier-27082_backup_what-you-do-is-ultimately-pointless-you_1381173.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/corinne-maier-27082_backup_what-you-do-is-ultimately-pointless-you_1381173.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/corinne-maier-27082_backup_what-you-do-is-ultimately-pointless-you_1381173.jpg) > “What you do is ultimately pointless. You could be replaced any day of the week with the first moron who walks in the door. So work as little as possible, and spend a little time (not too much, though) 'selling yourself' and 'networking' so that you will have backup and will be untouchable (and untouched) the next time the company is restructured.” [Corinne Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-maier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It argues that work can be replaceable, so one should minimize effort, focus on self‑promotion and networking to stay protected during corporate changes. **In simple terms:** Work is replaceable; protect yourself with networking. Key Takeaway Network and market yourself to stay secure. Themes career job security networking self‑promotion corporate culture Mood pragmatic cautious Type career advice When to use this quote - job hunting - career planning - skill development - personal branding - company restructuring Key Concepts human resources economics psychology Questions to Reflect On - What balance between work and networking is healthy? - How can you add value beyond self‑promotion? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on networking can neglect skill growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Days of the week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/days-of-the-week/) [Little time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-time/) [Networking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/networking/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) [Selling yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling-yourself/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Untouchables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/untouchables/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I think it's a very female trait to want to please men and to want to be considered the Cool Girl. And if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/i-think-it-s-a-very-female-trait-to-want-to-please-men-and-to-want-to/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [The worst financial transaction you will ever make is selling yourself short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gilbert/the-worst-financial-transaction-you-will-ever-make-is-selling/) [Greg Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gilbert/) > [It's very hard to keep your spirits up. You've got to keep selling yourself a bill of goods, and some people are better at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/it-s-very-hard-to-keep-your-spirits-up-you-ve-got-to-keep-selling/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [If you think it's worth selling yourself out, go for it. But I'm not selling myself out so I can make a little more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beneil-dariush/if-you-think-it-s-worth-selling-yourself-out-go-for-it-but-i-m-not/) [Beneil Dariush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beneil-dariush/) > [“I drink to the health of the child prodigy who finally met the gentleman with the golden ass. Vive little Sébastien, he’ll grow up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-claire-blais/i-drink-to-the-health-of-the-child-prodigy-who-finally-met-the/) [Marie-Claire Blais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-claire-blais/) > [“Piandao: Let me guess. 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If you're not selling the real you to people, you're selling yourself short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/always-be-yourself-despite-what-others-think-if-you-re-not-selling/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Don't waste your time trying to provide people with proof of deceit, in order to keep their love, win their love or salvage their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-provide-people-with-proof-of-deceit/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“You sound like you're offering more than what you really are. Almost like a sugar baby or something. But we can punch this up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-kuehn/you-sound-like-you-re-offering-more-than-what-you-really-are-almost/) [Stephanie Kuehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-kuehn/) > [I try to be true to myself yet still at the same time look at comments and look at what the fans have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-ink/i-try-to-be-true-to-myself-yet-still-at-the-same-time-look-at/) [Kid Ink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-ink/) > [Acting is a nice childish profession - pretending you're someone else and, at the same time, selling yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/acting-is-a-nice-childish-profession-pretending-you-re-someone-else/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [All women are goddesses, and it's just a matter of letting that goddess-power shine - and if you don't try to be the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/all-women-are-goddesses-and-it-s-just-a-matter-of-letting-that/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) ## More by Corinne Maier > [Remember that work is not a place for self-fulfillment. If it were, you would know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-maier/remember-that-work-is-not-a-place-for-self-fulfillment-if-it-were-you/) [Corinne Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-maier/) > [any effort at large-scale reorganization - that is, any project spanning more than two years and, more generally, anything that has not already been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-maier/any-effort-at-large-scale-reorganization-that-is-any-project-spanning/) [Corinne Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-maier/) > [Money counts more than you think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-maier/money-counts-more-than-you-think/) [Corinne Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-maier/) > [In the biggest companies, seek out the most useless positions: those in consultancy, appraisal, research, and study. 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They prefer such words as 'turnover,' 'profit,' 'salary,' 'revenue,' 'budget,' 'premium,' and 'savings,' all much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-maier/corporations-never-actually-mention-money-that-would-be-vulgar-they/) [Corinne Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-maier/) > [The more big business talks about something, the less of it there is. For example, it 'values' jobs just at the moment when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-maier/the-more-big-business-talks-about-something-the-less-of-it-there-is/) [Corinne Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-maier/) > [Manager' is a title, not a function. It's better to be one than not. 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It is a prerequisite to solving many problems that humankind faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cailliau/when-we-have-all-data-online-it-will-be-great-for-humanity-it-is-a/) [Robert Cailliau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cailliau/) > [But I love singing, and I've been singing backup for friends' bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alia-shawkat/but-i-love-singing-and-i-ve-been-singing-backup-for-friends-bands/) [Alia Shawkat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alia-shawkat/) > [Don't let uncertainty talk you into pursuing a backup plan instead of your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/don-t-let-uncertainty-talk-you-into-pursuing-a-backup-plan-instead-of/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [I was in 'Seussical,' and I was in a cage onstage in a purple yarn suit singing backup, and I was like: 'I've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-nicholaw/i-was-in-seussical-and-i-was-in-a-cage-onstage-in-a-purple-yarn-suit/) [Casey Nicholaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-nicholaw/) > [I like to go full bore into something. If you have a backup plan, then you've already admitted defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-like-to-go-full-bore-into-something-if-you-have-a-backup-plan-then/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [Life is about falling Living is about getting backup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kari-hillesland/life-is-about-falling-living-is-about-getting-backup/) Kari Hillesland > [My family was always very supportive. Whether you're an actor or not, everybody hears the horror stories of people going to L.A. and trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-levi/my-family-was-always-very-supportive-whether-you-re-an-actor-or-not/) [Zachary Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-levi/) > [“Always have a backup plan to the backup plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/always-have-a-backup-plan-to-the-backup-plan/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [What did Isabelle want?" Jace asked. 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