---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A salesman sees a commission."
description: "\"A salesman sees a commission.\" — James Cook"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/james-cook-1930_commission_a-salesman-sees-a-commission-3152937_3152937.jpg"
---

#  A salesman sees a commission.

![“A salesman sees a commission.” quote by James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/james-cook-1930_commission_a-salesman-sees-a-commission-3152937_3152937.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/james-cook-1930_commission_a-salesman-sees-a-commission-3152937_3152937.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/james-cook-1930_commission_a-salesman-sees-a-commission-3152937_3152937.jpg)

> “A salesman sees a commission.”

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A salesperson's mindset is often driven by the prospect of earning commissions.

**In simple terms:** Sales focus on commissions.

Key Takeaway

Recognize commission motives.

Themes

sales motivation incentives

Mood

analytical critical

Type

observational philosophical

When to use this quote

- retail sales
- real‑estate deals
- online marketing
- freelance gigs

Key Concepts

commission structures behavioral economics

Questions to Reflect On

- Do commissions shape your decisions?
- How to balance profit and ethics?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on money can erode trust.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Salesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesman/)

## Related quotes

> [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [The worst fault a salesman can commit is to be a bore. Foster any attempt to talk about other things; the longer you stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/the-worst-fault-a-salesman-can-commit-is-to-be-a-bore-foster-any/)

[David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/)

> [“If you’re subjected to enough great salesmen and salespitches and marketing concepts for long enough—like from your earliest Saturday-morning cartoons, let’s say—it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/if-you-re-subjected-to-enough-great-salesmen-and-salespitches-and/)

[David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/)

> [Electricity transmission operates on a frequency between 49.7 Hertz and 50.2 Hertz. What I have done is petitioned the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/electricity-transmission-operates-on-a-frequency-between-49-7-hertz/)

[Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/)

> [The 9/11 Commission recently released their report, citing important changes which need to be made to improve our nation's homeland security. I voiced my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-boswell/the-9-11-commission-recently-released-their-report-citing-important/)

[Leonard Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-boswell/)

> [Ive been in photography for over 20 years now, and I dont think people commission me because of my name. At some point, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccartney/ive-been-in-photography-for-over-20-years-now-and-i-dont-think-people/)

[Mary McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccartney/)

> [In aristocratic societies, rich people used to commission exquisite paintings for their walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-holland/in-aristocratic-societies-rich-people-used-to-commission-exquisite/)

[Brad Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-holland/)

> [The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and EPA, et cetera, had worked out what allowable releases are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-scranton/the-nuclear-regulatory-commission-and-epa-et-cetera-had-worked-out/)

[William Scranton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-scranton/)

> [Now the interesting thing about the movie is that many of the questions it raised about the Warren Commission and its investigation were all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-stokes/now-the-interesting-thing-about-the-movie-is-that-many-of-the/)

[Louis Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-stokes/)

> [Governance has been at the heart of the work of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations and is a clear focus in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/governance-has-been-at-the-heart-of-the-work-of-the-oxford-martin/)

[Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/)

> [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [“Unless some people are commissioned for the task, there will be no gospel preachers; unless the gospel is preached, sinners will not hear Christ’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/unless-some-people-are-commissioned-for-the-task-there-will-be-no/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/)

[Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/)

> [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/)

[Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/)

> [If I get a commission, it's like a flood of creative thought and energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/if-i-get-a-commission-it-s-like-a-flood-of-creative-thought-and-energy/)

[Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/)

## More by James Cook

> [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Gasahol is socialism's fuel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/gasahol-is-socialism-s-fuel/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Why is it so hard to see that when America had high savings, low taxes and minimal government, the economy grew like a week,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/why-is-it-so-hard-to-see-that-when-america-had-high-savings-low-taxes/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [The longer people receive economic assistance, the worse their social condition and behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-longer-people-receive-economic-assistance-the-worse-their-social/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Knaves will come and knaves will go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/knaves-will-come-and-knaves-will-go/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Whatever you subsidize you get more of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/whatever-you-subsidize-you-get-more-of/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Once you're in heaven it makes no difference when you got there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/once-you-re-in-heaven-it-makes-no-difference-when-you-got-there/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Liberals have one solution for every economic issue; eat the seed corn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/liberals-have-one-solution-for-every-economic-issue-eat-the-seed-corn/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Hardly anything works out as well as we hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/hardly-anything-works-out-as-well-as-we-hope/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Those who live off of the donations of capitalism are often its greatest critics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/those-who-live-off-of-the-donations-of-capitalism-are-often-its/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Let one state in the U.S. be free of government and overnight you would have an economic powerhouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/let-one-state-in-the-u-s-be-free-of-government-and-overnight-you/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [The more noteworthy a person's achievements, the more government agents are attracted to investigating that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-more-noteworthy-a-person-s-achievements-the-more-government/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Throughout history government has seldom hesitated from robbing its citizens in a crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/throughout-history-government-has-seldom-hesitated-from-robbing-its/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [Employers know the nature of people best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/employers-know-the-nature-of-people-best/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

[Explore all 197 James Cook quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

## More Commission quotes

> [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/)

[Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/)

> [Electricity transmission operates on a frequency between 49.7 Hertz and 50.2 Hertz. What I have done is petitioned the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/electricity-transmission-operates-on-a-frequency-between-49-7-hertz/)

[Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/)

> [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/)

[Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/)

> [“Unless some people are commissioned for the task, there will be no gospel preachers; unless the gospel is preached, sinners will not hear Christ’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/unless-some-people-are-commissioned-for-the-task-there-will-be-no/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [Governance has been at the heart of the work of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations and is a clear focus in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/governance-has-been-at-the-heart-of-the-work-of-the-oxford-martin/)

[Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/)

> [Now the interesting thing about the movie is that many of the questions it raised about the Warren Commission and its investigation were all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-stokes/now-the-interesting-thing-about-the-movie-is-that-many-of-the/)

[Louis Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-stokes/)

> [The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and EPA, et cetera, had worked out what allowable releases are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-scranton/the-nuclear-regulatory-commission-and-epa-et-cetera-had-worked-out/)

[William Scranton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-scranton/)

> [In aristocratic societies, rich people used to commission exquisite paintings for their walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-holland/in-aristocratic-societies-rich-people-used-to-commission-exquisite/)

[Brad Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-holland/)

> [Ive been in photography for over 20 years now, and I dont think people commission me because of my name. At some point, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccartney/ive-been-in-photography-for-over-20-years-now-and-i-dont-think-people/)

[Mary McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccartney/)

> [The 9/11 Commission recently released their report, citing important changes which need to be made to improve our nation's homeland security. I voiced my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-boswell/the-9-11-commission-recently-released-their-report-citing-important/)

[Leonard Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-boswell/)

> [If I get a commission, it's like a flood of creative thought and energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/if-i-get-a-commission-it-s-like-a-flood-of-creative-thought-and-energy/)

[Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/)

> [I still do not know where the notes will come from when I accept a commission for a new work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/i-still-do-not-know-where-the-notes-will-come-from-when-i-accept-a/)

[Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/)

> [Lies can be verbal or nonverbal, kindhearted or self-serving, devious or bald-faced; they can be lies of omission or lies of commission; they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/lies-can-be-verbal-or-nonverbal-kindhearted-or-self-serving-devious/)

[Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/)

> [Often in companies, you'll see tensions between sales and marketing. Sales people will want to give discounts to clients because they often get paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/often-in-companies-you-ll-see-tensions-between-sales-and-marketing/)

[Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/)

Browse all 131 Commission quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A salesman sees a commission.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Cook"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/a-salesman-sees-a-commission/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Commission"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/a-salesman-sees-a-commission/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/james-cook-1930_commission_a-salesman-sees-a-commission-3152937_3152937.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/james-cook-1930_commission_a-salesman-sees-a-commission-3152937_3152937.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/james-cook-1930_commission_a-salesman-sees-a-commission-3152937_3152937.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A salesman sees a commission.” — James Cook",
                "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": "James Cook",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A salesman sees a commission.",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/a-salesman-sees-a-commission/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/a-salesman-sees-a-commission/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
