--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to get ahead in this world…" description: "\"If you want to get ahead in this world get a lawyer -- not a book.\" — Fran Lebowitz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/fran-lebowitz-690_ahead_if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-g_95592.png" --- # If you want to get ahead in this world get a lawyer -- not… ![“If you want to get ahead in this world get a lawyer -- not a book.” quote by Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/fran-lebowitz-690_ahead_if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-g_95592.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/fran-lebowitz-690_ahead_if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-g_95592.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/fran-lebowitz-690_ahead_if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-g_95592.png) > “If you want to get ahead in this world get a lawyer -- not a book.” [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legal expertise often outweighs theoretical knowledge for navigating complex societal systems. **In simple terms:** Practical power of law over books Key Takeaway Law is a pragmatic shortcut Themes Power Pragmatism Societal navigation Legal expertise Mood wry cynical Type aphor advice When to use this quote - career advancement - business negotiations - personal disputes Key Concepts Legal systems Education Practical Applications - legal consulting - policy advocacy Questions to Reflect On - Is knowledge without legal backing sufficient? - How does this view affect attitudes toward education? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [You can't play it safe if you want to get ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-rosenfeld/you-can-t-play-it-safe-if-you-want-to-get-ahead/) [Irene Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-rosenfeld/) > [I want to go ahead in life and not look back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/i-want-to-go-ahead-in-life-and-not-look-back/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) > [Just in any job, if you want to get ahead, take shorter lunch breaks, be happy to stay later, do the work, and finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rinehart/just-in-any-job-if-you-want-to-get-ahead-take-shorter-lunch-breaks-be/) [Gina Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rinehart/) > [I want to be the champion one day, but I don't want to get ahead of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gustafsson/i-want-to-be-the-champion-one-day-but-i-don-t-want-to-get-ahead-of/) [Alexander Gustafsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gustafsson/) > [The question you must answer isn't how to get ahead. It's how to go somewhere that matters. And have fun along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-question-you-must-answer-isn-t-how-to-get-ahead-it-s-how-to-go/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [A revolutionary should neither look or act like one to get ahead in Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-manning/a-revolutionary-should-neither-look-or-act-like-one-to-get-ahead-in/) [Preston Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-manning/) > [If you get up early, work late, and pay your taxes, you will get ahead -- if you strike oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/if-you-get-up-early-work-late-and-pay-your-taxes-you-will-get-ahead/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [The best answer and the best way forward to young women out there who want to get ahead is work your tail off. Work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/the-best-answer-and-the-best-way-forward-to-young-women-out-there-who/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [If you want to be ahead of a team that never loses, that's not easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-hasenhuttl/if-you-want-to-be-ahead-of-a-team-that-never-loses-that-s-not-easy/) [Ralph Hasenhuttl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-hasenhuttl/) > [“If you want to get ahead in life, you do less talking and do more working.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taskinsoy/if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-life-you-do-less-talking-and-do-more/) [JOHN TASKINSOY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taskinsoy/) > [My attitude is one movie at a time. I don't want to get ahead of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/my-attitude-is-one-movie-at-a-time-i-don-t-want-to-get-ahead-of-myself/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [“Do you truly want to get even with everyone, or do you really want to get ahead of them? Why stand next to anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-s-grover/do-you-truly-want-to-get-even-with-everyone-or-do-you-really-want-to/) [Tim S. Grover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-s-grover/) > [Don't say that you want to give, but go ahead and give! You'll never catch up with a mere hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/don-t-say-that-you-want-to-give-but-go-ahead-and-give-you-ll-never/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I don't want to get ahead at the expense of somebody else. I don't even want to be the center of attention - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-wells/i-don-t-want-to-get-ahead-at-the-expense-of-somebody-else-i-don-t/) [Noel Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-wells/) > [Whatever your walk in life is, you pick what you want to be, then go ahead and be the best one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/whatever-your-walk-in-life-is-you-pick-what-you-want-to-be-then-go/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) ## More by Fran Lebowitz > [Why not have your first baby at sixty, when your husband is already dead and your career is over? Then you can really devote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/why-not-have-your-first-baby-at-sixty-when-your-husband-is-already/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I've never had the experience of being edited and never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-ve-never-had-the-experience-of-being-edited-and-never-will/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I think humor is warmer, and wit is colder. Wit is judgment, whereas humor invites some sort of response.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-think-humor-is-warmer-and-wit-is-colder-wit-is-judgment-whereas/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Communists all seem to wear small caps, a look I consider better suited to tubes of toothpaste than to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/communists-all-seem-to-wear-small-caps-a-look-i-consider-better/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“lack, or loutish and crass kollective is a program dedicated to the proposition that vulgarity and bad taste are an inalienable right. the lackies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/lack-or-loutish-and-crass-kollective-is-a-program-dedicated-to-the/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I figure you have the same chance of winning the lottery whether you play or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-figure-you-have-the-same-chance-of-winning-the-lottery-whether-you/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [ \[Friendships\] are easy to get out of compared to love affairs, but they are not easy to get out of compared to, say, jail. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/friendships-are-easy-to-get-out-of-compared-to-love-affairs-but-they/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Smoking is, as far as I'm concerned, the entire point of being an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/smoking-is-as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-entire-point-of-being-an-adult/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When it comes to sports I am not particularly interested. Generally speaking, I look upon them as dangerous and tiring activities performed by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-it-comes-to-sports-i-am-not-particularly-interested-generally/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [The first time I ever saw platform shoes in the '70s, I knew they'd been revived from the '40s, and I felt sickened. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/the-first-time-i-ever-saw-platform-shoes-in-the-70s-i-knew-they-d/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Children ask better questions than adults. "May I have a cookie?" "Why is the sky blue?" and "What does a cow say?" are far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/children-ask-better-questions-than-adults-may-i-have-a-cookie-why-is/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [ I do not think everyone is created equal. In fact, I know they're not. \[The Constitution\] means that everyone should have the same laws… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-do-not-think-everyone-is-created-equal-in-fact-i-know-they-re-not/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When I fly, I'm never afraid the plane is going to crash. But there have often been times when I was afraid it wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-fly-i-m-never-afraid-the-plane-is-going-to-crash-but-there/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Smoking is, if not my life, then at least my hobby. I love to smoke. Smoking is fun. Smoking is cool. Smoking is, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/smoking-is-if-not-my-life-then-at-least-my-hobby-i-love-to-smoke/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Will power is not telling anybody you quit smoking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/will-power-is-not-telling-anybody-you-quit-smoking/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) [Explore all 408 Fran Lebowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## More Ahead quotes > [Anybody who thinks that they should lead the country should go ahead and put their hat in the ring. I am not among them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/anybody-who-thinks-that-they-should-lead-the-country-should-go-ahead/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [If I have a problem with somebody, I go ahead and say what's on my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-hulkenberg/if-i-have-a-problem-with-somebody-i-go-ahead-and-say-what-s-on-my-mind/) [Nico Hulkenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-hulkenberg/) > [I once invested in a risky business. Quite a few people warned me not to do so, but I still went ahead and invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-rode/i-once-invested-in-a-risky-business-quite-a-few-people-warned-me-not/) [Gautam Rode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-rode/) > [“What lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us and ahead of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/what-lies-behind-us-is-nothing-compared-to-what-lies-within-us-and/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [In Life, We May Never Get The Same Opportunity Again, But There's Always Something Better Ahead...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/in-life-we-may-never-get-the-same-opportunity-again-but-there-s/) Pacifiersucker > [Makeup is only fun if it's occasional and capricious - just like it's a treat to have an empty day ahead, but it wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-coren-mitchell/makeup-is-only-fun-if-it-s-occasional-and-capricious-just-like-it-s-a/) [Victoria Coren Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-coren-mitchell/) > [There is no such thing as disposable time if you want to stay ahead of the game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-such-thing-as-disposable-time-if-you-want-to-stay-ahead/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm the kind of guy who comes home and checks scores for everything. I'm a sports fan in general, so I pretty much keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/i-m-the-kind-of-guy-who-comes-home-and-checks-scores-for-everything-i/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [People are flying you places in business class. Everyone wants to take pictures of you and find out information about you. It's a freak-out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolandi-visser/people-are-flying-you-places-in-business-class-everyone-wants-to-take/) [Yolandi Visser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolandi-visser/) > [I wasn't putting my all into it and I was still managing to score goals, and that gave me something to dream about, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gray/i-wasn-t-putting-my-all-into-it-and-i-was-still-managing-to-score/) [Andre Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gray/) > [There's no limit to what you can accomplish, but there's always someone one step ahead of you, so it's a constant uphill battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/there-s-no-limit-to-what-you-can-accomplish-but-there-s-always/) [Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/) > [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. If I had believed in it, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to get ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/i-was-never-bothered-about-my-position-in-the-industry-if-i-had/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) > [I don't want to look too far ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/i-don-t-want-to-look-too-far-ahead/) [Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/) > [“one who takes the first step always remains one step ahead”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabi-shaheen/one-who-takes-the-first-step-always-remains-one-step-ahead/) Rabi Shaheen > [I am not interested to sing in Bollywood. I sing for only those actors whom I admire. I sing free of cost for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-yo-honey-singh/i-am-not-interested-to-sing-in-bollywood-i-sing-for-only-those-actors/) [Yo Yo Honey Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-yo-honey-singh/) Browse all 1,773 Ahead quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to get ahead in this world get a lawyer -- not a book.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fran Lebowitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-get-a-lawyer-not-a-book/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ahead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-get-a-lawyer-not-a-book/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/fran-lebowitz-690_ahead_if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-g_95592.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/fran-lebowitz-690_ahead_if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-g_95592.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/fran-lebowitz-690_ahead_if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-g_95592.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to get ahead in this world get a lawyer -- not a book.” — Fran Lebowitz", "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": "Fran Lebowitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want to get ahead...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-get-a-lawyer-not-a-book/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-get-a-lawyer-not-a-book/#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 } } ] } ```