--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You define yourself by either what your…" description: "\"You define yourself by either what your clients want or what you believe they'll need for the future. So: Define yourself by your client, not your comp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/ginni-rometty-4640_believe_you-define-yourself-by-either-what-your_2529633.png" --- # You define yourself by either what your clients want or… ![“You define yourself by either what your clients want or what you believe they'll need for the future. So: Define yourself by your client, not your competitor.” quote by Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/ginni-rometty-4640_believe_you-define-yourself-by-either-what-your_2529633.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/ginni-rometty-4640_believe_you-define-yourself-by-either-what-your_2529633.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/ginni-rometty-4640_believe_you-define-yourself-by-either-what-your_2529633.png) > “You define yourself by either what your clients want or what you believe they'll need for the future. So: Define yourself by your client, not your competitor.” [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success comes from aligning personal identity with client needs, prioritizing service over competition. **In simple terms:** Define yourself by serving clients, not rivals. Key Takeaway Focus on client needs. Themes business strategy leadership customer focus Mood strategic pragmatic Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - product development - sales strategy - team alignment - innovation planning Key Concepts Market orientation value creation strategic identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance client focus with future trends? - When should you challenge client assumptions? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on clients may ignore broader market shifts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Define yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-yourself/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Unless the clients want, I don't like to have dancers for my shows. 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Some of our competitors do this because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/too-often-clients-want-us-to-give-them-a-one-size-fits-all-crisis/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [We are hearing more and more from our clients, they want to know how to build not only a great corporate culture, but effective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-gostick/we-are-hearing-more-and-more-from-our-clients-they-want-to-know-how/) [Adrian Gostick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-gostick/) > [I think if your clients want to sit on my shoulders and call themselves tall, they have the right to give it a try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/i-think-if-your-clients-want-to-sit-on-my-shoulders-and-call/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Clients want to work with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/clients-want-to-work-with-us/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [“The world is changing. No matter what any of us is shopping for, we can find good products, good services, good solutions. We want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-scott/the-world-is-changing-no-matter-what-any-of-us-is-shopping-for-we-can/) [Susan Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-scott/) > [Banks also have to say no to customers. We can't always give clients what they want; it may not be in the client's best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/banks-also-have-to-say-no-to-customers-we-can-t-always-give-clients/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [“What clients want more than anything is to know that we’re more interested in helping them than we are in maintaining our revenue source.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/what-clients-want-more-than-anything-is-to-know-that-we-re-more/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Don't let others define you. You define yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/don-t-let-others-define-you-you-define-yourself/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [Don't let others define you. Define yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/don-t-let-others-define-you-define-yourself/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [As I say to our own team: 'Never protect your past, never define yourself by a single product, and always continue to steward for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/as-i-say-to-our-own-team-never-protect-your-past-never-define/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [“With warm pleasantries, strangers become clients. With firm handshakes, contracts become signed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utibe-samuel-mbom/with-warm-pleasantries-strangers-become-clients-with-firm-handshakes/) [Utibe Samuel Mbom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utibe-samuel-mbom/) > [It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/it-is-the-client-who-knows-what-hurts-what-directions-to-go-what/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) ## More by Ginni Rometty > [I make time to exercise. It's not being indulgent. I think it's got a lot to do with your ability to manage properly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/i-make-time-to-exercise-it-s-not-being-indulgent-i-think-it-s-got-a/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [You need to have a great support around you, people that empathise, understand and yet support, because these CEO jobs are all-consuming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/you-need-to-have-a-great-support-around-you-people-that-empathise/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [I was always surrounded by people that wanted to mentor you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/i-was-always-surrounded-by-people-that-wanted-to-mentor-you/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [Never love something so much that you can't let go of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/never-love-something-so-much-that-you-can-t-let-go-of-it/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [It will not be a world of man versus machine. It will be a world of man plus machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/it-will-not-be-a-world-of-man-versus-machine-it-will-be-a-world-of/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [Clients say, 'What's your strategy,' and I say, 'Ask me what I believe first.' That's a far more enduring answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/clients-say-what-s-your-strategy-and-i-say-ask-me-what-i-believe/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [I'm the ninth CEO of IBM. Every one of my predecessors has steered through a technological shift, and every one left the company in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/i-m-the-ninth-ceo-of-ibm-every-one-of-my-predecessors-has-steered/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [Every part of your business will change based on what I consider predictive analytics of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/every-part-of-your-business-will-change-based-on-what-i-consider/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [If you ask me, 'So what is your business model?' Our business model's always about shifting to higher value opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/if-you-ask-me-so-what-is-your-business-model-our-business-model-s/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [And so when I moved to IBM, I moved because I thought I could apply technology. I didn't actually have to do my engineer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/and-so-when-i-moved-to-ibm-i-moved-because-i-thought-i-could-apply/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [You can engineer change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/you-can-engineer-change/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [This century, the 21st century, will be the Indian century - and I really believe that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/this-century-the-21st-century-will-be-the-indian-century-and-i-really/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [So what it means is when you don't believe in the inevitable, it means you don't expect that that's how things have to turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/so-what-it-means-is-when-you-don-t-believe-in-the-inevitable-it-means/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [Growth and comfort do not coexist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/growth-and-comfort-do-not-coexist/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [Artificial intelligence is one of 50 things that Watson does. There is also machine learning, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and different analytical engines - they're like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/artificial-intelligence-is-one-of-50-things-that-watson-does-there-is/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) [Explore all 108 Ginni Rometty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [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 don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You define yourself by either what your clients want or what you believe they'll need for the future. 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